November 10, 2010
Another week. Another milestone. Another retrospective. This week, in honor of Joe Paterno’s 400th win, we look back at the ten most significant victories of his career. Keep in mind that significant and memorable are two separate things. The 48-14 win over Pitt in 1981 is certainly memorable, but how significant was it for Joe and the program? Two are joined together at the number seven slot to once again honor the mathematically challenged league that is the Big Ten.
10. Penn State defeats Maryland 15-7 in 1966 – In order to reach 400 victories, you must begin with one. On September 17, 1966, former assistant Joe Paterno won his first game as head coach. The Lions would score one touchdown that day to go along with one field goal and three safeties. A goal line stand late in the game would preserve the win. Joe Paterno would torment the Terps and their fans for decades going 25-0-1 against Maryland. It was important to make a good first impression after replacing Rip Engle. Considering Penn State would lose three of its next four games, this win was pretty significant for Paterno.
9. Penn State defeats Pitt 48-24 in 1966 – This victory over the Panthers would be the start of a ten game winning streak in this series. Pitt didn’t despise Penn State until Joe Paterno came along and whipped them for a decade straight. To make it more embarrassing to Panther fans, the Lions won those ten games by an average score of 39-13. This victory would be the impetus for one of college football’s great rivalries, particularly from 1976-1986 when the two schools played for five national titles between them.
8. Penn State defeats Ohio State 29-27 in 2001– The only milestone victory on my list is #324. JoePa passed the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant in dramatic fashion. Trailing Ohio State 27-9 in the 3rd quarter, the 1-4 Lions scored three quick touchdowns to take the lead. With under three minutes remaining PSU blocked a Buckeye FG try to preserve the win, making Paterno the winningest coach in major college football history. Anyone who was there will tell you it was one of the most enjoyable days ever spent at Beaver Stadium.
7. Penn State defeats Michigan 31-24 and two weeks later throttles Ohio State 63-14 in 1994 – Penn State’s first season in the Big Ten was very successful. The Lions went 10-2 with a bowl victory over Tennessee. However, the two losses came at the hands of the Big Ten’s bullies, Michigan and Ohio State. They had long controlled the conference (and still do) with their regular season meeting usually determining the league’s representative in the Rose Bowl. In their second year in the Big Ten, the Lions went undefeated. It was the first perfect season in the conference in twenty-five years. By winning in Ann Arbor and by destroying OSU, Paterno served notice that the new kid on the block could bully right back.
6. Penn State shuts out Ohio State 19-0 in 1978 – Prior to 1978, Joe Paterno had three perfect seasons as head coach of PSU but zero national championships. Mostly because “eastern football” was not respected nationally. In September 1978, the Lions played Ohio State in Columbus. There was no return trip scheduled by the Bucks. It was a one-shot deal for respect. The Lions went into Ohio and blanked the Buckeyes 19-0 behind a fierce pass rush from Bruce Clark and Matt Millen. In November, the still perfect Nittany Lions would be voted #1 for the first time in school history. In January they would play Alabama for the national title. Going on the road and dominating a historic and respected program like Ohio State on their field was another step toward earning the nation’s respect.
5. Penn State beats Ohio State 17-10 in 2005– Following a 3-9 record in 2003 and a 4-7 record in 2004, PSU President Graham Spanier and Athletic Director Tim Curley visited Joe Paterno’s home and asked him to resign. JoePa told them if he could keep his staff around, they had good senior leaders and some incoming playmakers that would turn it around. After a 5-0 start, the nation watched in primetime as the Lions battled preseason Big Ten favorite OSU. Penn State would win 17-10. That night Joe Paterno showed Spanier, Curley and all of the doubters he could still get the job done, and PSU rejoined the nation’s elite programs.
4. Penn State whips Texas in the 1972 Cotton Bowl 30-6 – After back-to-back perfect seasons in 1968 and 1969, the Lions watched Texas claim the top spot in the polls. The little eastern school who didn’t play anyone finally lined up against the Longhorns in Dallas on New Year’s Day 1972. PSU held the Horns to 242 yards of offense and hammered them in their home state. It was vindication for Paterno and Penn State fans, and it sent a message to the rest of college football that said Penn State could compete with the nation’s elite.
