Biggest Game in Beaver Stadium Since....

[PSUForever]

Hard to recall a bigger game when considering how highly ranked both teams are. 2018 vs OSU was big, we were 9th and OSU was #3 I think. Then I think you need to go back to 2005 White Out vs OSU but I think we were only #16 at the time. Before that was vs Arizona to kickoff the 1999 season, we were 3 and they were 4. Although that was the first game and Arizona were pretenders, we just didn't know it until the game was played. Oregon is no joke. Before that, maybe never. The 12 team playoff gives us some margin for error that we did not have in previous games but no doubt about it this one is a huge one.

P.S. I am excluding that SMU playoff game which was a big game, no doubt, but just considering the quality of the opponent and regular season.

 

[Knickslions69]

Last year Penn state vrs Ohio state was 3 vrs 4 and was big game

 

[Nitt1300]

I remember several games with Alabama at the Beav- they were all big.

 

[PSUForever]

Last year Penn state vrs Ohio state was 3 vrs 4 and was big game

LOL! I guess I blocked that nightmare out of my mind.

 

[m.knox]

Last year Penn state vrs Ohio state was 3 vrs 4 and was big game

True, but 2018 was a White Out............ In that sense, it was bigger.

 

[RunTheBall]

2005 Ohio State

 

[PSUForever]

2005 Ohio State

From the standpoint of how bad we had been in recent years then this game was big to finally get a W over a quality opponent. The sack and fumble recovery let out years of frustration from Nittany Nation.

 

[SleepyLion]

From the standpoint of how bad we had been in recent years then this game was big to finally get a W over a quality opponent. The sack and fumble recovery let out years of frustration from Nittany Nation.

Stood on the field to watch that game, behind the endzone O$U started their last drive.

Best crowd energy I've experienced.

 

[MtNittany]

This will be the biggest, imo. Let's hope we remember it fondly.

edit: All of us, including those in the upper West stands.

 

[MadChill]

Hard to recall a bigger game when considering how highly ranked both teams are. 2018 vs OSU was big, we were 9th and OSU was #3 I think. Then I think you need to go back to 2005 White Out vs OSU but I think we were only #16 at the time. Before that was vs Arizona to kickoff the 1999 season, we were 3 and they were 4. Although that was the first game and Arizona were pretenders, we just didn't know it until the game was played. Oregon is no joke. Before that, maybe never. The 12 team playoff gives us some margin for error that we did not have in previous games but no doubt about it this one is a huge one.

P.S. I am excluding that SMU playoff game which was a big game, no doubt, but just considering the quality of the opponent and regular season.

ESPN dubbed 11/8/97 Judgement Day as it featured two games between 4 of the five top-ranked teams. The first game was #2 Florida State v #5 North Carolina 1997, followed by #4 MI v #1 PSU. Michigan throttled the Lions 38-7. A lot of bad memories from that game, but two of the worse were:
1. The violent collision between Michigan safety Daydrion Taylor and Penn State tight end Bob Stephenson:

2. Marcus Ray, in a post game interview, "We are Michigan. They're just Penn State."

Games That Ruined a Special Season: 1997 Michigan vs. Penn State

Judgement Day turned out to be a rude awakening for the Nittany Lions.

www.blackshoediaries.com

 

[PSUFTG]

Since.... last year.
And will be the biggest until.... next year.



There really are not "big" regular season games anymore - not like there used to be. PSU (like many other programs) can lose to every top end team they play (or at least most of them) and still be in the post-season. That obviously didn't used to be the case, when some games were "do or die" wrt hopes for a conference or national championship opportunity.

OOC games? Where there would once be long-anticipated intersectional matchups (like PSU-ND, PSU-Alabama, etc). Gone. Now the OOC is three revenue-generating scrimmages.
Even within the conference, no more annually-played rivalry games (at least not for PSU).

It is what it is now - NFL-light. Some may prefer that, some may not. But it is what it is.

I hope and expect 100,000 fans will go to the game and enjoy themselves - but the outcome of the one game really doesn't mean much anymore.

 

[Marshall2323]

Last year.

 

[Marshall2323]

Since.... last year.
And will be the biggest until.... next year.



There really are not "big" regular season games anymore - not like there used to be. PSU (like many other programs) can lose to every top end team they play (or at least most of them) and still be in the post-season. That obviously didn't used to be the case, when some games were "do or die" wrt hopes for a conference or national championship opportunity.

OOC games? Where there would once be long-anticipated intersectional matchups (like PSU-ND, PSU-Alabama, etc). Gone. Now the OOC is three revenue-generating scrimmages.
Even within the conference, no more annually-played rivalry games (at least not for PSU).

It is what it is now - NFL-light. Some may prefer that, some may not. But it is what it is.

I hope and expect 100,000 fans will go to the game and enjoy themselves - but the outcome of the one game really doesn't mean much anymore.

