PENN STATE v GEORGIA -1983 | Sugar Bowl

Date: | Info: 49th Annual Sugar Bowl Classic ~ January 1, 1983

National Championship

#2 Penn State 27 (Final: 11-1-0, #1)
#1 Georgia 23 (Final: 11-1-0, #4)

This game matched No. 1 Georgia against No. 2 Penn State in a showdown for the nation's top spot. In the end, Penn State outlasted the Bulldogs, 27-23, before a then-record crowd of 78,124.

Using a big-play offense spearheaded by Todd Blackledge, the game's "Most Outstanding" player, the Nittany Lions jumped off to a 20-3 lead late in the second on two Curt Warner touchdowns and two Nick Gancitano field goals.

Georgia cut the margin to 10 with five seconds left in the first half on a John Lastinger to Herman Archie pass. Herschel Walker became the second player to score a touchdown in three successive Sugar Bowls (the first was Major Ogilvie of Alabama in 1978, '79 and '80) when he pulled the Bulldogs within three points, 20-17, in the third quarter.

However, Penn State clinched its title when Blackledge hit Greg Garrity for a TD. Georgia scored a late touchdown to round out the scoring.
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