Pitt Penn State 1976
- Thread starter TFBaum
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nitters allowed that three rivers was a neutral site ,therefore,tickets were equally divided.there was some element of civility then. honestly the nitters were shell shocked to realize majors was on to something with dorsett,et,al.carson long might have started the" pitting"trend, then.
I believe it was a PSU home game
Pitt wore white jerseys
Pitt wore white jerseys
It was a PSU home game and they elected to play it at Three Rivers
You are correct Senator !
You are correct Senator !
Because ABC wanted to broadcast the game at night. Neither Pitt Stadium nor Beaver Stadium had lights. If the schools wanted the television money they had to play at Three Rivers.
Pitt would of never beaten PSU if it weren't for Greene County's own George Messich.Old number 76 was the anchor on that oline .Tony D wouldn't of gotten the ncaa rushing record if it weren't for him.At least that's what Messich told me many times over a cold one or seven!
There's a common myth perpetuated by our friends to the east that big bad Pitt forced them to play so many games in Pittsburgh.
Not true. It was to PSU's advantage to play in Pittsburgh.
Even before Three Rivers, and their lights, Pitt Stadium held many more fans, and TV crews were more likely to choose a game in Pittsburgh than in Happy Valley. So, PSU benefited by playing more games in Pittsburgh.
Pitt played the nits at 3 Rivers in 1974, 1975 & 1976. The 1973 game was at Beaver Stadium. So here’s a trivia question and answer: In his 4 years as HC at Pitt how many times did Johnny Majors’ Pitt teams play PSU at Pitt Stadium? Answer: 0.
We agreed to play 3 in a row at 3RS. I think maybe all were 50-50.
I caught hell from my ex for leaving the Turkey day dinner....at OUR house, no less.1974.
My seat was downstairs on the 50. Pitt's first play was a deep handoff to TD. The ball and the nitter's AA tackle...Mike something?...arrived at the same time. Rough night.
The 1974 game on Thanksgiving night was FREEZING cold. We were in the first row of the upper deck on the Pitt sideline.
Game was close through the 1st half. Then on the 2nd half KO, a Pitt reserve RB named Allen Webster fumbled the kick. The nits recovered and scored off of the great field position. That play changed the course of the game.
I got revenge in 76. Walked in with 2 bottles of champagne, and crystal glasses.
Had some fun in that 2nd half.
Moving the Hawk to FB in the 2H was a stroke of genius. Maybe Johnny’s finest. That and the quantity and quality of his 1973 recruiting class.
Great memories, Neighbor!
But a massive point that people are missing here: GodPa used the occasion of those games in Pittsburgh (going back to whining about Jock Sutherland era games, for God's sake!) when justifying his meglomaniacal demand that Pitt play 2 games in Culty Valley for every 1 game in Pittsburgh.
So yes, we know that PSU agreed to these game in Pgh because it was considered by them an occasion to "promote Eastern football" as GodPa liked to say so often... meaning, in his uniquely narcissistic view, PENN STATE football. It was a different world back then, and unlike today, playing in far-away rural state campuses was NOT an advantage. Particularly a pain-in-the-ass place to get to... like State College. By playing in Pittsburgh, PSU got more national attention than they could possibly have received playing in that erector set in the hills.
As always, self-serving cult myopia.
Beano Cook used to say that the '76 national title that Pitt won turned Paterno into a bitter person. He was the champion of Eastern football. He did things the right way. HIS team should have won a national title for Eastern football.
Beano was right
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Around 1969, Beaver stadium capacity was around 48,000. By 1977, it gradually got up to about 60,000. TRS was larger capacity.
Beaver Stadium was expanded to 57,538 in 1972, 60,203 in 1976 and 76,639 in 1978. Every one of those numbers is larger than what Three Rivers Stadium was at the time, which was 50,350.
Not that it means anything, Pitt did wear their white jerseys and during the game the score always had Penn State at the bottom. But I remember something about the game being moved to Three Rivers, but can't remember why.
As I said, the reason was that ABC wanted to televise the game at night, and neither Beaver Stadium nor Pitt Stadium had lights. If the schools wanted the television money, and they did, then they needed to play the game at Three Rivers.
I was at the game - remember it was raining a bit - had an umbrella which did not go over well with the people behind me.
They switched the years around so the game could be played at night at 3 Rivers. Neither stadium had lights back then.
Beaver stadium was a glorified high school stadium back then. It is just a bigger glorified high school stadium now. The Erector Set.
I’m a bit too young to remember that, but nice tidbit. I’m surprised I didn’t know that. I always thought ‘76 was a one time neutral site game for night time tv
Also should be pointed out that after the '77 game was played at Pitt Stadium the next 3 after that ('78. '79 and '80) were all played at Beaver Stadium. Nits won in '78. Pitt won the '79& '80 games up there.
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One of my favorite Paterno hypocrisies was when Syracuse refused to give the Nits 2 for 1 scheduling, Joe lit up Syracuse, crying about how much Joe did for Eastern football and Cuse wouldn't return the favor.
No mention of the fact that Syracuse won a NC in the 50s and were much more respected nationally for a much longer time than whining Joe and his effing nits.
That's when Syracuse coach McPherson said Joe was Machiavellian. Loved that guy ever since.
Same with PSU and its series with Pennsylvania. Most games were played in Philly back in the day.
Yes. Paterno didn't concede anything. Getting those three straight home games in return for coming to Three Rivers was a huge advantage.
I was there and still remember Pitt coming out in the second half after a very close first half and running Tony from the fullback position so that Penn State wouldn't have as much time to react before he hit the line. It worked pretty quickly because he broke one right up the middle for about 40 yards early in the third quarter. Pitt took over the game from that point on.
This game should be played EVERY year and I don’t care what conference, what network or what spin the NitWit nation says to the contrary. The last (4) years were some of the best atmospheres I’ve been a part of around Pitt Football and it’s a crying shame that those aforementioned entities allow the #weare cult to wriggle off the proverbial hook and schedule OOC cupcakes instead of Pitt - H2P!
Messich was the lightweight the Old Pizzaboy was just getting started after 7!
Reid played on the 68 and 69 undefeated Nit teams. I always remember Jack Geig saying he went to high school with Reid and used to knock him around to keep him in line. I really miss the old Altoona Panther.
