Do you consider Penn State a blue blood in college football?

[saturdaysarebetter]

Do you consider Penn State a blue blood in college football? Many people interpret the term blue blood differently. To me, it's belonging to the original aristocracy yet others would consider it as part of the current elite ruling class.

When I see Penn State left off blue blood lists I always counter with the following:

It's been written that Penn State football has two national championships and that's used against Penn State in consideration for blue blood status. The NCAA recognizes Penn State football as having FOUR national championships: 1911, 1912, 1982 and 1986 and don't get me started about 1968 and 1994. The NCAA's own website lists Penn State as co-national champions in 1911 and 1912. The link is below.

Since Penn State won not just one but TWO two national championships in the early days of college football that's certainly noteworthy for those claiming long-time early-on blue blood status because that is:
7 years before Notre Dame won their first one in 1919
13 years before Alabama won their first one in 1925
19 years before USC won their first one in 1931
30 years before Ohio State won their first one in 1942
38 years before Oklahoma won their first one in 1950
39 years before Tennessee won their first one in 1951
51 years before Texas won their first one in 1963
58 years before Nebraska won their first one in 1970.

For those that state a football program needs to be relevant in every decade:
Penn State football had multiple 11+ win seasons during the '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s and '10s, a feat Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, Alabama, Texas, LSU, Georgia, USC, Notre Dame, Auburn, Clemson, FSU, Florida, Miami, Oklahoma, Tennessee nor Texas A&M can claim.

College football championship history

Here is a comprehensive list of every college football champion from 1869 to the present day.

www.ncaa.com

 

[Midnighter]

Do you consider Penn State a blue blood in college football? Many people interpret the term blue blood differently. To me, it's belonging to the original aristocracy yet others would consider it as part of the current elite ruling class.

When I see Penn State left off blue blood lists I always counter with the following:

It's been written that Penn State football has two national championships and that's used against Penn State in consideration for blue blood status. The NCAA recognizes Penn State football as having FOUR national championships: 1911, 1912, 1982 and 1986 and don't get me started about 1968 and 1994. The NCAA's own website lists Penn State as co-national champions in 1911 and 1912. The link is below.

Since Penn State won not just one but TWO two national championships in the early days of college football that's certainly noteworthy for those claiming long-time early-on blue blood status because that is:
7 years before Notre Dame won their first one in 1919
13 years before Alabama won their first one in 1925
19 years before USC won their first one in 1931
30 years before Ohio State won their first one in 1942
38 years before Oklahoma won their first one in 1950
39 years before Tennessee won their first one in 1951
51 years before Texas won their first one in 1963
58 years before Nebraska won their first one in 1970.

For those that state a football program needs to be relevant in every decade:
Penn State football had multiple 11+ win seasons during the '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s and '10s, a feat Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, Alabama, Texas, LSU, Georgia, USC, Notre Dame, Auburn, Clemson, FSU, Florida, Miami, Oklahoma, Tennessee nor Texas A&M can claim.

College football championship history

Here is a comprehensive list of every college football champion from 1869 to the present day.

www.ncaa.com

Yes. #8 in all time wins. Done and done.

 

[LaJollaCreek]

Do you consider Penn State a blue blood in college football? Many people interpret the term blue blood differently. To me, it's belonging to the original aristocracy yet others would consider it as part of the current elite ruling class.

When I see Penn State left off blue blood lists I always counter with the following:

It's been written that Penn State football has two national championships and that's used against Penn State in consideration for blue blood status. The NCAA recognizes Penn State football as having FOUR national championships: 1911, 1912, 1982 and 1986 and don't get me started about 1968 and 1994. The NCAA's own website lists Penn State as co-national champions in 1911 and 1912. The link is below.

Since Penn State won not just one but TWO two national championships in the early days of college football that's certainly noteworthy for those claiming long-time early-on blue blood status because that is:
7 years before Notre Dame won their first one in 1919
13 years before Alabama won their first one in 1925
19 years before USC won their first one in 1931
30 years before Ohio State won their first one in 1942
38 years before Oklahoma won their first one in 1950
39 years before Tennessee won their first one in 1951
51 years before Texas won their first one in 1963
58 years before Nebraska won their first one in 1970.

For those that state a football program needs to be relevant in every decade:
Penn State football had multiple 11+ win seasons during the '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s and '10s, a feat Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, Alabama, Texas, LSU, Georgia, USC, Notre Dame, Auburn, Clemson, FSU, Florida, Miami, Oklahoma, Tennessee nor Texas A&M can claim.

