1969 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

American college football season

1969 Penn State Nittany Lions football

Co-national champion (FACT, Sagarin)
Eastern champion
Orange Bowl champion

Orange Bowl, W 10–3 vs. Missouri

Conference| Independent
Ranking
Coaches| No. 2
AP| No. 2
Record| 11–0
Head coach|

* Joe Paterno (4th season)

Offensive scheme| I formation
Defensive coordinator| Jim O'Hora (4th season)
Base defense| 4–3
Captains|

* Tom Jackson
* Mike Reid
* Steve Smear

Home stadium| Beaver Stadium

Seasons

<- 1968

1970 ->

1969 NCAA University Division independents football records

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

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Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 2 Penn State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 11  | - | 0  | - | 0
No. 17 West Virginia |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 10  | - | 1  | - | 0
No. 12 Houston |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 9  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 5 Notre Dame |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 1
Buffalo |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
Rutgers |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
Villanova |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0
Florida State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 3  | - | 1
Colgate |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 3  | - | 1
Air Force |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
West Texas State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Boston College |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 0
New Mexico State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Southern Miss |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Syracuse |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Army |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 1
VPI |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 1
Georgia Tech |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Miami (FL) |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Pittsburgh |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Dayton |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Marshall |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Northern Illinois |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Tulane |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Utah State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Idaho |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 0
Navy |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 1  | - | 9  | - | 0
Xavier |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 1  | - | 9  | - | 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1969 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented Pennsylvania State University in the 1969 NCAA University Division football season.

Despite posting its second consecutive undefeated, untied season, the Nittany Lions did not have a shot at the national championship. President Richard Nixon said that he would consider the winner of the December 6 matchup between the Texas Longhorns and the Arkansas Razorbacks, then ranked at the top of the polls, and the real voters do not seem to have differed. Paterno, at the 1973 commencement, was quoted saying, "I'd like to know how could the president know so little about Watergate in 1973 and so much about college football in 1969?"[1] Then Pennsylvania Governor Raymond P. Shafer got the White House's attention with Penn State's two-season undefeated streak. A White House assistant called Paterno to invite him and the team to the White House to receive a trophy for their accomplishment. Paterno has stated many times that he responded with, "You can tell the president to take that trophy and shove it."[2]

Penn State declined an invitation to play the Texas/Arkansas winner in the Cotton Bowl Classic,[citation needed] instead playing sixth-ranked Missouri in the Orange Bowl. Penn State beat Missouri 10–3, while Texas beat Notre Dame 21–17 and was recognized as the consensus national champion.[3]: 120 Penn State was selected co-national champion by FACT and Sagarin, both NCAA-designated major selectors.[3]: 111

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Rank| Site| TV| Result| Attendance| Source

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September 20| at Navy| No. 3|

* Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium
* Annapolis, MD

| | W 45–22| 28,796|
September 27| Colorado| No. 2|

* Beaver Stadium
* University Park, PA

| | W 27–3| 51,402|
October 4| at Kansas State| No. 2|

* KSU Stadium
* Manhattan, KS

| | W 17–14| 37,000|
October 11| No. 17 West Virginia| No. 5|

* Beaver Stadium
* University Park, PA (rivalry)

| | W 20–0| 52,713| [4]
October 18| at Syracuse| No. 5|

* Archbold Stadium
* Syracuse, NY (rivalry)

| | W 15–14| 42,291|
October 25| Ohio| No. 8|

* Beaver Stadium
* University Park, PA

| | W 42–3| 49,069|
November 1| Boston College| No. 5|

* Beaver Stadium
* University Park, PA

| CBS| W 38–16| 46,652|
November 15| Maryland| No. 5|

* Beaver Stadium
* University Park, PA (rivalry)

| | W 48–0| 46,106| [5]
November 22| at Pittsburgh| No. 4|

* Pitt Stadium
* Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)

| | W 27–7| 39,517|
November 29| at NC State| No. 3|

* Carter Stadium
* Raleigh, NC

| ABC| W 33–8| 24,150| [6]
January 1, 1970| vs. No. 6 Missouri| No. 2|

* Miami Orange Bowl
* Miami, FL (Orange Bowl)

| NBC| W 10–3| 77,282|

* Homecoming
* Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

## Game summaries

[edit]

### Pittsburgh

[edit]

|  | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

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|
|

• Penn State | 7 | 0| 7| 13 | 27
Pittsburgh | 0 | 7| 0| 0 | 7

* Date: November 22
* Location: Pitt Stadium, Pittsburgh
* Game attendance: 39,517

| Scoring summary

1| | PSU| Harris 24-yard run (Reitz kick)| PSU 7-0
2| | PITT| Esposito 6-yard run (Cramer kick)| Tied 7-7
3| | PSU| Pittman 4-yard run (Reitz kick)| PSU 14-7
4| | PSU| Pittman 17-yard run (Reitz kick)| PSU 21-7
4| | PSU| Abbey 18-yard run (kick failed)| PSU 27-7

[7]

### NC State

[edit]

|  | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

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• Penn St | 3 | 14| 6| 10 | 33
NC State | 0 | 0| 0| 8 | 8

