Started By
Message
On this day in 1978, Missouri and Auburn paved the way for Alabama's AP title
Posted on 11/18/15 at 11:51 am
Posted on 11/18/15 at 11:51 am
and Daniel Moore's career.
Even though Alabama had defeated Nebraska 20-3 to start the season,Nebraska jumped Alabama after beating then #1 Oklahoma, 17-14 the week earlier.
Penn State moved from #2 to #1. Nebraska moved from #4 to #2 and Alabama stayed at #3 even with an impressive win over #10 LSU. The win over Oklahoma clinched a share of the Big 8 Title and because of
the "most recent appearance rule," the Cornhuskers would go to the Orange Bowl regardless of whether Oklahoma beat Okla State or if Nebraska beat Missouri.
As the #1 team and an independent at the time, Penn State got to basically pick its bowl (other than the Pac 10/Big 10 Rose Bowl)and Joe Paterno made it clear he would select the bowl with the highest ranked team. A Nebraska win over Missouri in Lincoln,at the Nittany Lions were headed to Miami.
There was also a "most recent appearance" rule in the SEC and #3 Alabama was 5-0 along with 5-0 Georgia. Georgia was ranked #8 with an 8-1 mark with a loss to South Carolina.While Alabama was off that day, and off for two more weeks for that matter, Georgia played at Auburn. A Georgia win and Georgia would clinch a share of the SEC title and get the Sugar Bowl bid regardless of the Alabama-Auburn outcome.
Missouri, who was in the twilight of one of college football's most bizarre up and down stretches would be facing Nebraska in Lincoln where this bizarro world started six years earlier with a 62-0 loss to the Huskers.The Tigers,who incidentally had also lost earlier in the year to Alabama scored a TD with 3:40 left to defeat Nebraska 35-31. (To add insult to injury,the Orange Bowl selected Oklahoma as its opponent.)
Meanwhile in Auburn, three teams were mathematically alive for the Sugar Bowl bid: Alabama,Georgia ... and Auburn. At 3-1, wins over Georgia and Alabama would give Auburn a share of the SEC title and automatic bid.A Georgia win and the Bulldogs go to the Sugar regardless of the Alabama-Auburn game.
Georgia 22, Auburn 22.Georgia scored with approximately 5:00 left and Vince Dooley chose to tie thinking Georgia could get the ball back and leave it up to Rex Robinson.Auburn drove to the Georgia 32 before turning the ball over on downs and Georgia couldn't move the ball.
Meanwhile, #1 Penn State defeated NC State, 19-10 coached by Bo Rein (who was would become LSU's coach for 42 days following the 1979 season). After the Nebraska and Georgia results, Penn State chose the Sugar Bowl gambling on Alabama beating Auburn (but would have still gone had Auburn won and played Georgia.)
Without all of this, there'd been no "Goal Line Stand" and Daniel Moore would be painting barns somewhere.
Even though Alabama had defeated Nebraska 20-3 to start the season,Nebraska jumped Alabama after beating then #1 Oklahoma, 17-14 the week earlier.
Penn State moved from #2 to #1. Nebraska moved from #4 to #2 and Alabama stayed at #3 even with an impressive win over #10 LSU. The win over Oklahoma clinched a share of the Big 8 Title and because of
the "most recent appearance rule," the Cornhuskers would go to the Orange Bowl regardless of whether Oklahoma beat Okla State or if Nebraska beat Missouri.
As the #1 team and an independent at the time, Penn State got to basically pick its bowl (other than the Pac 10/Big 10 Rose Bowl)and Joe Paterno made it clear he would select the bowl with the highest ranked team. A Nebraska win over Missouri in Lincoln,at the Nittany Lions were headed to Miami.
There was also a "most recent appearance" rule in the SEC and #3 Alabama was 5-0 along with 5-0 Georgia. Georgia was ranked #8 with an 8-1 mark with a loss to South Carolina.While Alabama was off that day, and off for two more weeks for that matter, Georgia played at Auburn. A Georgia win and Georgia would clinch a share of the SEC title and get the Sugar Bowl bid regardless of the Alabama-Auburn outcome.
Missouri, who was in the twilight of one of college football's most bizarre up and down stretches would be facing Nebraska in Lincoln where this bizarro world started six years earlier with a 62-0 loss to the Huskers.The Tigers,who incidentally had also lost earlier in the year to Alabama scored a TD with 3:40 left to defeat Nebraska 35-31. (To add insult to injury,the Orange Bowl selected Oklahoma as its opponent.)