College football championship history

Here is a comprehensive list of every college football champion from 1869 to the present day.

www.ncaa.com

They are and almost every blue blood had down periods or long periods between titles. The only major problem is the game has changed recently and PSU is very slow to move forward with the ever changing environment of the game. Hell they were slow to keep up for the last 20 years so it's kind of normal now.

 

[Zenophile]

Hard yes.

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

Used to but now 8-4

 

[PSUJam]

Do you consider Penn State a blue blood in college football? Many people interpret the term blue blood differently. To me, it's belonging to the original aristocracy yet others would consider it as part of the current elite ruling class.

When I see Penn State left off blue blood lists I always counter with the following:

It's been written that Penn State football has two national championships and that's used against Penn State in consideration for blue blood status. The NCAA recognizes Penn State football as having FOUR national championships: 1911, 1912, 1982 and 1986 and don't get me started about 1968 and 1994. The NCAA's own website lists Penn State as co-national champions in 1911 and 1912. The link is below.

Since Penn State won not just one but TWO two national championships in the early days of college football that's certainly noteworthy for those claiming long-time early-on blue blood status because that is:
7 years before Notre Dame won their first one in 1919
13 years before Alabama won their first one in 1925
19 years before USC won their first one in 1931
30 years before Ohio State won their first one in 1942
38 years before Oklahoma won their first one in 1950
39 years before Tennessee won their first one in 1951
51 years before Texas won their first one in 1963
58 years before Nebraska won their first one in 1970.

For those that state a football program needs to be relevant in every decade:
Penn State football had multiple 11+ win seasons during the '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s and '10s, a feat Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, Alabama, Texas, LSU, Georgia, USC, Notre Dame, Auburn, Clemson, FSU, Florida, Miami, Oklahoma, Tennessee nor Texas A&M can claim.

College football championship history

Here is a comprehensive list of every college football champion from 1869 to the present day.

www.ncaa.com

Yes.

 

[BobPSU92]

We’re just lucky to have blood.

 

[psuro]

No.

Penn State is the next level after the blue blood royalty.

Granted the "blue bloods" are always a changing landscape, and in the mid 1980s (my time on campus) I would have considered Penn State to be blue blood. Miami most certainly would have been in that time frame.

But overall and looking at post WWII programs, I think PSU is the next level. To me, Blue Blood is roughlly the top 2% - given 133 football programs now, that means 3 teams. I think the only consistent Blue Blood programs are Alabama and Ohio State. Edit - I think maybe you can add USC on that list.

I don't even consider Georgia, Clemson or Michigan at that level, over time.

Let me get my sword and shield before you guys start attacking me.

 

[Midnighter]

No.

Penn State is the next level after the blue blood royalty.

Granted the "blue bloods" are always a changing landscape, and in the mid 1980s (my time on campus) I would have considered Penn State to be blue blood. Miami most certainly would have been in that time frame.

But overall and looking at post WWII programs, I think PSU is the next level. To me, Blue Blood is roughlly the top 2% - given 133 football programs now, that means 3 teams. I think the only consistent Blue Blood programs are Alabama and Ohio State. Edit - I think maybe you can add USC on that list.

I don't even consider Georgia, Clemson or Michigan at that level, over time.

Let me get my sword and shield before you guys start attacking me.

I’d say it’s the top ten programs overall historically (noting ‘blue blood’ is sort of a euphemism for ‘old money’). Penn State is there IMO.

 

[LionJim]

Isn’t it pretty to think so? (Last line of The Sun Also Rises. Boy, my American Lit class at PSU, wow, still a great memory.)

 

[Midnighter]

Isn’t it pretty to think so? (Last line of The Sun Also Rises. Boy, my American Lit class at PSU, wow, still a great memory.)

Favorite line from that book:

‘One’s an a** to leave Paris.’

Oh Brett….

‘

 

[Tri-Power65]

Historically, yes. Lately, no.

 

[BiochemPSU]

Overall, yes. Though I think the vast majority of that is whimsically attributed to Paterno and the long time period during which he became a top two or three winning fixture in the sport. I also think that during that time most recruits stayed local and PA produced an incredible amount of NFL talent that got bootstrapped into the legend of PA and PSU being a football mecca.

Edit: Whimsically used incorrectly in this sentence, nostalgia was what I was going for.

