1977 Sugar Bowl

American college football game August 2023 December 2025 Sugar Bowl 43rd Sugar Bowl File:Louisiana Superdome - Unbranded - 26 July 2021 (cropped).jpg The Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, hosted the Sugar Bowl. January 1 1977 1976 Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana Pittsburgh Panthers 11–0 Johnny Majors Independent 1 1 7 14 3 3 Georgia Bulldogs 10–1 Vince Dooley SEC 5 4 0 0 3 0 Pittsburgh by 3 pointshttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=v-IeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3VYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7060%2C4452246 Pittsburgh Press Franke Russ Sugar is sweetest, Majors, Pitt insist December 31, 1976 17https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ftcpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4xEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5752%2C102870 Milwaukee Sentinel UPI Dorsett, dome double trouble January 1, 1977 2, part 2 Matt Cavanaugh(Pittsburgh QB) Vincent Buckley (SWC) 76,117 ABC Keith Jackson,Ara Parseghian 1975 The 1977 Sugar Bowl was the 43rd edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Saturday, January 1. Part of the 1976–77 bowl game season, it matched the top-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers and the #5 Georgia Bulldogs, champions of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Independent Pittsburgh won 27–3,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ucghAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MaAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5619%2C899431 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania Associated Press Pitt stomps Georgia January 2, 1977 63https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h1wqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AlcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5966%2C290415 Pittsburgh Press Franke Russ Pitt: How sweet it is! January 2, 1977 D1https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gztOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qe0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5059%2C719279 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Majors agrees: 'Pittsburgh's No. 1' January 2, 1977 D1https://www.si.com/vault/1977/01/10/617777/marching-through-georgia Sports Illustrated Underwood John Marching through Georgia January 10, 1977 14 and were consensus national champions.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eq1VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KuADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6406%2C906648 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon wire service reports Pitt (surprise) voted grid title January 4, 1977 3Chttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=u8ghAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MaAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6347%2C2443414 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania Nissenson Herschel Associated Press AP names Panthers champions January 4, 1977 24 After four years (1972–1975) as a New Year's Eve contest, the Sugar Bowl returned to New Year's Day this year. This was the first edition with a formal tie-in with the SEC champion; the initial three-year deal was announced the previous January.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1cQeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lMoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=839%2C4787157 Daytona Beach Morning Journal (Florida) SEC agrees to send grid champ to Sugar Bowl Associated Press January 15, 1976 1C Teams Pittsburgh 1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football team 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,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=emdYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=COgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4499%2C2878665 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon wire service Dorsett does it big again as Pitt routs Notre Dame September 12, 1976 6B 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,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gjtOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qe0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6688%2C52289 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Dogs vs. Dorsett January 1, 1977 11 and became the first Panther to win the Heisman Trophy. Georgia 1976 Georgia Bulldogs football team 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. The Bulldogs had played just one game on artificial turf in the regular season, a loss at Ole Miss.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UeUeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1loEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5597%2C48805 Victoria Advocate Texas Associated Press No. 1 ranking on line January 1, 1977 1B This was the first year in which the SEC was the official conference tie-in to the Sugar Bowl. http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site415.php dead https://web.archive.org/web/20160305080446/http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site415.php 2016-03-05 1977 – How They Got Here / Allstate Sugar Bowl Game summary The game kicked off shortly before 12 noon CST, more than an hour ahead of the Cotton Bowl.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UeUeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1loEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2785%2C54192 Victoria Advocate Texas Associated Press Sports on TV January 1, 1977 2B 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. Near the end of the quarter, Tony Dorsett scored from eleven yards out and it was 21–0 at halftime. Georgia's a 6–2 defense had focused on Dorsett exclusively, which opened up the Panthers' passing game, as the receivers were being given one-on-one coverage. Pittsburgh took advantage, passing for 185 yards in the first half while Dorsett was held to 65 yards; he rushed for 137 yards in the second half. A Pittsburgh fumble on the first drive of the second half gave the ball to Georgia at the Panther 26, but the Bulldogs could only forward it to the seven; Allan Leavitt kicked a 25-yard field goal for Georgia's only points of the game. Panther kicker Carson Long countered with a 42-yarder to make it 24–3 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter, he kicked another from 31 yards to make the final score 27–3. Dorsett rushed for 202 yards on 32 carries (6.3 avg.), scoring one touchdown. Running back (and future Georgia head 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. Georgia's option quarterback Ray Goff was replaced by Matt Robinson, who completed just two of fifteen attempts for 33 yards with three interceptions.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7HVfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=di8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=5398%2C418684 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho (Washington Post) Attner Paul Pitt tears up Bulldogs, awaits collegiate title January 2, 1977 1B http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site118.php dead https://web.archive.org/web/20091213004946/http://allstatesugarbowl.org/site118.php 2009-12-13 1977 Game Recap / Allstate Sugar BowlBowl History - #1 Pittsburg tops Dogs in '77 Sugar Bowl http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/geo/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2015-16/misc_non_event/15fb-history-bowl-recaps.pdf grfx.cstv.com https://web.archive.org/web/20151222124036/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/geo/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2015-16/misc_non_event/15fb-history-bowl-recaps.pdf December 22, 2015 82 dead With the win, Pittsburgh was declared national champions by both major polls, their first since 1937. Scoring First quarter Pittsburgh – Matt Cavanaugh, 6-yard run (Carson Long kick) Second quarter Pittsburgh – Gordon Jones, 59-yard pass from Cavanaugh (Long kick) Pittsburgh – Tony Dorsett, 11-yard run (Long kick) Third quarter Georgia – Allan Leavitt, 25-yard field goal Pittsburgh – Long, 42-yard field goal Fourth quarter Pittsburgh – Long, 31-yard field goal Statistics {| class=wikitable style="text-align:center" ! Statistics !! Pittsburgh!!   Georgia   |- |First downs || 24|| 14 |- |Rushing yards|| 66–288|| 40–135 |- |Passing yards|| 192|| 46 |- |Passing ||10–18–0 ||3–22–4 |- |Total offense || 84–480|| 62–181 |- |Punts–average ||5–36.8|| 8–42.1 |- |Fumbles–lost ||2–1|| 4–2 |- |Turnovers|| 1 || 6 |- |Penalties–yards ||6–66|| 4–30 |} Source: Aftermath Announced weeks earlier,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hxwrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8qAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5679%2C2127832 Reading Eagle Pennsylvania Smith Howard Associated Press Johnny Majors going back home December 4, 1976 7https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0AIOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Tm0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6919%2C602266 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Axelrod Phil Majors-players: tearless farewell December 4, 1976 6 Majors left Pittsburgh for his alma mater Tennessee after the game, 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). References Sugar Bowl Category:Sugar Bowl Category:Georgia Bulldogs football bowl games Category:Pittsburgh Panthers football bowl games Sugar Bowl Sugar Bowl