ADVERTISEMENT

was thinking about best wins and worst losses

B

blion72

Well-Known Member
Jan 1, 2010
8,941
2,095
1
wife and i were talking at breakfast today re the best W and worst Ls over the years. we broke them into two buckets - Joe era and the post Joe era with Bill O and JF.

Joe era
Best W's - Ga and Miami in MNC games. Illinois comeback '94
Worst L's - 1971 Tennessee game (very fluky) maybe Univ of Toledo

Bill O and JF
Best W's - 2012 Wisky (helped return program) 2016 tOSU and Washington bowl game
Worst L's - several to the lower teams Ohio U, Temple and tOSU comebacks
 
  • Like
Reactions: hohmadw, Obliviax and Nitt1300
blion72 said:
wife and i were talking at breakfast today re the best W and worst Ls over the years. we broke them into two buckets - Joe era and the post Joe era with Bill O and JF.

Joe era
Best W's - Ga and Miami in MNC games. Illinois comeback '94
Worst L's - 1971 Tennessee game (very fluky) maybe Univ of Toledo

Bill O and JF
Best W's - 2012 Wisky (helped return program) 2016 tOSU and Washington bowl game
Worst L's - several to the lower teams Ohio U, Temple and tOSU comebacks
Click to expand...

Toledo was a pretty good team the season we lost to them. But yes, coaching was horrible.
The absolute worst loss I have ever seen was against Houston in the bowl game.
I have never been quite as angry as at that game.

LdN
 
  • Like
Reactions: hlstone and anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
Best win: At South Bend in 1990 after being bushwhacked and down 21-0.

Worst loss: Nothing can soothe the 6-4 debacle AT HOME in 2004 to Iowa. I wasn't around for December 7, 1941 but that day will always live in infamy to me. Close behind are the 1999 Minnesota loss and I believe the 2000 OT loss to Iowa on the Casey interception in the end zone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nitwit and Woodpecker
blion72 said:
wife and i were talking at breakfast today re the best W and worst Ls over the years. we broke them into two buckets - Joe era and the post Joe era with Bill O and JF.

Joe era
Best W's - Ga and Miami in MNC games. Illinois comeback '94
Worst L's - 1971 Tennessee game (very fluky) maybe Univ of Toledo

Bill O and JF
Best W's - 2012 Wisky (helped return program) 2016 tOSU and Washington bowl game
Worst L's - several to the lower teams Ohio U, Temple and tOSU comebacks
Click to expand...
I agree with Nitt1300 on Alabama but I'd also add 1999 Minnesota as the two worst losses I can remember. UVa for BOB and MSU for CJF.

I'd have to say the best win, for me, was PSU's four overtime win over UM. UM was undefeated and PSU was barely 500 against bad teams; just lost to Indiana. I would also toss in the Northwestern comeback win in 2012 when PSU was really realing in the first sanction year. NW was ranked and PSU was down; by 9 IIRC, in the third quarter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BVSt.Paul, anon_xdc8rmuek44eq and bison13
Regarding the Houston loss, I can't remember what it was, but I think there were some surrounding circumstances that could help explain that one.
 
For me, and if we had an archive of the board posts from that night it would back me up, the worst loss of the OB era was the 44-24 loss to Indiana with an extra week to prepare. The team seemed woefully unprepared against one of the worst defenses in college football.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: SaquonCappelletti, hohmadw and Madsol
harbest said:
Best win: At South Bend in 1990 after being bushwhacked and down 21-0.

Worst loss: Nothing can soothe the 6-4 debacle AT HOME in 2004 to Iowa. I wasn't around for December 7, 1941 but that day will always live in infamy to me.
Click to expand...
funny. I was at that game. What people forget is that Iowa took a safety to reduce their lead to under 3 in the fourth quarter; a little over 2:00 to play. So Iowa would rather kick from the 20 knowing a PSU field goal would win the game rather than punt from their own endzone knowing PSU would have to score a TD to win. The fieldgoal kicker that they had so little respect for? Robby Gould.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hohmadw, Bob78, bison13 and 1 other person
Obliviax said:
I agree with Nitt1300 on Alabama but I'd also add 1999 Minnesota as the two worst losses I can remember. UVa for BOB and MSU for CJF.

I'd have to say the best win, for me, was PSU's four overtime win over UM. UM was undefeated and PSU was barely 500 against bad teams; just lost to Indiana. I would also toss in the Northwestern comeback win in 2012 when PSU was really realing in the first sanction year. NW was ranked and PSU was down; by 9 IIRC, in the third quarter.
Click to expand...
I forgot 1999 Minnesota- that was a horrible loss, seemed like that team just quit after that
 
  • Like
Reactions: med2659
Kentucky, my senior year (1977 season), was a bad loss.

Was it Texas we lost to on the last play with a blocked FG, when it looked like we'd gotten into the endzone the previous play?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Carl Spackler and hohmadw
kgilbert78 said:
Kentucky, my senior year (1977 season), was a bad loss.