 

[Nitt1300]

Will it make your dick bigger to think so? Sure, why not?

 

[bbrown]

Do you consider Penn State a blue blood in college football? Many people interpret the term blue blood differently. To me, it's belonging to the original aristocracy yet others would consider it as part of the current elite ruling class.

When I see Penn State left off blue blood lists I always counter with the following:

It's been written that Penn State football has two national championships and that's used against Penn State in consideration for blue blood status. The NCAA recognizes Penn State football as having FOUR national championships: 1911, 1912, 1982 and 1986 and don't get me started about 1968 and 1994. The NCAA's own website lists Penn State as co-national champions in 1911 and 1912. The link is below.

Since Penn State won not just one but TWO two national championships in the early days of college football that's certainly noteworthy for those claiming long-time early-on blue blood status because that is:
7 years before Notre Dame won their first one in 1919
13 years before Alabama won their first one in 1925
19 years before USC won their first one in 1931
30 years before Ohio State won their first one in 1942
38 years before Oklahoma won their first one in 1950
39 years before Tennessee won their first one in 1951
51 years before Texas won their first one in 1963
58 years before Nebraska won their first one in 1970.

For those that state a football program needs to be relevant in every decade:
Penn State football had multiple 11+ win seasons during the '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s and '10s, a feat Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, Alabama, Texas, LSU, Georgia, USC, Notre Dame, Auburn, Clemson, FSU, Florida, Miami, Oklahoma, Tennessee nor Texas A&M can claim.

College football championship history

Here is a comprehensive list of every college football champion from 1869 to the present day.

www.ncaa.com

Yes.

 

[NittPicker]

We’re all PSU fans here, I think. Of course we hold our football team in high esteem. But personally I don’t give a crap about a “blue blood” label. It doesn’t mean anything for anyone other than fans of any team who want to stroke their own egos. “We’re blue bloods!!! Yeah!!! We’re awesome”. The label won’t win any games for you.

 

[BiochemPSU]

Will it make your dick bigger to think so? Sure, why not?

 

[bdgan]

Do you consider Penn State a blue blood in college football? Many people interpret the term blue blood differently. To me, it's belonging to the original aristocracy yet others would consider it as part of the current elite ruling class.

When I see Penn State left off blue blood lists I always counter with the following:

It's been written that Penn State football has two national championships and that's used against Penn State in consideration for blue blood status. The NCAA recognizes Penn State football as having FOUR national championships: 1911, 1912, 1982 and 1986 and don't get me started about 1968 and 1994. The NCAA's own website lists Penn State as co-national champions in 1911 and 1912. The link is below.

Since Penn State won not just one but TWO two national championships in the early days of college football that's certainly noteworthy for those claiming long-time early-on blue blood status because that is:
7 years before Notre Dame won their first one in 1919
13 years before Alabama won their first one in 1925
19 years before USC won their first one in 1931
30 years before Ohio State won their first one in 1942
38 years before Oklahoma won their first one in 1950
39 years before Tennessee won their first one in 1951
51 years before Texas won their first one in 1963
58 years before Nebraska won their first one in 1970.

For those that state a football program needs to be relevant in every decade:
Penn State football had multiple 11+ win seasons during the '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s and '10s, a feat Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, Alabama, Texas, LSU, Georgia, USC, Notre Dame, Auburn, Clemson, FSU, Florida, Miami, Oklahoma, Tennessee nor Texas A&M can claim.

College football championship history

Here is a comprehensive list of every college football champion from 1869 to the present day.

www.ncaa.com

Not just 1911, 1912, 1982, & 1986. We also played for National Titles vs Alabama in 1979 and vs Oklahoma in 1986. Nixon screwed PSU in 1969 in spite of winning 21 straight games. We were shut out of the NC game in 1994 because of conference bowl ties.

PSU went through an extended stretch where they were as good as anybody.

 

[MrTailgate]

Will it make your dick bigger to think so? Sure, why not?

That’s all it takes?

 

[psuro]

I’d say it’s the top ten programs overall historically (noting ‘blue blood’ is sort of a euphemism for ‘old money’). Penn State is there IMO.

Blue blood is not a euphemism for old money. it's x term used for royal European monarchies.

Hence PSU isn't there for the reasons stated.

 

[BobPSU92]

Will it make your dick bigger to think so?

Just checked. No.

 

[cac@PSU]

From 1940 to joining the Big Ten State was the Beast of the East. Now State is just one of many good national teams.