Every network production and media in general, earnestly and quite successfully whip fan bases into a frenzy selling "must win" contests. It's never treated that way, nor can it be by the actual participants. The Super Bowl was once labeled "the ultimate game." In the words of one of America's great minds, Duane Thomas, " if it's the ultimate game, why is it played every year?"

 

[PSUSignore]

Stood on the field to watch that game, behind the endzone O$U started their last drive.

Best crowd energy I've experienced.

I stood on the field after that game with thousands of others.

 

[PSUForever]

Since.... last year.
And will be the biggest until.... next year.



There really are not "big" regular season games anymore - not like there used to be. PSU (like many other programs) can lose to every top end team they play (or at least most of them) and still be in the post-season. That obviously didn't used to be the case, when some games were "do or die" wrt hopes for a conference or national championship opportunity.

OOC games? Where there would once be long-anticipated intersectional matchups (like PSU-ND, PSU-Alabama, etc). Gone. Now the OOC is three revenue-generating scrimmages.
Even within the conference, no more annually-played rivalry games (at least not for PSU).

It is what it is now - NFL-light. Some may prefer that, some may not. But it is what it is.

I hope and expect 100,000 fans will go to the game and enjoy themselves - but the outcome of the one game really doesn't mean much anymore.

I wouldn"t say it doesn't mean much. If we win 28-10 are we feeling like that didn't mean much or tell us anything? If we lose 28-10 same thing? You make it sound like an MLB game in May. Of course we can lose this game and make the playoffs but it could mean we may not if we lose to OSU which would be highly probable if we lose to Oregon. Also a loss vs Oregon makes every other game except OSU a must win.

 

[PSUFTG]

I wouldn"t say it doesn't mean much. If we win 28-10 are we feeling like that didn't mean much or tell us anything? If we lose 28-10 same thing? You make it sound like an MLB game in May. Of course we can lose this game and make the playoffs but it could mean we may not if we lose to OSU which would be highly probable if we lose to Oregon. Also a loss vs Oregon makes every other game except OSU a must win.

Obviously, one wouldn't compare it to one of 162 games in a MLB season.
But to "NFL-lite" - ie, about the same "big game" implications as whomever the Steelers or Eagles are playing this week. Win or lose - it, as a singular game, doesn't mean squat in the big picture.

 

[J.E.B]

Franklion 4-20 vs. Top ten teams and 6-6 overall after bye weeks. Nits by 3.5 is the line. James can exercise a few demons on Saturday. Man up.

 

[CDLionFL]

Franklion 4-20 vs. Top ten teams and 6-6 overall after bye weeks. Nits by 3.5 is the line. James can exercise a few demons on Saturday. Man up.

Jumping jacks, pushups, or gassers for those demons?

 

[PSUHarry]

ESPN dubbed 11/8/97 Judgement Day as it featured two games between 4 of the five top-ranked teams. The first game was #2 Florida State v #5 North Carolina 1997, followed by #4 MI v #1 PSU. Michigan throttled the Lions 38-7. A lot of bad memories from that game, but two of the worse were:
1. The violent collision between Michigan safety Daydrion Taylor and Penn State tight end Bob Stephenson:

2. Marcus Ray, in a post game interview, "We are Michigan. They're just Penn State."

Games That Ruined a Special Season: 1997 Michigan vs. Penn State

Judgement Day turned out to be a rude awakening for the Nittany Lions.

www.blackshoediaries.com

I was at that game. Remember the hit, remember the miserable rain, and the Michigan domination. I think it scarred me.
Also the guy I went with died of Covid 5 years ago. Just bad memories all around.

Neither the TE or the DB played meaningful football after that hit I believe

 

[WVilleLion23]

Last game. I kid.

 

[ApexLion]

Nover? A w is a w

 

[CaliLion79]

OP topic is discussed here

 

[Nittany1997]

Michigan 1997. Saw a banner on a frat house that said A big Eniis better than a little Woody.

 

[kgilbert78]

I stood on the field after that game with thousands of others.

There's a photo of that last play, somewhere, with Troy Smith completely inverted during that ply. I really wanted it, but it was part of a three picture series at Matthew Rice's short-lived store in Nittany Mall, so I did not buy it. Would love to put it up in my house, and see the reaction of my local friends (I live in Columbus), withoyt saying a word.

 

[MtNittany]

This will be PSU's 409th game in Beaver Stadium.

 

[BUFFALO LION]

Hard to recall a bigger game when considering how highly ranked both teams are. 2018 vs OSU was big, we were 9th and OSU was #3 I think. Then I think you need to go back to 2005 White Out vs OSU but I think we were only #16 at the time. Before that was vs Arizona to kickoff the 1999 season, we were 3 and they were 4. Although that was the first game and Arizona were pretenders, we just didn't know it until the game was played. Oregon is no joke. Before that, maybe never. The 12 team playoff gives us some margin for error that we did not have in previous games but no doubt about it this one is a huge one.

P.S. I am excluding that SMU playoff game which was a big game, no doubt, but just considering the quality of the opponent and regular season.