Meanwhile in Auburn, three teams were mathematically alive for the Sugar Bowl bid: Alabama,Georgia ... and Auburn. At 3-1, wins over Georgia and Alabama would give Auburn a share of the SEC title and automatic bid.A Georgia win and the Bulldogs go to the Sugar regardless of the Alabama-Auburn game.
Georgia 22, Auburn 22.Georgia scored with approximately 5:00 left and Vince Dooley chose to tie thinking Georgia could get the ball back and leave it up to Rex Robinson.Auburn drove to the Georgia 32 before turning the ball over on downs and Georgia couldn't move the ball.
Meanwhile, #1 Penn State defeated NC State, 19-10 coached by Bo Rein (who was would become LSU's coach for 42 days following the 1979 season). After the Nebraska and Georgia results, Penn State chose the Sugar Bowl gambling on Alabama beating Auburn (but would have still gone had Auburn won and played Georgia.)
Without all of this, there'd been no "Goal Line Stand" and Daniel Moore would be painting barns somewhere.
11
Posted on 11/18/15 at 11:56 am to I-59 Tiger
quote:Nor would there have been the famous Barry Krause quote; "it's gut check time!"
Without all of this, there'd been no "Goal Line Stand" and Daniel Moore would be painting barns somewhere.
Posted on 11/18/15 at 11:56 am to I-59 Tiger
Posted on 11/18/15 at 11:56 am to Diamondawg
quote:
Barry Krause quote
"You better pass"
Posted on 11/18/15 at 12:03 pm to Tuscaloosa
quote:
quote:
Barry Krause quote
"You better pass"
Marty Lyons
Posted on 11/18/15 at 12:03 pm to Tuscaloosa
quote:
Barry Krause quote
"You better pass"
Neither-
Gut check was Murry Legg quote before the 4th down play
You'd better pass was Marty Lyons Quote after the 3rd down play.
Posted on 11/18/15 at 12:04 pm to I-59 Tiger
seems like good enough reason to kick USJW out
Posted on 11/18/15 at 12:06 pm to Roses of Crimson
Good catch! For some reason I thought it was Krauss.
Posted on 11/18/15 at 12:07 pm to I-59 Tiger
quote:
After the Nebraska and Georgia results, Penn State chose the Sugar Bowl gambling on Alabama beating Auburn (but would have still gone had Auburn won and played Georgia.)
Partially true. It was Bryant who pressured Paterno to accept the Sugar Bowl invite.
Posted on 11/18/15 at 12:09 pm to Tuscaloosa
And for what its worth it was on this same day in '78 where the expression "Don't Drink the Kool-Aid" was sadly born.
Earlier that same day Jim Jones commanded his people in Jonestown,Guyana drank the cyanide laced drink.
Earlier that same day Jim Jones commanded his people in Jonestown,Guyana drank the cyanide laced drink.
Posted on 11/18/15 at 12:09 pm to Roses of Crimson
Well, at least I had the right game.
Posted on 11/18/15 at 12:12 pm to Roses of Crimson
I remember this season very well. We had lost to Nebraska in Lincoln the season before and opened up with them in 78 on Labor day night. 20-3 and we were looking good but Nebraska frankly, had been more impressive as the season went on. NOBODY was more impressive than Penn State that year.
Being in the Dome that New Years morning ( the Sugar Bowl was a noon kick in 78) and watching PSU warm up I didn't believe we could win. I remember we are up 14-7 and we run a screen that would put the game away and Steve Whitman just flat dropped it. Setting up the goal line stand. 2 plays from 1 foot away and we hold. I see people talk about lout loud stadiums, blah blah. The loudest stadium I ever heard in my life was that day when Lou Ikner almost brought a punt back and when we stopped PSU on 4th down. I literally thought the roof might come down in the Superdome. At best that huge 5 sided jumbotron they Dome had. This was a great year. 79 was kind of boring at times because we were so flat out dominant, the NC was a mere formality in 79 but 78 was exciting. 1978 PSU, in my mind, is still the best team we ever beat for NC. There were zero weaknesses on that team. Arkie in 79, never even bothered with the notion we might lose.
