Back to the Penn State Nittany Lions Newsfeed

Vintage Penn State football: 'most embarrassing first half of Joe Paterno's career' vs. Alabama in 1981

The Penn State Nittany Lions lost to the University of Alabama, 31-16, on Nov. 14, 1981, at Beaver Stadium.

"Penn State planned to break the 'bone' and got burnt by the bomb," wrote Patriot-News sports writer Ronnie Christ.

"It what has to be the most embarrassing first half of Joe Paterno's career, sixth-ranked Alabama opened a 24-3 lead and held off the fifth-ranked Nittany Lions, 31-16, before a record 85,133 Beaver Stadium fans.

Sixty-eight-year-old Bear Bryant, who tied Amos Alonzo Stagg's all-time win record, gave Paterno a coaching lesson. The Bear simply picked Joe's pocket.