 

[Nittany1865Farmer]

PSU would be considered a 'blue blood' in the East by the number of Lambert trophies we have won. - 31 times, most of any team eligible for the trophy. But college football programs are only regarded that you are only as good as your last played game. Be interesting to see if Alabama can continue its winning ways without Nick Saban, or will they also slide to 9-3 or 8-4 records in their future.

 

[bdgan]

Just checked. No.

Try harder

 

[psuro]

Just checked. No.

look again

 

[Nitt1300]

As with the equally meaningless "elite" it all depends on how you define it - for example, Blue Bloods must play in 100K seat stadiums in states that border Ohio, NY, and NJ. Boom- now PSU is a Blueblood, or elite, or whatever.

feel better?

 

[marshall23]

All should agree that it has been about 30 years since PSU has been a serious contender for a National Championship.
If you wish to sum up the past 30 years, PSU has been a top 10-15 program.
Depends what your definition of "blue blood" is. Top 5 NO. Top 10 perhaps. Top 15 yes!

 

[MrTailgate]

It’s hard to say anyone is. If it is brand based, you could make the argument that they are. If it’s success based, who really is other than Bama and Ohio State. I view PSU in the same class as Oklahoma, USC, Texas, Michigan, etc. Even though success has not been always present, hard to exclude Notre Dame. Is Georgia a blue blood? They are currently very successful but I don’t look at them as being one of the historically great programs.

 

[psuro]

All should agree that it has been about 30 years since PSU has been a serious contender for a National Championship.
If you wish to sum up the past 30 years, PSU has been a top 10-15 program.
Depends what your definition of "blue blood" is. Top 5 NO. Top 10 perhaps. Top 15 yes!

By almost any measure, (except stadium size), I beleive PSU is a 5-12 program, over the course of time.

 

[BobPSU92]

It’s hard to say anyone is. If it is brand based, you could make the argument that they are. If it’s success based, who really is other than Bama and Ohio State. I view PSU in the same class as Oklahoma, USC, Texas, Michigan, etc. Even though success has not been always present, hard to exclude Notre Dame. Is Georgia a blue blood? They are currently very successful but I don’t look at them as being one of the historically great programs.

By any metric, we suck. That I’m sure of.

 

[LB99]

All should agree that it has been about 30 years since PSU has been a serious contender for a National Championship.
If you wish to sum up the past 30 years, PSU has been a top 10-15 program.
Depends what your definition of "blue blood" is. Top 5 NO. Top 10 perhaps. Top 15 yes!

Many won’t admit this and it skews their perspective.

 

[kgilbert78]

PSU would be considered a 'blue blood' in the East by the number of Lambert trophies we have won. - 31 times, most of any team eligible for the trophy. But college football programs are only regarded that you are only as good as your last played game. Be interesting to see if Alabama can continue its winning ways without Nick Saban, or will they also slide to 9-3 or 8-4 records in their future.

The Lambert has been meaningless for the last 25 years--at least.

 

[Burgenthal1]

Blue Blood doesnt extend beyond top 5 or so programs. WE ARE barely on the outside looking in at that point. We are similar to Indiana basketball IMO but not Duke, Kentucky, UNC, UCONN, Kansas tier.

 

[bbrown]

The Lambert has been meaningless for the last 25 years--at least.

At least. Maybe even longer, definitely after PSU joined the Big 10.

 

[HarrisburgDave]

It is interesting to observe that the people denying Penn State is a blue blood tend to be the same people who are the first to defend our esteemed football coach from critics.

 

[HarrisburgDave]

If you ask 100 college football fans to name the “blue bloods” in the sport I am sure the majority would include Penn State. I’ll offer USC, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Nebraska, Miami, Florida State, Notre Dame, LSU, Tennessee, Clemson, tOSU, and Michigan.

Knocking on the door I would have Florida, Oregon, and Washington.

A list of royalty who have lost their way and sold their Crown Jewels include Harvard, Yale, Minnesota, Pitt, GA Tech, Syracuse, and Army.

A list of wannabes include Texas A&M, North Carolina, Auburn, Old Miss, and UCLA.

