1977 Sugar Bowl

1977 Sugar Bowl
Pittsburgh Panthers Georgia Bulldogs
(11–0) (10–1)
27 3
Head coach: 
Johnny Majors		 Head coach: 
Vince Dooley
APCoaches
11
APCoaches
54
1234 Total
Pittsburgh 71433 27
Georgia 0030 3
Date January 1, 1977
Season 1976
Stadium Louisiana Superdome
Location New Orleans, Louisiana
MVP QB Matt Cavanaugh (Pittsburgh)
Favorite Pittsburgh by 3 points [1][2]
Attendance 76,117
United States TV coverage
Network ABC
Announcers Keith Jackson and Ara Parseghian

The 1977 Sugar Bowl, part of the 1976 bowl game season, took place on January 1, 1977, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. It matched the top-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers and the Georgia Bulldogs, champions of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Pittsburgh won 27–3,[3][4][5][6] and were consensus national champions.[7][8]

After four editions on New Year's Eve, the Sugar Bowl returned to New Year's Day this year.

Teams

Pittsburgh

After an 8–4 season in 1975, Pittsburgh was ranked ninth in the preseason AP Poll in 1976, with their opener at #11 Notre Dame; they won 31–10,[9] and the Panthers rose to third in the next poll. When Michigan lost to Purdue on November 6, the Panthers climbed to first. Pittsburgh beat West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl and Penn State at Three Rivers Stadium to finish the regular season undefeated, and were invited to the Sugar Bowl for the chance to win the national championship. This was the first time the Panthers had made bowl appearances in consecutive seasons since 1955–1956 (last playing in the Sugar Bowl in January 1956).

Senior halfback Tony Dorsett rushed for 1,948 yards in the regular season,[10] and became the first Panther to win the Heisman Trophy.

Georgia

Georgia had started 4–0, including a 21–0 shutout of Alabama, but a four-point loss at Ole Miss dropped them from #4 to #11. But the Bulldogs finished the season with six straight victories to get back to #4 along with being champion of the Southeastern Conference, their first SEC title since 1968. This was Georgia's fourth straight bowl appearance and first Sugar Bowl since January 1969. This was the first year in which the SEC was the official conference tie-in to the Sugar Bowl.[11]

Game summary

Pittsburgh took control early, driving 80 yards in 12 plays that culminated with a touchdown run by quarterback Matt Cavanaugh. Seven minutes into the second quarter, he completed a pass to Gordon Jones for 59 yards for a touchdown to make it 14–0. Before the half ended, Tony Dorsett scored a touchdown from 11 yards out to make it 21-0. The key to their lead was the fact that Georgia utilized a 6-2 defense that focused on Dorsett exclusively, which made it easier for the receivers to catch passes since they were being given one-on-one coverage, which Pittsburgh took advantage of in the first half, passing for 185 yards while Dorsett was held to 65 yards; he rushed for 137 yards in the second half.

A fumble on the first drive of the second half by the Panthers gave the ball to Georgia at the Panther 26, but the Bulldogs could only forward it to the Pittsburgh 7 before Allan Leavitt kicked a 25-yard field goal to give Georgia their first (and as it would turn out, only) points of the game. In the third quarter, Panther kicker Carson Long countered with a 42 field goal to make it 24-3. In the fourth quarter, he kicked a 31 yarder to make the final score 27–3. With the win, Pittsburgh was declared national champions, their first since 1937. Dorsett rushed for 202 yards on 32 carries, scoring one touchdown. Running back (and future Georgia coach) Ray Goff rushed for 76 yards on 17 carries. Cavanaugh was 10-of-18 for 192 yards for one touchdown and was named game MVP. Robinson threw 2-of-15 for 2 interceptions and 33 yards.[12][13]

Scoring summary

First quarter

Second quarter

Third quarter

  • Georgia - Allan Leavitt, 25-yard field goal
  • Pittsburgh - Carson Long, 42-yard field goal

Fourth quarter

  • Pittsburgh - Carson Long, 31-yard field goal

Aftermath

Announced weeks earlier,[14][15] Majors left Pittsburgh for his alma mater Tennessee after the game,[10] and this remains Pittsburgh's most recent national championship. The Panthers returned once to the Sugar Bowl, while Georgia has returned six times; the two teams met in the Sugar Bowl five years later in January 1982.

During the 1970s, the top-ranked team won its bowl game only three times: Pittsburgh joined Nebraska (1971) and USC (1972).

Statistics

StatisticsPittsburgh  Georgia  
First Downs2414
Yards Rushing288135
Yards Passing19246
Total Yards480181
Punts-Average5-36.88-42.1
Fumbles-Lost2-14–2
Interceptions Thrown04
Penalties-Yards6-664-30

References

  1. ↑ Franke, Russ (December 31, 1976). "Sugar is sweetest, Majors, Pitt insist". Pittsburgh Press. p. 17.
  2. ↑ "Dorsett, dome double trouble". Milwaukee Sentinel. UPI. January 1, 1977. p. 2, part 2.
  3. ↑ "Pitt stomps Georgia". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. January 2, 1977. p. 63.
  4. ↑ Franke, Russ (January 2, 1977). "Pitt: How sweet it is!". Pittsburgh Press. p. D1.
  5. ↑ "Majors agrees: 'Pittsburgh's No. 1'". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 2, 1977. p. D1.
  6. ↑ Underwood, John (January 10, 1977). "Marching through Georgia". Sports Illustrated. p. 14.
  7. ↑ "Pitt (surprise) voted grid title". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire services. January 4, 1977. p. 3C.
  8. ↑ Nissenson, Herschel (January 4, 1977). "AP names Panthers champions". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. p. 24.
  9. ↑ "Dorsett does it big again as Pitt routs Notre Dame". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire service. September 12, 1976. p. 6B.
  10. 1 2 "Dogs vs. Dorsett". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 1, 1977. p. 11.
  11. ↑ http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site415.php
  12. ↑ http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site118.php
  13. ↑ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/geo/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2015-16/misc_non_event/15fb-history-bowl-recaps.pdf
  14. ↑ Smith, Howard (December 4, 1976). "Johnny Majors going back home". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. p. 7.
  15. ↑ Axelrod, Phil (December 4, 1976). "Majors-players: tearless farewell". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 6.
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