![]() ![]() They were back to #3 in the rankings, although another shaky win over SMU at home immediately dropped Paterno’s team back to #5. It turned out that Ohio State was in for a tough year, one that would end up being Woody Hayes’ last, and Penn State was in command in a 19-0 win. Both teams had winning records, but Eastern football was not well-regarded and the failure of the Lions to post blowouts dropped them to #5 in the rankings when they visited #6 Ohio State on September 16. The Lions opened the season with a shaky win at Temple on a Friday night, and then were unimpressive in dispatching Rutgers the week after. Penn State came into the season with high expectations, ranked #3 in the preseason poll. The backfield combined the speed for Booker Moore with the power of Matt Suhey. ![]() Paterno was renowned for his conservative offenses, but Chuck Fusina put the ball up 242 times in 1978, a lot for a good team in that era and Fusina was a consensus All-American who finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting. ![]() The Lions were no less stout on the offensive line, with All-American tackle Keith Dorney, a top 10 pick in the upcoming NFL draft, and guard Eric Cunningham, also chosen early by the prost. And Pete Harris, the younger brother of Steeler/Penn State legend Franco Harris, intercepted ten passes in the secondary. In the meantime, another future pro, Rich Milot, was at linebacker. Millen would later convert to being an effective NFL linebacker and after that convert to being the worst general manager in the history of the NFL with the Detroit Lions. Drive: 12 plays, 87 yards.The Lions had a ferocious defensive line, led by Bruce Clark and Matt Millen. *CLEM – Obed Ariri 47-yard field goal, 0:05. *OSU – Bob Atha 27-yard field goal, 12:08. *OSU – Ricky Johnson 46-yard run, 13:13. *IU – David Freud 30-yard field goal, 6:52. *MICH – Roosevelt Smith 11-yard pass from Rick Leach, 4:12. *MICH – Rodney Feaster 30-yard pass from Rick Leach, 0:09. *OSU – Bob Atha 29-yard field goal, 1:13. Skillings 61-yard interception return (en).Otha Watson recovered blocked punt in end zone (en).Charles 7-yard pass from Kalasmlki (en).dbr:Ohio_State–Penn_State_football_rivalry.dbr:Michigan–Ohio_State_football_rivalry.dbc:1978_Big_Ten_Conference_football_season.dbr:1978_Big_Ten_Conference_football_season.dbc:Ohio_State_Buckeyes_football_seasons.dbr:Memorial_Stadium_(University_of_Minnesota).dbr:Memorial_Stadium_(Indiana_University).dbr:1978_Wisconsin_Badgers_football_team.dbr:1978_Purdue_Boilermakers_football_team.dbr:1978_Penn_State_Nittany_Lions_football_team.dbr:1978_Northwestern_Wildcats_football_team.dbr:1978_Minnesota_Golden_Gophers_football_team.dbr:1978_Michigan_Wolverines_football_team.dbr:1978_Indiana_Hoosiers_football_team.dbr:1978_Illinois_Fighting_Illini_football_team.wiki-commons:Special:FilePath/Buckeyes_logo.svg?width=300.This would be Woody Hayes' last season as head coach of the team, as he was fired following an incident in the game in which he punched Clemson defender Charlie Bauman. The Buckeyes compiled a 7–4–1 record, including the 1978 Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, where they lost, 17–15, to the Clemson Tigers. The 1978 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the 1978 Big Ten Conference football season. ![]()
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