 

[Midnighter]

ESPN had an article in 2016 for this exact conversation (linked below); it was written before we won the B1G in 2016 (Franklin's best year at PSU IMO). They have these eight schools as 'blue bloods' then rank the remaining 17:

1. Alabama
1. Notre Dame
1. Ohio State
1. Oklahoma
1. USC
6. Michigan
7. Texas
8. Nebraska
_______

9. LSU
10. Penn State
11. Florida
11. Georgia
13. Florida State
14. Miami
15. Tennessee
16. Auburn
17. Clemson
18. Michigan State
18. UCLA
20. Texas A&M
21. Oregon
21. Stanford
23. Washington
24. Wisconsin
25. Arkansas

First out: Pitt

Who are college football's blue-blood programs?

It's a fun-but-complicated question: Who are college football's blue-blood programs? Our writers ranked all 128 and pinpointed the eight schools the sport wouldn't be the same without.

www.espn.com

Notre Dame is probably too high; they haven't won a title since 1988. What gives them a lot of juice are Heisman winners and overall wins. We have the latter but not the former. LSU should be above Nebraska; Georgia almost certainly in the top eight now too. Honestly, I'd drop Notre Dame and Nebraska and move Georgia and LSU above them. Clemson's two recent titles put them in the top ten too IMO. I guess we are what they think we are.

 

[bbrown]

ESPN had an article in 2016 for this exact conversation (linked below); it was written before we won the B1G in 2016 (Franklin's best year at PSU IMO). They have these eight schools as 'blue bloods' then rank the remaining 17:

1. Alabama
1. Notre Dame
1. Ohio State
1. Oklahoma
1. USC
6. Michigan
7. Texas
8. Nebraska
_______

9. LSU
10. Penn State
11. Florida
11. Georgia
13. Florida State
14. Miami
15. Tennessee
16. Auburn
17. Clemson
18. Michigan State
18. UCLA
20. Texas A&M
21. Oregon
21. Stanford
23. Washington
24. Wisconsin
25. Arkansas

First out: Pitt

Who are college football's blue-blood programs?

It's a fun-but-complicated question: Who are college football's blue-blood programs? Our writers ranked all 128 and pinpointed the eight schools the sport wouldn't be the same without.

www.espn.com

Notre Dame is probably too high; they haven't won a title since 1988. What gives them a lot of juice are Heisman winners and overall wins. We have the latter but not the former. LSU should be above Nebraska; Georgia almost certainly in the top eight now too. Honestly, I'd drop Notre Dame and Nebraska and move Georgia and LSU above them. Clemson's two recent titles put them in the top ten too IMO. I guess we are what they think we are.

I would rank us above Nebraska and LSU.
But yea that list isn't bad.

 

[bbrown]

ESPN had an article in 2016 for this exact conversation (linked below); it was written before we won the B1G in 2016 (Franklin's best year at PSU IMO). They have these eight schools as 'blue bloods' then rank the remaining 17:

1. Alabama
1. Notre Dame
1. Ohio State
1. Oklahoma
1. USC
6. Michigan
7. Texas
8. Nebraska
_______

9. LSU
10. Penn State
11. Florida
11. Georgia
13. Florida State
14. Miami
15. Tennessee
16. Auburn
17. Clemson
18. Michigan State
18. UCLA
20. Texas A&M
21. Oregon
21. Stanford
23. Washington
24. Wisconsin
25. Arkansas

First out: Pitt

Who are college football's blue-blood programs?

It's a fun-but-complicated question: Who are college football's blue-blood programs? Our writers ranked all 128 and pinpointed the eight schools the sport wouldn't be the same without.

www.espn.com

Notre Dame is probably too high; they haven't won a title since 1988. What gives them a lot of juice are Heisman winners and overall wins. We have the latter but not the former. LSU should be above Nebraska; Georgia almost certainly in the top eight now too. Honestly, I'd drop Notre Dame and Nebraska and move Georgia and LSU above them. Clemson's two recent titles put them in the top ten too IMO. I guess we are what they think we are.

JMO but a lot of that is going to depend on who you ask. If its the "younger" crowd I think that list changes but for most of us "boomers" its about right.

 

[Midnighter]

I would rank us above Nebraska and LSU.
But yea that list isn't bad.

Penn State has been consistently consistent with the exception of 2000 - 2004 (major outliers). LSU and Nebraska both have more recent National Championships and more Heisman winners. LSU actually has three NCs by three different HCs in fewer than 20 years (2003 - Saban, 2007 - Miles, 2019 - Orgeron <- if he's not proof LSU is the best job in the country, I don't know what is). I think LSU is close; Nebraska has had 10 losing seasons since 2000, including five in a row. They're out.