Crimson Tide Top 10 Sugar Bowls: No. 10, 1975 Alabama vs. Penn State

The Alabama Crimson Tide will be making its 17th appearance in the Sugar Bowl, the most of any team, when it squares off against the No. 9 Kansas State Wildcats inside Caesars Superdome on Dec. 31 (11 a.m. CT on ESPN).

BamaCentral is counting down the Top 10 Sugar Bowls for Alabama:

#4 Alabama 13 (Final: 11-1-0, #3)
#10 Penn State 6 (Final: 9-3-0, #10)

It wasn’t considered the strongest of bowl matchups, but what it lacked in affecting the national championship picture the 1975 Sugar Bowl made up for with scores of storylines.

Among them, Alabama was riding an eight-year losing streak, which Paul “Bear” Bryant desperately wanted to end. The Crimson Tide’s first bowl victory since January 1, 1967 (a 34-7 victory over Nebraska in the Sugar Bowl) was a 13-6 victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions.

It was also the first Sugar Bowl played inside the climate-controlled Louisiana Superdome.

The key play came in the fourth quarter, after Crimson Tide quarterback Richard Todd called a timeout.

“We had a sweep called to the left side, but I didn’t like the defense they were in. I didn’t want to take the chance of running a play,” Todd said. “So I called time. I went over to the sidelines and Coach Bryant sort of winked at me. He called a pass.”

Sophomore wide receiver Ozzie Newsome, who was already well on his way to a Hall of Fame career, ran a slant-and-go route and beat the single coverage for a 55-yard gain to set up the only touchdown of the game, an 11-yard sweep by halfback Mike Stock.

Alabama won 13-6 and Todd, who completed 10 of 12 passes for 205 yards, was named the game’s most valuable player. But afterward, the most pressing question reporters had for Bryant wasn’t about the time out, Newsome’s reception, or the fact that the No. 3 Tide would not move up and remain third in the final polls.

They wanted to know why the coach didn’t wear his trademark houndstooth hat.

“My mother always taught me not to wear a hat indoors,” he replied, much to delight of Crimson Tide fans everywhere.

Alabama Recap

Richard Todd, Alabama’s senior quarterback, put on an offensive show, completing 10 of 12 passes for 205 yards. In running the Tide’s wishbone offense to near perfection, he was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Todd passed 55 yards to split end Ozzie Newsome to set up the game’s only touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Todd, who had suffered a cut finger on Christmas Day, came out with his finger bandaged, and Penn State stacked its defense while daring him to throw. That strategy cost the Nittany Lions dearly in the early going.

Joe Dale Harris, a surprise starter, ran a turn-in pattern while Todd released his throw just before being engulfed by the defense. With State’s minimal coverage, Harris broke free and turned the short pass into a 54-yard gain. That play eventually led to a 25-yard field goal by Danny Ridgeway and a 3-0 Alabama lead that held up to the half.

Penn State’s Chris Bahr tied the score with a 42-yard field goal in the third quarter, but Todd brought the Tide back quickly. At the Penn State 35 following a timeout, Todd pump faked PSU freshman Bill Crummy and Newsome broke back to the sideline and caught the pass 25 yards downfield, being brought down at the 10. Todd lost four yards recovering a fumble, but Mike Stock swept into the end zone behind a ferocious block by Newsome.

Bahr cut the margin to 10-6 with a 37-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, but Ridgeway answered for Alabama with a 28-yard kick for a 13-6 lead. With 3:19 left, Penn State got its last chance. The Nittany Lions inched out to their 39 before Alabama stopped the Nittany Lions on a fourth-and-one play with 1:15 to go.

Super Bowl Summary

For the Sugar Bowl debut in the already-world-famous Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans was treated to a pair of coaches would go down in history as true legends: Alabama’s Bear Bryant and Penn State’s Joe Paterno. In fact, it was Bryant who had recommended Paterno’s Nittany Lions as his opponent for the game.

Bryant was typically downplaying his chances, even against a preferred opponent, one that figured to be 13 ½ points behind Alabama at game’s end, even with an injured Crimson Tide quarterback. “I think we’ll win,” Bryant said, then hastily added, “if I don’t overcoach ’em.”

It was the classic Bryant style – laid back, understated and homespun. But the Bear wanted badly to break his bowl skein. He walked out for the kickoff without his trademark houndstooth hat. Bryant would say later he was taught never to wear a hat indoors. But he was searching for something that might bring his team good luck – and a victory. That was the reason he let wife Mary Harmon Bryant ride on the team bus to the Superdome….

“Lordy, it sure didn’t come easy,” grumbled Bear, who took special care to note that Penn State had dropped his backs for losses nine times. “We beat a helluva football team tonight,” he said. “Anyone who doesn’t think that is an idiot.”

Coach Joe Paterno came into the Alabama locker room where Todd was surrounded by newsmen. “I want to congratulate you on a great game,” said the Nittany Lions coach. When he learned Todd was next planning on going to the Senior Bowl, Paterno quipped, “I’d like to recommend you for that one. It’s the least I can do since Bear recommended me for this one.”

Recap excerpted from the book “Sugar Bowl Classic: A History” by Marty Mulé.

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