1921 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1921

| team = Penn State Nittany Lions

| sport = football

| image = 1921 Penn State Nittany Lions football team.png

| image_size = 285

| conference = Independent

| record = 8–0–2

| head_coach = Hugo Bezdek

| hc_year = 4th

| captain = George Snell

| stadium = New Beaver Field

}}

The 1921 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State College in the 1921 college football season. Known as the "Mystery Team", they were coached by Hugo Bezdek and played their home games in New Beaver Field in State College, Pennsylvania.

The Lions were again undefeated, but tied Harvard and rival Pittsburgh on the road.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3gIbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vEkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4452%2C3311812 |work=Pittsburgh Press |title=Pitt men rejoice over "moral victory" by Panthers |date=November 25, 1921 |page=32}} The season concluded in December with a long trip to Seattle and a {{nowrap|21–7}} win over struggling Washington.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bwpWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=veEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6144%2C7752081 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |title=Penn States attack dazzles U. of W., and Bezdek's Lions triumph, 21-7 |date=December 4, 1921 |page=1, part 2}}

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 24

| w/l = w

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1921|team=Lebanon Valley Flying Dutchmen|title=Lebanon Valley}}

| site_stadium = New Beaver Field

| site_cityst = State College, PA

| score = 53–0

| attend = 2,500

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 1

| w/l = w

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1921|team=Gettysburg|title=Gettysburg}}

| site_stadium = New Beaver Field

| site_cityst = State College, PA

| score = 24–0

| attend = 2,500

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 8

| w/l = w

| opponent = NC State

| site_stadium = New Beaver Field

| site_cityst = State College, PA

| score = 35–0

| attend = 3,000

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-penn-state-rolls-over-s/149044097/|work=The Boston Globe|title=Penn State rolls over Southerners|date=October 9, 1921|accessdate=June 9, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 15

| w/l = w

| homecoming = y

| opponent = Lehigh

| site_stadium = New Beaver Field

| site_cityst = State College, PA

| score = 28–7

| attend = 4,000

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 22

| w/l = t

| away = y

| opponent = Harvard

| site_stadium = Harvard Stadium

| site_cityst = Boston, MA

| score = 21–21

| attend = 30,000

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 29

| w/l = w

| neutral = y

| opponent = Georgia Tech

| site_stadium = Polo Grounds

| site_cityst = New York, NY

| score = 28–7

| attend = 30,000

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5180865/pittsburgh_daily_post/|work=Pittsburgh Daily Post|page=20|date=October 30, 1921|title=Penn State Tears Georgia Techites' Line Into Shreds|access-date=May 6, 2016|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 5

| w/l = w

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1921|team=Carnegie Tech Tartans|title=Carnegie Tech}}

| site_stadium = New Beaver Field

| site_cityst = State College, PA

| score = 28–7

| attend = 6,000

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 12

| w/l = w

| neutral = y

| opponent = Navy

| site_stadium = Franklin Field

| site_cityst = Philadelphia, PA

| score = 13–7

| attend = 25,000

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 24

| w/l = t

| away = y

| opponent = Pittsburgh

| site_stadium = Forbes Field

| site_cityst = Pittsburgh, PA

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 0–0

| attend = 34,000

| source = {{cite news|last=Keck|first=Harry|title=Forward Pass Scores Only Touchdown of Hard-Fought Contest|newspaper=The Gazette Times|date=November 13, 1920|page=24|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/70777164/forward-pass-scores-only-touchdown-of/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = December 3

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Washington

| site_stadium = University Stadium

| site_cityst = Seattle, WA

| score = 21–7

| attend = 13,827

| source =

}}

Players

=Line=

class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader\|team=Penn State Nittany Lions\|Number\|Player \| Position \| Games started \| Hometown\|Prep school\|Height\|Weight\|Age}}
9	Ray Baer	guard	Toledo, Ohio	200
7	Joe Bedenk	guard	Williamsport	185
8	Newsh Bentz	center		190
10	Hills	tackle		180
5	Hufford	end		170
6	McMahan	tackle		215
11	Stan McCollum	end		178

=Backfield=

class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader\|team=Penn State Nittany Lions\|Number\|Player \| Position \| Games started \| Hometown\|Prep school\|Height\|Weight\|Age}}
2	Glenn Killinger	quarterback	Harrisburg	Tech HS	5' 9"	160	23
25	Knabb	fullback				175
4	Joe Lightner	halfback	Marysville			178
align=center\|15	Harry Wilson	halfback	\|Mingo Junction, OH		165

{{small|Source:}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20160611010718/http://joepasdoghouse.com/?p=1166 Penn State in the Polo Grounds – Part 2 « JoePa's Doghouse]

=Substitutes=

class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader\|team=Penn State Nittany Lions\|Number\|Player \| Position \| Games started \| Hometown\|Prep school\|Height\|Weight\|Age}}
	Smozinski
	Frank
	Crowther
	Rugh
	Reinhard
	Logue
	Hamilton
	Ritner
	Redinger	Halfback
	Palm
	Cornwall

References

Penn State

Category:Penn State Nittany Lions football seasons

Category:College football undefeated seasons

Penn State Nittany Lions football