Was it Texas we lost to on the last play with a blocked FG, when it looked like we'd gotten into the endzone the previous play?
Click to expand...
The bowl game against KY the year before last was a bad one for CJF. The team simply didn't look like they wanted to be there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PSUFBFAN
Obliviax said:
funny. I was at that game. What people forget is that Iowa took a safety to reduce their lead to under 3 in the fourth quarter; a little over 2:00 to play. So Iowa would rather kick from the 20 knowing a PSU field goal would win the game rather than punt from their own endzone knowing PSU would have to score a TD to win. The fieldgoal kicker that they had so little respect for? Robby Gould.
Click to expand...

I was also at that game. I will never forget.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Obliviax
The 2009 Iowa game was very bad, too. Same with 2008. 2009 was a quality Penn State team that just laid an egg at home. If 6-4 was the quintessential JoePa-Ferentz game, 2009 is second.
 
harbest said:
I was also at that game. I will never forget.
Click to expand...
I was with my brother and two sons as we try to take in a fall and the spring game every year. that was out trip. During the five hour trip home, we were tired, as one always is after and active game. Things would get quiet and we'd be left to our thoughts...then someone would slowly and wryly say "six to four".
 
I always felt the 99 team was good, but not great. I get losing to Minnesota at home, but Minny was no pushover and played 2 tough ranked opponents prior to us.
 
Obliviax said:
funny. I was at that game. What people forget is that Iowa took a safety to reduce their lead to under 3 in the fourth quarter; a little over 2:00 to play. So Iowa would rather kick from the 20 knowing a PSU field goal would win the game rather than punt from their own endzone knowing PSU would have to score a TD to win. The fieldgoal kicker that they had so little respect for? Robby Gould.
Click to expand...

Oh I'll never forget that - the complete lack of respect they had of our offense to pull that stunt is what causes me to never forget that game.

As far as worst Franklin loss it's a tie for me between the Temple loss due to its historic nature as it was the first loss against them since 1941 - and the loss to USC in the Rose Bowl, one freaking 1st down and we take that game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nits74 and Obliviax
2016 OT win against Minny for Franklin. That turned that season around and led to a Big championship.
 
mn78psu83 said:
For me, and if we had an archive of the board posts from that night it would back me up, the worst loss of the OB error was the 44-24 loss to Indiana with a week to prepare. The team seemed woefully unprepared against one of the worst defenses in college football.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure Indiana had one of the worst run defenses in all of CFB that year. Yet we decided to throw the ball 53 times with our true freshman QB. I believe that was a case of OB wanting to show what a great QB coach he was and how we could win on the back of the QB that he developed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hlstone, hohmadw and mn78psu83
PSUMATT85 said:
Alabama, and Blair Thomas did get in
Click to expand...
I recall an interview with Blair several years ago where he said he lost sense for where he was on the field. Said if he would have known where he was, he would have scored.
 
kgilbert78 said:
Kentucky, my senior year (1977 season), was a bad loss.

Was it Texas we lost to on the last play with a blocked FG, when it looked like we'd gotten into the endzone the previous play?
Click to expand...


The Kentucky loss was disappointing but that Kentucky team (IIRC) went 10-1.

The Texas game you are referring to was not Texas but Alabama. A late drive had Blair Thomas destroying ‘Bama but with a total lack of clock urgency PSU ended up inside the ‘Bama one yard line after a final run that almost (but did not) get the TD. Joe chose a FG from the far right hash, one lucky hand by ‘Bama blocked the attempt. Another run by Thomas or a fake FG would have easily won the game. This was a brutally disappointing game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bob78
That 35-29 win over Indiana in 1994 felt like a loss.

Three games in November 1999, with a 4th quarter lead in each game, and with the #1 and #2 picks in the NFL draft on the Penn State defense, getting rallied on for three straight games. Ugh.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hohmadw
Connorpozlee said:
Miami game in ‘90 was pretty disappointing.
Click to expand...

'91, I think. In Miami, Tony Sacca too exhausted from the heat and humidity and the physical nature of the game to run for the first down late in the game that may have given us the chance to pull it out.
'92 vs. Miami at home.... Jon Sacca throws a floating, crippled duck while being sacked, giving up a pick 6 that lead to a bad loss and turned that very promising season into one big 'meh', beginning the next week vs. BC at home.
Both bad losses. '91 team (11-2) was a really good one despite that loss.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: mikeinpenna, psuaxe70, hohmadw and 1 other person
A bad loss that always sticks with me.. 1997 MSU. They had two backs with over 200 yards EACH. It was disgusting to watch. 14-49 was your final.
 
  • Like
Reactions: med2659
Bob78 said:
'91, I think. In Miami, Tony Sacca too exhausted from the heat and humidity and the physical nature of the game to run for the first down late in the game that may have given us the chance to pull it out.
'92 vs. Miami at home.... Jon Sacca bro throws a floating, crippled duck while being sacked, giving up a pick 6 that lead to a bad loss and turned that very promising season into one big 'meh', beginning the next week vs. BC at home.
Both bad losses. '91 team (11-2) was a really good one despite that loss.
Click to expand...
‘92 is what I meant. I saw that damn screen pass coming the whole way, as did Darren Krein.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hohmadw and Bob78
You must log in or register to reply here.
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT
Top Bottom
Back