3. Penn State beats Miami 17-8 in 1967 – After going 5-5 in his first season as head coach, PSU lost the opening game of the 1967 season to Navy 23-22. The following week in the Orange Bowl against the Miami Hurricanes, Paterno replaced defensive upperclassmen with sophomores like Dennis Onkotz and Steve Smear. The youth movement was successful. PSU would leave South Beach with a 17-8 win. After falling 17-15 to #4 UCLA the next week, Penn State would not lose again until September of 1970. Those young sophomores would be the backbone of the unbeaten teams of 1968 and 1969.
2. Penn State upsets Miami 14-10 in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl – It was the ultimate test of Paterno’s “Grand Experiment.” It was the polite, quiet and educated Nittany Lions against the one team in college football that was the complete opposite, the loud, brash, camouflage wearing showboats from Miami. Penn State was supposed to be no match for Vinny Testaverde, Michael Irvin, Jerome Brown and company. If the Canes had rolled over the Lions as most expected, what would have became of JoePa’s legacy? We’ll never know, thanks to one of the greatest defensive team performances in college football history.
1. Penn State beats Georgia 27-23 in the 1983 Sugar Bowl – The second national championship was built up by the media to be good versus evil. What was right about college football against all that was wrong with it. The first national championship was about something else. It finally elevated the Penn State program to the best of the best. With three unbeaten (but uncrowned) teams, plus the Sugar Bowl loss to Alabama in January 1979, no win was more significant for Joe Paterno or Penn State than the night they finally climbed the mountain. Plus, by winning the 1982 national championship, PSU had the credibility it needed to play for the titles in 1985 and 1986 with a weaker schedule.
Bowl Projections
BCS Championship Game – Auburn (SEC Champ) over Oregon (Pac 10 Champ)
Rose Bowl – Wisconsin (Big Ten Champ) vs. TCU (At-large)
Sugar Bowl – LSU (At-large) vs. Boise State (At-large)
Orange Bowl – Virginia Tech (ACC Champ) vs. Ohio State (At-large)
Fiesta Bowl – Nebraska (Big 12 Champ) vs. Pitt (Big East Champ)
Capital One Bowl – Iowa vs. South Carolina
Outback Bowl – Michigan State vs. Alabama
Cotton Bowl – Oklahoma vs. Arkansas
Gator Bowl – Penn State vs. Florida
Chick-Fil-A Bowl – Georgia vs. Florida State
Champ Sports Bowl – West Virginia vs. NC State
Games of the Week:
South Carolina @ Florida – The handwriting is on the wall. It’s happening all over again. Every year, South Carolina looks great thru 6-7 games, and then they fall apart. The wheels haven’t come off yet, but they are wobbling. After getting smoked last week by Arkansas, the Gamecocks have one shot to try and reach the SEC Championship Game. Steve Spurrier has not made it to the final since arriving in Columbia. A loss here, and the Gamecocks may end up 7-5. The game is in Gainesville, but I think the ‘Ol Ball Coach finally gets it done.
USC @ Arizona –The Trojans have already dropped three of four. Now, they’ll play three of their last four games on the road. The season could turn ugly for Lane Kiffin real fast if they can’t get in a win in Tucson. Last year, Zona won the regular season finale 21-17 in the Coliseum. There’s no question USC can score. They’ve scored 31 or more in every game but one. Arizona’s QB Nick Foles is good. Matt Barkley is better. Expect another Pac Ten shootout. This one goes to the men of Troy.
Texas A&M @ Baylor – What can I say? It’s a slow week. The Aggies have rebounded nicely after losing three straight earlier this season. The offense is clicking, and they are coming off a great win over Oklahoma. The Bears lost last Saturday to Oklahoma State, giving the Cowboys a leg up in the Big 12 South. A&M is 21-2-1 versus Baylor since 1986, but both losses have come in the last six years. The Aggies are on a high. Baylor is down. I’ll take the more established program here. Aggies win, but expect a fight from an improved Baylor team.
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