Being in the Dome that New Years morning ( the Sugar Bowl was a noon kick in 78) and watching PSU warm up I didn't believe we could win. I remember we are up 14-7 and we run a screen that would put the game away and Steve Whitman just flat dropped it. Setting up the goal line stand. 2 plays from 1 foot away and we hold. I see people talk about lout loud stadiums, blah blah. The loudest stadium I ever heard in my life was that day when Lou Ikner almost brought a punt back and when we stopped PSU on 4th down. I literally thought the roof might come down in the Superdome. At best that huge 5 sided jumbotron they Dome had. This was a great year. 79 was kind of boring at times because we were so flat out dominant, the NC was a mere formality in 79 but 78 was exciting. 1978 PSU, in my mind, is still the best team we ever beat for NC. There were zero weaknesses on that team. Arkie in 79, never even bothered with the notion we might lose.
Posted on 11/18/15 at 12:15 pm to I-59 Tiger
Now this is a quality post.
Posted on 11/18/15 at 12:23 pm to Diamondawg
think the quote was after two runs that came up short as the Pen State qb was coming to the line of scrimmage he said, "You better pass it".
Posted on 11/18/15 at 12:28 pm to Roses of Crimson
I have vague memories of that Sugar Bowl. My parents went to the game and we stayed home with a babysitter. I remember waiting for the news that Sunday to see the polls (no internet obviously) For the next 13 years that game was probably the most talked about Bama game ever.
Posted on 11/18/15 at 1:00 pm to StopRobot
After Nebraska's loss to Missouri, had Georgia beaten Auburn and then Alabama beaten Auburn two weeks later, discussions had taken place for Penn State and Alabama to have met in the Gator Bowl.
Had that happened, Woody Hayes wouldn't have taken a swing at the Clemson player, Charlie Baumann.
Had that happened, Woody Hayes wouldn't have taken a swing at the Clemson player, Charlie Baumann.
Posted on 11/18/15 at 1:12 pm to StopRobot
quote:
Now this is a quality post.
+1
What a great road win by Mizzou vs. #2 Children of the Corn! I was a Junior that year and one of my all-time favs. We had some players. Kellen Winslow, Phil Bradley, Chris Garlich, Leo Lewis.
This is the same Mizzou team that beat LSU in the Liberty Bowl.
LINK
Here is the announcer's call on maybe the GREATEST individual offensive play in Missouri football history, IMHO. A beautiful, tough run by "THE SIKESTON TRAIN", RB James Wilder #32.
•Wilder literally shoves a tackler aside, pounds ahead into the endzone (Grass: "WILDER!" Roe: "WILDER!" Grass: "JIM WILDER!" Roe and Grass: unintelligble loud noises. Roe: "DID YOU SEE THAT?? DID YOU SEE HIM?? DID YOU SEE HIM TAKE THAT MAN AND THROW HIM DOWN?? Grass: "You will not believe what Wilder did." Roe: "He had a guy wrapped around his waist, he just grabbed hold of him and threw him into the ground like he was a piece of turf!" Grass: "Unbelievable!")
It's posted on YouTube. Older video but just watch Wilder at 4:34 mark. LINK
This post was edited on 11/18/15 at 1:20 pm
Posted on 11/18/15 at 1:28 pm to Mizzou Mule
Never seen that highlight. Wilder was a man for the Bucs.
Posted on 11/18/15 at 1:36 pm to I-59 Tiger
quote:AU's William Andrews, native of Thomasville GA and future All-Pro with the Falcons, broke a long run as time expired in the first half, and dove into the endzone for what appeared to be a TD - but was called down at the 6-inch line.
Georgia 22, Auburn 22.Georgia scored with approximately 5:00 left and Vince Dooley chose to tie thinking Georgia could get the ball back and leave it up to Rex Robinson.Auburn drove to the Georgia 32 before turning the ball over on downs and Georgia couldn't move the ball.
No telling if AU would have won, but they certainly would have had 7 more points at halftime.
Posted on 11/18/15 at 1:43 pm to SoFla Tideroller
I was at that game (I was 19 and a Bama student). I remember watching Marty Lyons walk to every defensive player on our team right before the last play of the goal line stand. Each player got real intense jumping up and down when Marty walked to the next guy. I knew they wouldn't score. After the game we tried to pull the goal posts down but it was surrounded by the meanest ugliest looking cops I've ever seen. One guy broke through and got the shite clubbed out of him. After that we scattered like rats. But, it was a glorious moment and I will never forget it.
Thanks AU and Mizzou. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Thanks AU and Mizzou. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
This post was edited on 11/18/15 at 1:44 pm
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News