“The Lion In The Desert” Cards for 1977 Penn State and Arizona State (Fiesta Bowl) for 1980s SOM CFB
Special Thanks to Big Stew, Chris Stewart, who created these!
Dropbox Link for PDF file: 1977-Arizona-State-Final-SOM-Cards.zip
Dropbox Link for PDF file: 1977-PENN-STATE-FINAL-SOM-Cards.zip
Strat-O-Matic College Football Posts on this Blog:
Penn State 42, ASU 30
The Fiesta Bowl originated in 1971 due to Western Athletic Conference (WAC) frustration. Hard to believe it now, with the game now part of College Football bowl royalty, but the 1977 Fiesta Bowl was only the seventh edition, and it was played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona on Sunday, December 25. The game matched the eighth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions and the #15 Arizona State Sun Devils of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). Favored Penn State took an early lead and won 42–30 on the Sun Devils' home field.
When people remember the 1977 season, they remember Texas, with a final record at 11-1, but being undefeated they were the easy consensus champion until they lost to Notre Dame, who finished 11-1 and jumped from #5 to win it. They remember Alabama, which also finished 11-1, who beat 9-2 Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl but could not quite jump to the Title even though they had started Bowl Week at #3. The #6 Arkansas Razorbacks, while also finishing at 11-1 and whipping Oklahoma, were not able to leapfrog enough teams to win the Title. But in actuality there was a fifth 11-1 team, and a sixth one loss team we’ll explore later. Every one of the five teams had a legitimate call on the Ultimate Flag, even Texas, who had beaten Oklahoma and Arkansas as well as two other top fifteen teams before their pratfall in Dallas.
Sun Devil Stadium, from the North
The fifth 11-1 team was Penn State. Penn State featured running back Matt Suhey, QB Chuck Fusina, TE Mickey Schuler, and OT Keith Dorney, but they were at the time an Independent, and they did not get an “at large” slot in one of the bigger bowls. The Nittany Lions had to accept an invitation to the Fiesta Bowl. They were ranked as high as fourth in the nation, until a home loss to #16 Kentucky in early October, but then won seven straight. It was their first Fiesta Bowl appearance.
In the Sun Devils' final year in the WAC, they were co-champion for the seventh and last time, and appeared in their fifth Fiesta Bowl. They were invited after WAC co-champion BYU backed out due to the bowl being slated to play on a Sunday. ASU's sole loss in the WAC was at Colorado State in a snowstorm.
Key stars for the 1977 Sun Devils football team included quarterback Dennis Sproul, who was named Offensive Player of the Game in the 1977 Fiesta Bowl, and running back Mike Harris, a WAC All-American and recipient of the Sun Angel Male Athlete of the Year award. Other notable players on the roster were quarterback Mark Malone, running back Arthur Lane, and tight end Ken MacAfee.
Matt Suhey takes a handoff
In the game, the Nittany Lions’ started the fun early, as Joe Lally blocked a punt and returned it 21 yards to give Penn State the lead early in the first quarter. Bob Torrey caught a touchdown pass from Chuck Fusina to make it 14–0. Arthur Lane caught a touchdown pass from Dennis Sproul to narrow it to 14–7. Bahr made it 17–7 with a field goal. Ron Washington caught a touchdown pass from Sproul to narrow it to 17–14 at halftime.
An 18-yard touchdown run by halfback Steve Geise made it 24–14 at the end of the third, and a three-yard run by fullback Matt Suhey increased the lead to seventeen points early in the fourth. Washington caught another touchdown pass from Sproul to narrow it to 31–21, but Bahr kicked another field goal to make it 34–21. Arizona State's George Perry ran in from a yard out to close the gap to 34–28, but Suhey's second touchdown run and a deliberate safety late in the game sealed the game for Penn State, who won their first-ever Fiesta Bowl. Penn State wound up fifth in the final rankings- but they may have had just as good a claim as any on the 1977-78 National Championship.
Initial Date of Publication: 8/31/2025
Courtesy Chris Stewart, reprinted with permission
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