Rich Mauti and Rod Rutherford played in the Pitt-Penn State rivalry for opposite sides and decades apart, but they shared a common respect for the series that will be renewed Saturday at Heinz Field when they checked in with the Post-Gazette sports podcast recently.
Mauti, a former Nittany Lions wideout and special teams guru, played against the Panthers in the 1970s, a time when the rivalry began to rise to the height of its national prominence. He especially recalls being amazed by Tony Dorsett, the Hall of Fame running back who guided Pitt to a win over Penn State as well as a national championship in 1976.