1971 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
| {{{year}}} [[{{{team}}} football]] | |
|---|---|
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 11 |
| AP | No. 5 |
The 1971 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 1971 college football season.[1] The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.
Schedule
September 18at NavyNo. 14
W 56–3 26,855 September 25at IowaNo. 12
ABCW 44–14 44,303 October 2Air ForceNo. 9
W 16–14 50,459 October 9ArmyNo. 9
- Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA
W 42–0 49,887 October 16at SyracuseNo. 9
W 31–0 41,382
October 23TCU
No. 7
- Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA
W 66–14 51,896 October 30at West VirginiaNo. 6
W 35–7 37,000 November 6MarylandNo. 6
- Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA (Rivalry)
W 63–27 50,144 November 13North Carolina StateNo. 5
- Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA
W 35–3 50,477 November 20at PittsburghNo. 6
W 55–18 39,539 December 4at No. 12 TennesseeNo. 5
ABCL 11–31 59,542 January 1, 1972vs. No. 12 TexasNo. 10
CBSW 30–6 72,000
Game summaries
Air Force
Alberto Vitiello, a 5'7" junior college transfer, kicked a 22-yard field goal with four minutes to help Penn State escape with a 16–14 victory over Air Force.
NFL Draft
Four Nittany Lions were drafted in the 1972 NFL Draft.
| Round | Pick | Overall | Name | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 13 | 13 | Franco Harris | Running back | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2nd | 22 | 48 | Lydell Mitchell | Running back | Baltimore Colts |
| 4th | 15 | 93 | Charles Zapiec | – | Dallas Cowboys |
| 5th | 13 | 117 | Bob Parsons | Punter | Chicago Bears |
References
- ^ "Penn State Yearly Results (1970-1974)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ "Penn State Edges Air Force on Field Goal." Palm Beach Post. 1971 Oct 3.