1979 NCAA Tournament
The 1979 Tournament was based on the final AP rankings. Last year's champion Penn State did not make the tournament. Last year's runner up Oklahoma was seeded third and made it to the semi-finals. There were two upsets in the first round. #9 Nebraska beat #8 Arkansas 30-17 and #11 Washington beat #6 Florida State 31-24. #2 USC was the only top four team that didn't make it to the semi's. They were beat in the Elite 8 by #7 Pittsburgh 37-17.
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National Semi Final #1 (Ohio State Buckeyes @ Alabama Crimson Tide)
December 22, 1979 @ Bryant-Denny Stadium, Temp 49, Partly Cloudy, No wind
Alabama had little trouble dispatching Ohio State and earning their fourth trip to the championship game, 30-6.
Alabama began the game with a bit of nerves, fumbling the ball on each of their first two possessions. Ohio State was only able to convert one of those into points. Vlad Janakievski kicked a 39 yard field goal and the Buckeyes had a 3-0 lead halfway through the quarter. Alabama answered that field goal with a three yard touchdown run by Steadman Shealy and the Tide would never trail again. They lead 7-3 after one quarter. Alabama looked like it was going to add to their lead early in the 2nd quarter, but Shealy was intercepted by Vince Skillings at the Buckeye eight yard line. That's three turnovers in their first four drives. But Ohio State wasn't having any luck moving the ball and after exchanging punts found themselves backed up at their own six yard line. Three plays later Art Schlicter was sacked in his own end zone by Wayne Hamilton. The safety added two more points for Alabama and it was now 9-3. After the free kick that followed, Alabama started on their own 38 yard line. On second down Shealy kept ball on an option play and ran 58 yards to the Buckeye one yard line. He then scored on the very next play to extend Alabama's lead to 16-3. That would be the score at the half. Alabama received to start the second half and went right down the field on the Buckeyes. Shealy tosses a 23 yard touchdown pass to Keith Pugh to make it a 22-3 game. If not for those early turnovers the score could have been much worse. Early in the 4th quarter Janakievski kicked a 42 yard field goal to make the score 22-6. Ohio State never really threatened again and Major Oglivie scored from a yard out to put the game away with 2:58 to play. Just to be safe the Tide went for the 2 point conversion and got it. That would be all the scoring. Alabama wins 30-6 and returns to the championship game for the fourth time. MVP: Steadman Shealy QB (Alabama) Passing: 64 yards, TD, Rushing: 105 yards, 2 TD. Alabama led in first downs 27-8...Alabama was 12 of 16 on 3rd down conversions, Ohio State was just 2 of 13...Alabama out gained Ohio State 474-157. For Ohio State, Calvin Murray 40 yards rushing...Art Schlicter 4/12, 25 yards...Mike Guess had 12 tackles. For Alabama, Steve Whitman 70 yards rushing...Steadman Shealy 7/8, 64 yards, TD, INT, 105 yards rushing, 2 TD...Major Ogilvie had 81 yards rushing... |
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National Semi Final #2 (Pittsburgh Panthers @ Oklahoma Sooners)
December 22, 1979 @ Memorial Stadium, Temp 31, Cloudy, Wind 7 mph - crosswind
Pittsburgh goes into Oklahoma and knocks off the Sooners 17-10.