This is like an IM (Intramural) game compared to 1982 Penn State vs Nebraska. WRT the regular season, that game stands head and shoulders over anything else both for importance and atmosphere.

 

[MtNittany]

This is like an IM (Intramural) game compared to 1982 Penn State vs Nebraska. WRT the regular season, that game stands head and shoulders over anything else both for importance and atmosphere.

I was at that game. While it was incredible - everything from the temporary lighting, to the fans, to the game itself - it was what? 78K fans?

 

[PSUFTG]

This is like an IM (Intramural) game compared to 1982 Penn State vs Nebraska. WRT the regular season, that game stands head and shoulders over anything else both for importance and atmosphere.

That is a worthy choice.

Having been to both, I would have to put 2005 OSU and 1982 Nebraska under the same hat (no pun intended, for those who know the history of Nebraska Hats ).

Might give s light edge to 2005 OSU - based on how "amped up" things were largely because PSU was just emerging from the malaise of 2000-2004. In fact, until that game, no one really knew if "2000-2004" was over (The nice comeback over Northwestern - before the OSU game - helped a bit, but at its core that was a narrow win over a lower-level program. The OSU match up was the first real "show me" game wrt whether or not PSU was "back")

 

[razpsu]

Hard to recall a bigger game when considering how highly ranked both teams are. 2018 vs OSU was big, we were 9th and OSU was #3 I think. Then I think you need to go back to 2005 White Out vs OSU but I think we were only #16 at the time. Before that was vs Arizona to kickoff the 1999 season, we were 3 and they were 4. Although that was the first game and Arizona were pretenders, we just didn't know it until the game was played. Oregon is no joke. Before that, maybe never. The 12 team playoff gives us some margin for error that we did not have in previous games but no doubt about it this one is a huge one.

P.S. I am excluding that SMU playoff game which was a big game, no doubt, but just considering the quality of the opponent and regular season.

Since last year?

 

[razpsu]

ESPN dubbed 11/8/97 Judgement Day as it featured two games between 4 of the five top-ranked teams. The first game was #2 Florida State v #5 North Carolina 1997, followed by #4 MI v #1 PSU. Michigan throttled the Lions 38-7. A lot of bad memories from that game, but two of the worse were:
1. The violent collision between Michigan safety Daydrion Taylor and Penn State tight end Bob Stephenson:

2. Marcus Ray, in a post game interview, "We are Michigan. They're just Penn State."

Games That Ruined a Special Season: 1997 Michigan vs. Penn State

Judgement Day turned out to be a rude awakening for the Nittany Lions.

www.blackshoediaries.com

Which is a pretty funny comment from ray considering we beat them 3 years straight at that point, 94-96.

 

[troutrus]

Hoping coach doesn’t read this. He doesn’t need any added pressure. He likely craps himself just thinking about playing against a ranked team.

 

[bdgan]

LOL! I guess I blocked that nightmare out of my mind.

PSU got the breaks and took an early 10-0 lead but couldn't hold on.

• TD pass to Wallace turned into an INT
• 7 pt game and PSU has 1st and goal from the 3 and can't score
• PSU still had 5 minutes but OSU runs it down PSU's throat on 11 straight plays

 

[bdgan]

Hard to recall a bigger game when considering how highly ranked both teams are. 2018 vs OSU was big, we were 9th and OSU was #3 I think. Then I think you need to go back to 2005 White Out vs OSU but I think we were only #16 at the time. Before that was vs Arizona to kickoff the 1999 season, we were 3 and they were 4. Although that was the first game and Arizona were pretenders, we just didn't know it until the game was played. Oregon is no joke. Before that, maybe never. The 12 team playoff gives us some margin for error that we did not have in previous games but no doubt about it this one is a huge one.

P.S. I am excluding that SMU playoff game which was a big game, no doubt, but just considering the quality of the opponent and regular season.

Biggest game since Villanova. 1-0!

Seriously this is a huge game for Franklin, Allar, and PSU recruiting. Franklin and Allar both have to get the monkey off their backs. Recruiting suffers if prospects don't think PSU can compete at the highest level.

 

[MacNit]

PSU got the breaks and took an early 10-0 lead but couldn't hold on.

• TD pass to Wallace turned into an INT
• 7 pt game and PSU has 1st and goal from the 3 and can't score
• PSU still had 5 minutes but OSU runs it down PSU's throat on 11 straight plays

All soft sequences…Franklin hallmark

 

[BUFFALO LION]

I was at that game. While it was incredible - everything from the temporary lighting, to the fans, to the game itself - it was what? 78K fans?

That was the capacity back then. If the stadium were configured like it is now (or even better yet, like last year) with 110,000 screaming idiots, it would have made 2005 Ohio State look like a Blue White Game.

2005 Ohio State was DEFINITELY epic and probably number 2, but 1982 Nebraska was literally other Worldly. You had to be there to experience it.

I remember playing football on the field after that Nebraska game with some guys I came with and some other guys I didn’t even know using a whisky filled Scope bottle as the football.