After reading Lou Prato’s book “Game Changers: the Greatest Plays in Penn State Football History,” (available at a bookstore near you) I thought I would try and rank
I also prefer to remember things fondly. Why dwell on painful memories? For that reason, there will be no mention of Mario Manningham anywhere in the list.
Two of my favorite memories this decade were not plays. One was the triumphant return of Adam Taliaferro to open the 2001 season. It was one of the most chilling moments in Beaver Stadium history, and it was followed by one of the worst shellackings I’ve ever sat through.
Speaking of Adam, one of the greatest PSU football games I have ever attended was the 22-20 upset of Purdue in 2000 the week after his injury. It also did not make the list because there was no signature play in that game that stood out to me.
I only selected one play from any one game. If I had allowed for more, only three or four games might have made a top ten.
The 1980s had Gregg Garrity’s diving TD catch in the Sugar Bowl. In the 90s, it was Ki-jana Carter’s 83-yard TD run on the first offensive play of the 1995 Rose Bowl. What was the play of this decade? Let’s start the countdown. Here are my selections for
#11 – The Goal line stand that got it started – The 2004 Nittany Lions were 0-6 in the Big Ten and had lost six straight games. They were assured of their fourth losing season in five years. To make matters worse, they were in danger of losing for the first time to perennial doormat
#10 – M-Rob goes Carl Spackler on a gopher – I think we all remember Carl Spackler. He was the goofy greens keeper that was trying to eliminate the gophers at Bushwood Country Club in the movie “Caddyshack.” He tried to shoot them, drown them and even blow them up. Those attempts could be considered humane compared to what QB Michael Robinson did to
#9 – Rich Gardner’s pick six – 2002 was going to be different. After suffering back-to-back losing seasons, PSU was ready for a bounce back year. With a 1-0 record they welcomed #7
#8 – Derrick Williams electrifies the White House – The nation was introduced to the Beaver Stadium white out in ’05. Two years later, PSU fans took it up a notch by asking the ENTIRE crowd to wear white for the match-up with Notre Dame. The Irish silenced the 110,078 in attendance when an Anthony Morelli pass was intercepted and returned for a TD. Derrick Williams would bring the crowd back to life with a spectacular 78-yard punt return late in the opening quarter. The fans would make things very difficult for Jimmy Clausen and the ND offense the rest of the night as the Lions rolled to a 31-10 victory.
#7 – Tony Davis turns around the Outback Bowl – The 2006 Nittany Lions were 8-4 entering a New Year’s Day match-up with the Tennessee Volunteers in the Outback Bowl. The speed of the SEC was expected by many to be too much for PSU. A few minutes into the 4th quarter, the Vols connected on a 53-yard pass play and had a first and ten at the Lion 14. On the next play, RB Arian Foster got the carry and was hit by Sean Lee after a gain of a yard. As he was going down, the ball squirted out. CB Tony Davis scooped it up and raced 88 yards for the go-ahead score. PSU would add a Kevin Kelly FG to win 20-10.
#6 – Kilmer’s grab in
#5 – 2K for LJ – In the regular season finale of 2002, RB Larry Johnson needed 264 yards rushing to reach 2,000 yards for the season. That milestone had been reached nine times in college football history. Late in the first half, Johnson was already at 241 yards and had scored three times. With the fans on their feet, Johnson took a short-side toss, broke through the line and was in the clear. I can still see the flashbulbs popping around Beaver Stadium as Johnson raced 38 yards for the TD. Every
#4 – Zack Mills jump starts a win for the ages – After an 0-4 start to the 2001 season, Penn State edged Northwestern on the road 38-35 when Zack Mills replaced an injured Matt Seneca and led a game winning TD drive in the final two minutes. It was the 323rd victory of Joe Paterno’s career, tying him with Paul “Bear” Bryant for the most all-time. The next week, PSU hosted
#3 – A wild scramble in
#2 – Fourth and 15 – After an ugly start to Penn State’s 2005 road opener, the Lions had fought back from a 23-7 deficit to lead Northwestern 27-26. However, a team that had spent the last two years finding ways to lose, quickly came up with another. A late hit on the Wildcat QB after a 7-yard gain on 3rd and 13, allowed NW to keep a drive going. That drive would end with a TD allowing the Wildcats to retake the lead with 2:10 remaining. Penn State’s attempt at an answer looked like it was right out of 2003 or 2004… incomplete pass, sack with a Robinson fumble recovered by a PSU linemen and a screen pass to Tony Hunt for minus two yards. Following a time out, Michael Robinson dropped back, fired down the middle and in between four Wildcat defenders, drilled the ball between the 8 and the 1 on the uni of TE Isaac Smolko for a 20-yard pick-up. Five plays later Robinson would hit Derrick Williams with the game-winning TD pass. Why the Smolko catch and not the TD? The first sense I had that this team was different was the 4th and 15 conversion. Other than Mike McCloskey’s controversial sideline catch versus
#1 – Hali puts PSU back on top – Two weeks later, with a raucous crowd in Beaver Stadium and a primetime, national TV audience watching, PSU led
One person has already told me the Smolko catch should have been #1 on my list because, in his words, “the win over