Penn State and Pitt have played each other 96 times. Chances are you have a favorite game or memory. We dug deep into our archives to find a classic, that is if you are a Nittany Lion fan.
Thanksgiving weekend 1985. Joe Paterno took his team into Pitt Stadium undefeated and ranked number one in the country.
In a word, the Lions dominated. One of the first big plays was provided by fullback Tim Manoa. Already up 7-0 Manoa rumbled 60 yards for a touchdown, his first of two scores that day.
And as it did for much of the ’85 season, the Penn State defense took over. Third quarter, Pitt quarterback John Congemi was hit by defensive end Don Graham. Congemi fumbled the ball into the end zone and the Nittany Lions were there to pounce on the football. Penn State rolled to a 31-0 win.
That undfeated season came to an end a few weeks later when Penn State lost to Oklahoma in the Orange Bowls. But the players will tell you this rivalry was always the biggest game of the season. It was about state bragging rights and just another reason why college sports rivalries are so special.
Paterno’s record versus Pitt was 23-7-1, but the Panthers won the final contest in 2000.
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