As the crow flies I live less than 60 miles away from the Philadelphia sports complex where the stadiums and arena's for all the major sports teams of that metropolis play. Being as such, I have many a friend who are fans of those particular teams, and who of course are currently devastated by the Phillies quick demise in this years playoffs.
As a passionate sports fan of all things Pittsburgh, I can relate. So in response here's my list of Pittsburgh sports losses that will stay with me for life.
Feel free to add your own, no matter what teams you support.
5
Pitt Panthers blow National Championship to Lions 1981
Sherrill expected 1981 to be somewhat of a rebuilding year, but the team exceeded expectations. Quarterback Dan Marino, receiver Julius Dawkins, and linebacker Sal Sunseri wound up with All-American honors, and the #1-ranked team headed into the home contest against Penn State with a Sugar Bowl battle with Georgia already secure. The undefeated Panthers had won seventeen straight, fifteen in a row at home, and 31 of their past 32 games. But a win over Penn State—a win that could even the all-time series at 39-39-3—would be of supreme importance. Sherrill, celebrating his 38th birthday on this November 28th game day, hoped his boys would give him a present for the ages.
The Game
With snow flurries falling and near-freezing temperatures, junior quarterback Dan Marino said in the pre-game that this was the “most important game in most of our lives,” and he came out playing like it. He electrified the sell-out crowd (3,000 extra seats were brought in to Pitt Stadium) with two long TD passes to Dwight Collins in the first quarter and started the game 10 for 11 passing. The Pitt defense held Penn State to two 3-and-outs to start the game held the Lions to minus 1 yard of total yardage in the opening quarter.
On the first play of 2nd quarter, Marino went for the jugular. Heaving a fifty-yard bomb towards the end zone, Marino overshot his receiver but CB Roger Jackson dragged a foot in the end zone as he hauled in an over-the-shoulder interception. The very next play PSU got their first 1st down of game, and eighty yards later, PSU was on the board with a two-yard TD run by Mike Meade. The momentum had swung, but no one realized then how wildly.
Pitt drove down to the Penn State 30, and on 3rd and long, Marino went for Dawkins in the end zone. Roger Jackson delivered a perfectly timed hit (one from which medical assistance would be needed to help Dawkins) that knocked the ball out of Dawkins’ hands and into Mark Robinson’s.
The Lions caught a break on Pitt’s next punt as they laid out the punter, with no penalty called. With less than five minutes remaining, PSU then passed their way down the field (including a perfect bomb to Kenny Jackson) and then let the QB run his way into the end zone on an 8-yard sneak.
The cold day and hard hitting made the ball hard to hang on to, as each team would lose a fumble once more before the half (4 turnovers for Pitt, 2 for PSU in the first). After Pitt dominated the first quarter, Penn State evened things up in the second quarter, 14-14. No one could have predicted that one team would utterly destroy the other in the second half.
If Roger Jackson’s interception touchback ignited PSU in the second quarter, brother Kenny’s 42-yard catch-and-run touchdown on Penn State’s opening drive of the second half may have been the match that sparked the second half inferno.
Blackledge dropped a perfect lob into Jackson’s arms at the 12-yard line. Pitt’s Ray Lao sprinted to make up ground, only to watch Jackson turn his back, plant his right foot an inch from the sideline, and pirouette towards the middle of the field. Pursuing defenders were unable to slow their momentum, and Jackson crossed the grain to the middle of the field for a touchdown.
A few minutes later, Jackson wouldn’t have to work so hard to help his team take a 28-14 lead. Blown coverage by Pitt gave Blackledge-to-Jackson another TD, this time a wide-open 45-yard reception. To close the 3rd quarter, Brian Franco nailed a field goal, which was set up by a 45-yard reception by TE Mike McCloskey. The Lions started the second half with another drive resulting in a Franco field goal to secure at 34-14 lead.
Penn State proceeded to run down the deflated Panthers’ throats. Curt Warner nearly crossed the goal line on a nine-yard rush, but he fumbled it forward. As the ball bounced around the end zone, PSU guard Sean Farrell finally fell on it to give PSU a 41-14 lead.
LB Matt Bradley (younger brother of PSU assistant Tom) also intercepted Marino and Mark Robinson would grab his second pick of the day, a 90-yard pick-6 return. Marino, after a flawless first quarter, seemed to come unglued after his first interception. Second-teamers would play the closing minutes of this shocking 48-14 Penn State upset.
The Rest of the Story
For Pittsburgh, Marino finished fourth in Heisman voting but got some revenge against Georgia for beating Pitt in the polls in 1980. Marino hit TE John Brown in final minute to beat #2 Georgia in Sugar Bowl, denying Georgia any chance at a back-to-back championship run and lessening the bitter taste of the Penn State loss.
Pitt had just three players drafted off 1981 team and seemed poised for a championship run in 1982. Penn State would play a role in denying that team as well, beating Pitt in State College 19-10. If Pitt had won, then their matchup with the Eric Dickerson and Craig James’ SMU team in the Cotton Bowl (which Pittsburgh ended up losing 7-3) would have been touted as the national title game rather than PSU’s Sugar Bowl game against Georgia.