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Penn State football’s Greatest Seasons: 1968-1969

By Shane Lunnen

Oct 31, 2015; University Park, PA, USA; A general view of the Penn State Nittany Lions logo outside of Beaver Stadium prior to the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Penn State Nittany Lions. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 31, 2015; University Park, PA, USA; A general view of the Penn State Nittany Lions logo outside of Beaver Stadium prior to the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Penn State Nittany Lions. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /
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Two straight undefeated seasons, but a number 1 ranking still eludes Penn State.

Continuing our series of Penn State’s greatest seasons, we will now look at two undefeated seasons.  Cheating a little bit here, but both the 1968 and 1969 seasons are linked in Penn State history.  In fact the undefeated streak started in the 1967 season.  The Lions would be undefeated from October 1967 until the second game of the 1970 season, with the only blemish being a tie against Florida State in the 1967 Gator Bowl.

The 1968 Season

Coming off the previous season with a record of 8-2-1 and finishing 10th in the final AP poll, the Nittany Lions were looking for more in coach Joe Paterno’s third season.

The Nittany Lion offense that year was led by running back Charlie Pittman and tight end Ted Kwalick.  Pittman racked up 950 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground and Kwalick was named an All-American for the second consecutive season.

The Lions ripped through their schedule that year, featuring wins over all unranked teams mostly from the east.  The fact that eastern football was not respected in those days was one of the reasons why Penn State would fail to reach number one.

This would be Paterno’s first undefeated team and they would cap it off with a dramatic 15-14 victory in the 1969 Orange Bowl over sixth ranked Kansas.  The team finished number two in the AP poll, only behind undefeated Ohio State (Video Courtesy 1313 Otto).

President Nixon awards a national title

After the 1968 undefeated campaign, the Lions were in prime position to do it again with a loaded roster.  Not only did they return Pittman in the backfield, but they also had Franco Harris and Lydell Mitchell.  It was a three-headed monster that powered the offense.

Most of the defense was back for the 1969 season. Jack Ham, Mike Reid, and Dennis Onkotz just to name a few players.  Reid won the Maxwell award that season, given to the best all-around player.  The defense smothered their opponents, allowing only 8.2 points per game which was the best in the nation.

Long before the playoff system, teams had to decide bowl invites before the regular season had ended.  Penn State decided to return to Miami and the Orange Bowl.  A few weeks later, number two Texas traveled to Arkansas to take on the number one ranked Razorbacks.  After Texas won the game, President Richard Nixon awarded a plaque and declared the Longhorns national champions, before the bowls were even played.

This little act by the president really peeved Paterno.  The Nittany Lions would go on to defeat the sixth ranked Missouri Tigers in the Orange Bowl while Texas beat Notre Dame.  The Longhorns would finish number one while the Lions again would finish second.

Must Read: Penn State Football Recruiting: Was Journey Brown the steal of 2017?

Per the Allentown’s Morning Call, during Penn State’s 1973 commencement Paterno would have the last laugh on Nixon.  He quipped, “I’ve wondered how President Nixon could know so little about Watergate in 1973 and so much about college football in 1969.”  Paterno would have to wait another decade before climbing to the top of the college football mountain (Video Courtesy  of Big Ten Network).

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