* Date: November 29
* Location: Carter Stadium
* Game attendance: 24,150

| Scoring summary

Q1| | PSU| Reitz 27 yard field goal| PSU 3–0
Q2| | PSU| Pittman 5 yard run (Reitz kick)| PSU 10–0
Q2| | PSU| Mitchell 1 yard run (Reitz kick)| PSU 17–0
Q3| | PSU| Pittman 5 yard run (kick failed)| PSU 23–0
Q4| | PSU| Reitz 35 yard field goal| PSU 26–0
Q4| | PSU| Pittman 13 yard pass from Burkhart (Reitz kick)| PSU 33–0
Q4| | NCST| Walker 71 yard interception return (Sharp pass from Bowers)| PSU 33–8

[8]

## Personnel

[edit]

1969 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster

Players  | Coaches
Offense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

|
|
|

RB | `` | Don Abbey
WR | `` | Charlie Adams
QB | `` | Chuck Burkhart
WR | `` | Wally Cirafesi
QB | `25` | Mike Cooper | Jr
RB | `` | Gary Deuel
WR | `88` | Greg Edmonds | Jr
RB | `` | Fran Ganter | Jr
RB | `34` | Franco Harris | So
OL | `` | Bob Holuba
OL | `` | Tom Jackson
WR | `` | Pete Johnson
C | `56` | Warren Koegel | Jr
WR | `` | Jim McCord
RB | `23` | Lydell Mitchell | So
TE | `` | Wayne Munson
QB, P | `13` | Bob Parsons | So
RB | `24` | Charlie Pittman | Sr
RB | `` | Joel Ramich
OT | `78` | Vic Surma | Jr
RB | `` | Charlie Wilson
G | `60` | Charlie Zapiec | Jr
Defense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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|
|

DE | `89` | John Ebersole | Sr
LB | `33` | Jack Ham | Jr
DL | `` | Gary Hull
DB | `` | Paul Johnson
LB | `` | Jim Kates
DB | `` | George Landis
LB | `35` | Dennis Onkotz | Sr
LB | `` | David Radakovich
DL | `` | David Rakiecki
DT | `68` | Mike Reid | Sr
DL | `` | Steve Smear
LB | `` | Mike Smith
DB | `` | Neal Smith
Special teams | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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Head coach

* Joe Paterno

Coordinators/assistant coaches

* Earl Bruce
* Jim O'Hora
* Frank Patrick
* Bob Phillips
* Dan Radakovich
* Jerry Sandusky
* Jim Weaver
* George Welsh
* J. T. White

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (S) Suspended
* (I) Ineligible

* Injured
* Redshirt

* * *

Roster

## Awards

[edit]

* Mike Reid
* Maxwell Award
* Outland Trophy

## NFL draft

[edit]

Eight Nittany Lions were selected in the 1970 NFL draft.

Round | Pick | Overall | Name | Position | Team

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1st | 7 | 7 | Mike Reid | Defensive tackle | Cincinnati Bengals
3rd | 6 | 58 | Charlie Pittman | Running back | St. Louis Cardinals
3rd | 20 | 72 | Dennis Onkotz | Linebacker | New York Jets
4th | 17 | 95 | Steve Smear | Defensive end/Linebacker | Baltimore Colts
4th | 20 | 98 | John Ebersole | Linebacker | New York Jets
7th | 23 | 179 | Don Abbey | Fullback | Dallas Cowboys
8th | 17 | 199 | Paul Johnson | Running back | Washington Redskins
12th | 17 | 303 | James Kates | Linebacker | Washington Redskins

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Anderson, Shelly (November 17, 2006). "Research shows Nixon hurt '69 Lions". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 31, 2007.
2. ^ Rudel, Neil (April 24, 1994). "Snub by Nixon helped Penn St". The Beaver County Times. Beaver, Pennsylvania. p. B15. Retrieved July 6, 2021 - via Google News.
3. ^ a b 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
4. ^ "Unbeaten Penn State blanks West Virginia". San Antonio Express/News. October 12, 1969. Retrieved January 21, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Pittman scores 3 in 48–0 win". Sunday News. November 16, 1969. Retrieved January 22, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Penn State rumbles past Wolfpack 33–8". The Roanoke Times. November 30, 1969. Retrieved January 22, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Onkotz' Run Leads Penn State Past Pitt, 27-7." Palm Beach Post. November 23, 1969
8. ^ "Penn State Rumbles, 33-8." Palm Beach Post. 1969 Nov 30. Retrieved 2015-Apr-30.

* v
* t
* e

Penn State Nittany Lions football

Venues|

* Old Main lawn (until 1891)
* Beaver Field (1892–1908)
* New Beaver Field (1909–1959)
* Beaver Stadium (1960–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Alabama
* Maryland
* Michigan
* Michigan State
* Minnesota: Governor's Victory Bell
* Ohio State
* Old Ironsides
* Pittsburgh
* Syracuse
* West Virginia

Culture & lore|

* Nittany Lion
* "Fight On, State"
* Penn State Blue Band
* Uplifting Athletes
* Joe Paterno statue
* Something for Joey
* 1982 Nebraska game
* Child sex abuse scandal
* 2016 Ohio State game
* Paterno
* White Out
* 2021 Illinois game

People|

* Head coaches
* All-Americans
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1881
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National championship seasons in bold
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf.]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number