Alabama–Penn State football series
American college football rivalry
The Alabama–Penn State football series is an American college football matchup between the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and Penn State Nittany Lions football team of Pennsylvania State University. Following their three Bowl games in 1959, 1975 and 1979, the teams met for 10 straight years in what was ofted described as one of the nation's top intersectional rivalries.
After their 1990 game, the series became dormant with Penn State's move to the Big Ten Conference, but the teams met again in 2010 in Tuscaloosa and 2011 in State College.
Bowl games
1959 Liberty Bowl
In a defensive struggle, the only scoring of the game came at the close of the second quarter, as Penn State threw for a touchdown on a fake field goal, leading to a 7–0 win for the Nittany Lions.
1975 Sugar Bowl
With each team successfully kicking two field goals, the winning margin was a third-quarter touchdown by the Crimson Tide, as Alabama won, 13–6.
1979 Sugar Bowl
Alabama scored in the second quarter, then Penn State answered in the third, then Alabama took a 14–7 lead on a touchdown set up by a 62-yard punt return. Penn State had a chance to tie in the fourth, but Chuck Fusina threw an interception into the Alabama end zone. Then the Crimson Tide had a chance to put the game away, but fumbled the football back to Penn State at the Nittany Lion 19-yard-line with four minutes to go. Penn State drove to a first and goal at the Alabama eight. On third and goal from the one, Fusina asked Bama linebacker Marty Lyons "What do you think we should do?", and Lyons answered "You'd better pass." On third down, Penn State was stopped inches short of the goal line.
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