Oklahoma's Stanley Wilson received the opening kick and returned it 52 yards to the Pitt 43 yard line. The Sooners reached the 10 yard line before having to settle for a 27 yard field goal by Michael Keeling. Four minutes into the game and it's 3-0 Sooners. Pittsburgh later tied the game on a 23 yard field goal by Mark Schubert. It stayed that way until late in the quater. Oklahoma reached the Pitt 25 yard line. But Herbert Young fumbled and it was recovered by Jeff Pelusi of Pitt to end the threat. Twice Oklahoma was deep into Pittsburgh territory now and they only have three points to show for it. The second quarter was scoreless and at the half the game was still tied at 3-3. In the third quarter it was Pittsburgh's defense that put up the first touchdown of the game. J.C. Watts pass for Forrest Valora was intercepted by Jo Jo Heath. Heath went 37 yards for a touchdown and Pittsburgh now had the lead 10-3. They carried that lead into the 4th quarter. Early in the 4th, Pittsburgh finished off a drive that started in the 3rd quarter. Rooster Jones scored on a one yard run and the Panthers were now up 17-3. The teams exchanged punts and the Sooners got the ball back with 5:06 to play in the game. Watts led the Sooners down the field and Billy Sims found pay dirt with a 5 yard run. It's now 17-10 with just 2:20 to play in the game. Oklahoma did not go for the onside kick. They still had all three of their time outs remaining so the kicked deep and hoped to have their defense get the ball back. The strategy worked. Pitt ran the ball twice and each time the Sooners called time out. Then on 3rd down Dan Marino tried a pass to Ralph Still that was incomplete. The clock stopped with 1:52 to play. David Trout came on and punted to Freddie Nixon who already had one big return today. Nixon gathered in the punt and as he cut back the ball was knocked loose. Carlton Williams of Pittsburgh recovered and that would be the game. Pittsburgh killed the clock to end the game. Pittsburgh wins 17-10 and advances to their first championship game. MVP: Hugh Green LB (Pittsburgh) Defense: 17 tackles, 1 Stuff For Oklahoma, Billy Sims 91 yards rushing...J.C. Watts 5/7, 28 yards, INT, 33 yards rushing...George Cumby 13 tackles, 1 Sk. For Pittsburgh, Randy McMillan 56 yards rushing...Rooster Jones 43 yards rushing, TD...Dan Marino 13/21, 147 yards, INT...Kenny Bowles 87 yards receiving...Hugh Green 17 tackles. |
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National Championship (Pittsburgh Panthers v Alabama Crimson Tide)
December 29, 1979 @ The Cotton Bowl, Temp 56, Cloudy, No wind
Alabama defeats Pittsburgh 26-6 for their third championship, locking up the title of "School of the 70's" in the process. Alabama appeared in four of the 10 championship games in the decade. Winning in 71, 73, and 79. Losing in 77.
Alabama took the opening drive and opened the scoring on a 41 yard Alan McElroy field goal. After a Pittsburgh punt, Alabama again looked to McElroy for three more points. However this time his 49 yard try was blocked. That block led to Pittsburgh tying the game on a 28 yard field goal by Mark Schubert. The game remained tied 3-3 as the first quarter came to a close. Alabama took a 6-3 lead early in the 2nd as McElroy connected on another 41 yard field goal. After forcing Pittsburgh into a three and out, Alabama got the ball back and struck for a big play. Steadman Shealy and Keith Pugh combined on a 39 yard pass play all the way down to the Pittsburgh 1 yard line. On the next play, Steve Whitman ran in for a touchdown. The Tide now had a 13-3 lead. That would be the score as the teams headed to the locker room after one half of play. Pittsburgh received to start the 2nd half and they added three points on a 23 yard field goal by Schubert. That pulled them back to within a touchdown at 13-6. The Pittsburgh defense clamped down on Alabama and the score remained 13-6 as the 3rd quarter ended. Pittsburgh had the ball as the 4th quarter got underway, but Dan Marino was intercepted by Al Blue at the Panther's 48 yard line. The intereception led to points as McElroy kicked his third field goal of the game, this one from 32 yards out. Alabama upped their lead to 16-6. Forced to go to the air even more now, Marino was picked off again on the next Panther drive. Alabama moved the ball deep into Panther territory looking for the knock out blow, but it didn't come. Shealy fumbled on the Pittsburgh 2 yard line and Steve Fedell recovered to keep the Panthers slim hopes alive. They still trailed by 10 and only 3:36 was left in the game. On the Panthers first play after recovering the fumble Marino tried to force a pass in to Ralph Still and Alabama's Benny Perrin intercepted at the Panther 16 yard line. Again Pittsburgh kept Alabama out of the end zone, but McElroy's fourth field goal of the game made it 19-6 with just 2:23 to play. Pittsburgh got the ball back again and after an incomplete pass on first down, Marino dropped back to pass and was sacked by E.J. Junior and fumbled. Randy Scott recovered for Alabama at the Pittsburgh 14 yard line. The last four time Pittsburgh had the ball Marino turned it over (3 INT, FMB). Whitman capped the Alabama win with his 2nd touchdown of the day making the final score 26-6. MVP: Alan McElroy K (Alabama) 4 Field Goals For Pittsburgh, Randy McMillan rushed for 76 yards...Dan Marino 10/26, 98 yards, 3 INT, FMB...Benjie Pryor had 54 yards receiving...Steve Fedell had 10 tackles. For Alabama, Steve Whitman had 43 yards rushing and 2 TD's...John Hill rushed for 44 yards...Steadman Shealy 5/9, 89 yards, and 92 yards rushing...Keith Pugh caught two passes for 75 yards. |
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