The 1979 Sugar Bowl was the game the whole country wanted: No. 1 Penn State against No. 2 Alabama, with the national championship on the line in New Orleans.
Seven points of separation
Alabama struck right before halftime. With eight seconds left in the second quarter, Jeff Rutledge threw 30 yards to Bruce Bolton for a touchdown and a 7–0 lead. The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter, with Major Ogilvie scoring for Alabama behind a block from tight end Rick Neal, and it was 14–7 going into the fourth.
Then Alabama fumbled. Penn State's Joe Lally fell on it at the Alabama 19 with 7:57 left, and the best team in the country was 19 yards from tying the game.
Down to inches
Matt Suhey ran 11 yards to the 8. Mike Guman got two more to the 6. On second down, Chuck Fusina threw to Scott Fitzkee near the goal line, and cornerback Don McNeal drove him out of bounds about two feet short.
On third down, Penn State gave it to Suhey up the middle. Linebacker Rich Wingo met him, with David Hannah and safety Murray Legg piling in. Still short.
Fourth and inches
During the timeout, Alabama's Marty Lyons told Fusina he'd better throw it. Penn State didn't. Guman went up and over the pile, and linebacker Barry Krauss met him in midair, helmet to helmet. Guman didn't get in.
Krauss was named the game's most valuable player, and he's still the only linebacker to win that award. Alabama finished No. 1 in the AP poll, and Bear Bryant had his fifth national championship. The UPI coaches' poll went with USC, so the title was split, but in Alabama nobody remembers that part. They remember the stand.