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BAMA STUFFS PENN STATE AND GUMAN 14-7 |
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| One vivid image was permanently etched into the minds of the 76,824 in the Superdome and the millions of TV viewers who watched the 45th annual Sugar Bowl on New Years Day 1979. Penn State the #1 team was stopped on three consecutive plays inside the 1 yard line to preserve a 14-7 victory for Alabama's second ranked Crimson Tide. That now famous goal line stand won a National Championship for Paul "Bear" Bryant's Crimson Tide.
Alabama appeared content to run out the clock in the first half with 1:11 left. When Penn State called timeout on two consecutive plays to stop the clock, hoping to get the ball back and set up a field goal, senior HB Tony Nathan countered with runs of 30 and 7 yards down to the Penn State 30 yard line. Penn State Coach Joe Paterno watched his plan backfire as Crimson Tide QB Jeff Rutledge dropped back and found SE Bruce Bolton wide open in the end zone for a 30 yard TD pass with just 8 seconds left in the half. Alan McElroy kicked the PAT to give Alabama a 7-0 halftime lead. A Pete Harris pass interception at Alabama's 48 yard line late in the third period set up Penn State's only score. Nittany Lion QB Chuch Fusina hit Scott Fitzkee deep in the end zone for a TD. Matt Bahr's extra point kick tied the game with
4:25 left at 7-7. Moments later, Lou Ikner, Alabama's talented RB ran 62 yards with a Penn State punt before being dragged down at Penn State's 11 yard line. Three plays later Major Olgive rammed himself into the corner of the endzone, sprung by a key block from TE Rick Neal. Mcelroy kicked the PAT ending the scoring at 14-7. The Nittany Lions had a chance to tie the game when Joe Lally fell on a misdirected pitchout at the Tide 19. Penn State drove down inside the one yard line, with Don McNeal keeping the Penn State receiver out of the endzone with a jarring tackle that cracked McNeal's helmet. Then the Bama Defense sealed off its end zone in a tremendous defensive effort that was climaxed by Alabama LB Barry Krauss stopping Penn State TB Mike Guman short of the goalline. Just before that play, Penn State QB Chuck Fusina walked over to where the ball was placed down by the official to see just how far it was from the endzone. He asked Tide linebacker Barry Krauss "How close is it"?, to which Krauss replied "About an inch, you'd better pass". After the game Coach Bryant commented "The goalline stand was something I will never forget". |
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| BAMA BLOWS AWAY THE HURRICANES 34-13 |
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| This is without a doubt, one of the greatest plays in Alabama history. This play helped Alabama win their 12th National Championship. The tide defeated Miami, 34-13 in the 1993 Sugar Bowl. One reason the blowout of Miami was so satisfying to Alabama fans was because the Hurricanes had trashed everything about Alabama. They did not respect our players, our team , our tradition and our conference. One night before the game, Roosevelt Patterson, an Alabama offensive lineman, was made fun of by Miami LB, Rohan Marley. Marley shouted,"You must be an offensive lineman, you fat, sloppy, ----." Miami said that Alabama was a one dimensional team. After the game, Alabama player, Tobie Shields responded, "Sometimes you only need one dimension." Of course, the most outlandish big mouthed jerk on
the whole Miami squad was Lamar Thomas. In a press conference, Thomas showed his two championship rings and said, "the third will be icing on the cake." After that comment, Thomas proceeded to say that "Real men play man" because Alabama frequently played a zone defense. Thomas said he and the other starting receivers were probably the best receiving corps ever assembled. "Anytime we get a team in man-to-man, it's unfair", Thomas said. Lamar
clearly has never met a defense of the magnitude of Alabama's. When Derrick Lassic and Thomas met on Boubon St, Thomas shouted, "Who are you? Who are you? You know me. Everybody knows me." This win could not have been sweeter for Alabama. Lamar Thomas and his team set themselves up perfectly for the greatest game I have ever seen. |
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