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Penn State Football: The best teams to not have a chance to play for the Natty

By Joey Lovell

2 Jan 1995: Quarterback Kerry Collins and fullback Jon Witman of the Penn State Nittany Lions hug each other after the Rose Bowl against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Penn State won the game 38-20. Mandatory Credit: Mike Powell /Allsport
2 Jan 1995: Quarterback Kerry Collins and fullback Jon Witman of the Penn State Nittany Lions hug each other after the Rose Bowl against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Penn State won the game 38-20. Mandatory Credit: Mike Powell /Allsport /
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NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – JUNE 05: Joe Paterno and Franco Harris. (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage)
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – JUNE 05: Joe Paterno and Franco Harris. (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage) /

The next season saw Penn State football start the year ranked 3rd in the country. After sinking Navy 45-22 the first week, they swapped spots with Arkansas. Their stay was short-lived, as they tumbled three spots after their next week’s 17-14 win at Kansas State.

Two weeks later, they dropped another three spots to #8 after a 15-14 win on the road at Syracuse. However, the very next week they regained those three spots with a 42-3 drubbing of Ohio University. Two weeks later, after shutting out 48-0, they climbed to #4. They gained one more spot after soundly defeating Pitt, 27-7. They climbed up to #2 after beating NC State 33-8.

This squad introduced freshman running backs Franco Harris and Lydell Mitchell to the college football landscape. As quarterback of both the ’68 and ’69 teams, Chuck Burhkart had a career completion percentage of 48.7% and 7 TD’s to 16 interceptions. The only number that mattered though was a PERFECT 22-0 record as starting QB.

President Nixon proved that church shouldn’t be the only thing separated from “the state”, as he anointed the University of Texas the National Championship after the Longhorn’s victory over Arkansas. This abuse of power made Penn State’s 2nd consecutive Orange Bowl victory a moot point.

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