1984 Fiesta Bowl
13th edition
Ohio State Buckeyes Pittsburgh Panthers
(8–3) (8–2–1)
Big Ten Independent
28 23
Head coach: 
Earle Bruce		 Head coach: 
Foge Fazio
APCoaches
1413
APCoaches
1513
1234 Total
Ohio State 77014 28
Pittsburgh 07016 23
DateJanuary 2, 1984
Season1983
StadiumSun Devil Stadium
LocationTempe, Arizona
MVPJohn Congemi  (Pitt QB)
Rowland Tatum (OSU LB)
FavoriteOhio State by 2½ points[1][2]
RefereeGene Wurtz (WAC)
Attendance66,484
United States TV coverage
NetworkNBC
AnnouncersCharlie Jones, Bob Griese
Nielsen ratings7.9

The 1984 Fiesta Bowl was the thirteenth edition of the college football bowl game, played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona on Monday, January 2.[3] Part of the 1983–84 bowl game season, it matched the fourteenth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference, and the #15 Pittsburgh Panthers, an independent. Slightly favored,[1] Ohio State rallied late in the fourth quarter to win 28–23.[4][5][6][7][8][9]

New Year's Day was on Sunday in 1984, and the college bowl games were played the following day.

Teams

Ohio State

The Buckeyes were ranked third until a loss at Iowa in late September; they later lost on the road to Illinois and rival Michigan. This was their second Fiesta Bowl appearance.

Pittsburgh

The Panthers opened with two wins, but lost two road games at Maryland and West Virginia. They won six straight, then tied rival Penn State. This was Pittsburgh's third Fiesta Bowl appearance.

Game summary

The first game of a tripleheader (Rose, Orange) on NBC, the Fiesta kicked off shortly after 11:30 a.m. MST, as did the Cotton Bowl on CBS.

Ohio State scored first when quarterback Mike Tomczak scored on a three-yard quarterback keeper. Pittsburgh tied the score at seven on a 6-yard pass from John Congemi to wide receiver Clint Wilson. Running back Keith Byars scored on an 11-yard run before halftime, to give Ohio State a 14–7 halftime lead.

After a scoreless third quarter, the action increased in the fourth. Pitt wide receiver Clint Wilson recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown to tie the game at 14. Byars took the kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, and Ohio State reclaimed the lead at 21–14. Congemi then found Dwight Collins for a touchdown, but the two-point conversion attempt failed, and Ohio State held on to a one-point lead. A 37-yard field goal from Tom Everett with 2:39 left, gave Pittsburgh a 23–21 lead. Tomczak threw a 39-yard touchdown strike to Thad Jemison for the game-winning touchdown, with 39 seconds left, and Ohio State escaped with a 28–23 win.[4][6][9][10]

Scoring

First quarter

Second quarter

  • Pittsburgh – Clint Wilson 6-yard pass from John Congemi (Snuffy Everett kick)
  • Ohio State – Keith Byars 11-yard run (Spangler kick)

Third quarter

No scoring

Fourth quarter

  • Pittsburgh – Wilson fumble recovery in end zone (Everett kick)
  • Ohio State – Byars 99-yard kickoff return (Spangler kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Dwight Collins 11-yard pass from Congemi (pass failed)
  • Pittsburgh – Everett 37-yard field goal
  • Ohio State – Thad Jemison 39-yard pass from Tomczak (Spangler kick)
Source[4][6]

Statistics

StatisticsOhio StatePittsburgh
First Downs2127
Yards Rushing46–18437–146
Yards Passing226341
Passing15–32–131–46–2
Return Yards1772
Total Offense78–41083–487
Punts–Average4–37.33–39.0
Fumbles–Lost3–12–1
Turnovers23
Penalties–Yards8–708–60
Time of Possession29:1330:47
Source[4][6]

Aftermath

Ohio State climbed to ninth in the final AP poll, and Pittsburgh fell to eighteenth.

References

  1. 1 2 "The latest line". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 30, 1983. p. 12.
  2. ↑ "Harrah's Odds: college football". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). January 2, 1984. p. 17.
  3. ↑ "Fiesta Bowl". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire services reports. January 2, 1984. p. 3B.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Scott, Gerald (January 3, 1984). "Buckeye quarterback saves best for last". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (Los Angeles Times). p. 3D.
  5. ↑ McMillan, Tom (January 3, 1984). "Buckeyes rally, defeat Panthers, 28–23". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 13.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Wheatley, Tom (January 3, 1984). "Replay". Pittsburgh Press. p. D1.
  7. ↑ Patterson, Jack (January 3, 1984). "Ohio State passes Pitt on late TD". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). Knight-Ridder. p. 21.
  8. ↑ Taylor, Jim (January 3, 1984). "OSU's Tomczak stings Pitt for Fiesta Bowl victory". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). p. 21.
  9. 1 2 Berry, Walter (January 3, 1984). "Buckeyes' rally drops Pittsburgh in Fiesta, 2823". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. p. C1.
  10. ↑ "Bowl Championship Series - 1984 - Ohio State 28, Pittsburgh 23".
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