1979 Sugar Bowl
| 1979 Sugar Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 45th Sugar Bowl National Championship Game | |||||||||||||||||||||
The Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, hosted the Sugar Bowl. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date | January 1, 1979 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Season | 1978 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Stadium | Louisiana Superdome | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | New Orleans, Louisiana | ||||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | Barry Krauss (Alabama LB) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Favorite | Alabama by 1 point | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | Bill Jennings (Big Eight) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 76,824 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| United States TV coverage | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Network | ABC | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Keith Jackson, Frank Broyles | ||||||||||||||||||||
The 1979 Sugar Bowl was the 45th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, January 1. Part of the 1978–79 bowl game season, it matched the top-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions (11–0) and the #2 Alabama Crimson Tide (10–1) of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). A hard-fought 14–7 victory gave Alabama head coach Bear Bryant a share of a fifth national championship, as the AP Poll voters ranked Alabama as No. 1. The University of Southern California was voted national champion in the Coaches Poll.
The game marked the official debut of Alabama's "Big Al" costumed elephant mascot.