What are your 3 favorite Penn State teams of all time?

[ChiTownLion]

In no particular order, mine are...

2016
2005
1994

...so far.

Edit: Assume that the 2012 team will live in the hearts and minds of Penn Staters worldwide until the end of time. These are our unforgettable 2012 Penn State Nittany Lions: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...13/depth_chart_non_event/depthchart_aug27.pdf

 

[michnittlion]

1994, 2005, & a bit off the board - 2013.

The winning record from the 2013 team was just as important as 2012's winning record in terms of keeping the momentum going during the worst of the sanctions. Never forget the team doing the "Jump Around" at the end of the 3rd Quarter of the Wisconsin team. The Wisconsin win was the biggest win PSU had during the 2012-2015 era. 2013 wasn't the greatest team, but they liked each other and Bill O'Brien did a good job for a 2nd consecutive season.

The first 2 are self-explanatory picks, want to give a little credit to a team that's a bit u der-appreciated.

 

[Crimson811]

1. 2016 - The 2nd half comebacks had me on the edge of my seat. This team was incredibly fun to watch.

2. 2008 - My last year in college so I went to every home game. Throw in the fact that this team was actually pretty damn good and finished it off with a B10 championship makes this my #2.

3. 2012 - Self-explanatory. This team had so much heart. Who knows where we'd be without them.

 

[OldTiredLion]

I'd need WAY more than just 3 choices.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

1968 / 1969 / 1973

 

[Zenophile]

In no particular order, mine are...

2016
2005
1994

...so far.

Great list. '08 & '02 were fun also.

 

[LionJim]

1981, 2005, 2016.

 

[BOSCO2]

So many, but gotta be sure 1977 is in there. That was the '78 team plus Cefalo and Shuler. One bad game in the rain cost them a major bowl and allowed ND to sneak into the championship game where they beat an overrated Texas team. The Fiesta was't considered a major bowl at the time. I'll add the '94 and '05 teams to my list.

 

[Nitwit]

1986 - win over Miami was legendary
1994 - Rose Bowl win and 1st Big10 Championship
2012 - Mauti and the other leaders stepped up to hold the program together

Honorable mention- 68 undefeated team and 82 NCAA championship

 

[PghNittanyLion]

1994 - Simply the best PSU team I can remember ever watching
2005 - So satisfying watching this team rise from the grave and finish the year #3 and one second away from playing for a national title perhaps. M-Rob was simply awesome that year.
2012 - All the obvious reasons.

 

[PSUcup1]

2016
1994
2012/1986

Can't do just 3

 

[MtNittany]

1982
1986
2017 *

* Championship not yet awarded

 

[BrianS]

Personally, I can't believe the 1986 team isn't the all-time top team to most Penn State fans! They beat the "unbeatable" Miami Hurricanes for the damn National Championship! Yes, those cocky, unbearable assholes led by cheater Jimmy "hair" Johnson! Anyway, my top 3 teams are:

1. 1986
2. 1994
3. 1982

Honorable mention teams:
1969 - 1978 - 2005 - 1973 - 2016

 

[Uh Clem]

68, 69 and 73... my undergrad years.

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

86
94
82

 

[john4psu]

1982
1969
1986

 

[Dave-97]

Akron
Akron
Akron
Akron
Akron
Akron
Akron

 

[indynittany]

'73 (my freshman year)
'86
'94

 

[PSU_is_Alumni_Students_NotBOT]

1986 - beat #1 undefeated Miami in bowl
1982 - beat #1 undefeated Georgia in bowl
1994 - first B1G team in 25 years to go undefeated, untied and win the Rose Bowl; and, only B1G team in history to accomplish the feat and not be voted MNC.

 

[LaJolla Lion]

In no particular order, mine are...

2016
2005
1994

...so far.

Edit: Assume that the 2012 team will live in the hearts and minds of Penn Staters worldwide until the end of time. http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...13/depth_chart_non_event/depthchart_aug27.pdf

86 as the Miami game was insane. Game that hooked me as PSU fan as a kid.
94 team
2012 team as they went through hell and back and were a bunch of tough fighters.


While last year was fun, it doesn't happen if everyone in 2012 jumps ship IMO. Best 7 win team ever and I'll never forget Mauti and Zordich basically flipping everyone the bird at their little makeshift PC in gym clothes.

 

[CF LION]

I'm class of '83 so the '82 national championship team will always be no. 1.

As much fun as the 86 season was as a young alum, I'd have to put the '94 team no. 2. They were the one PSU team that I thought could not be beaten by anyone.

I'll go with '78 as my no. 3. I was a senior in high school, knew I was headed to Penn State so I was really into all things blue and white. Fusina, Clark, Millen, Dorney, Mehl, Donovan, Kubin, Pankey, Harris...lots of talent on that team.

So,

82
94
78

 

[psuro]

1982, 1986, 1994

 

[AWS1022]

86
94
16

 

[PSU Soupy]

1) 1986........Win versus Miami......We beat a team that had: 12 total (1st Team All Americans, 2nd Team All Americans, Honorable Mention All Americans). With Vinny Testeverde at QB, Alonzo Highsmith at RB, Michael Irvin at WR, Bennie Blades at DB, Brian Blades at WR, Jerome Brown at DT, Winston Moss at LB, George Mira at LB, Daniel Stubbs at DE, etc.................... Basically a State of Florida all star team as Miami was loaded from top to bottom.
2) 1994 ......... Wins over Illinois (take a look at the Illinois defensive roster that year....very good), Wins over Michigan, Wins over Oregon, Wins over USC, Crushing tOSU, what a year, what an offense and a good defense, not great but better than they were given credit for......do not think that a one dimensional Nebraska would have beat PSU in a championship game that year.
3) 2016 ...... So much fun wins over tOSU, Wisconsin, MSU and a rebirth for PSU on the national stage. Was at the Wisconsin game at it was as enjoyable of a game to watch as about any PSU game and I saw all home games in 1982- 1986 some not all the way through as Mt. Nittany tail gates where quite enjoyable back in the day.

Honorable mention: 1982, 2005.

 

[phillybillyreprise]

All of them!

 

[Bob78]

86 as the Miami game was insane. Game that hooked me as PSU fan as a kid.
94 team
2012 team as they went through hell and back and were a bunch of tough fighters.


While last year was fun, it doesn't happen if everyone in 2012 jumps ship IMO. Best 7 win team ever and I'll never forget Mauti and Zordich basically flipping everyone the bird at their little makeshift PC in gym clothes.

8 wins in 2012. Best 8-win team ever for PSU, and thatclose to 10 wins. Amazing.

 

[wbcincy]

In no particular order, mine are...

2016
2005
1994

...so far.

Edit: Assume that the 2012 team will live in the hearts and minds of Penn Staters worldwide until the end of time. These are our unforgettable 2012 Penn State Nittany Lions: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...13/depth_chart_non_event/depthchart_aug27.pdf

You hit mine exactly. I wasn't old enough to remember the title teams. 1994, 2005 and 2016 win mine by a landslide. Tough part will be deciding whether to replace 2005 or 2016 with 2017.

 

[Bob78]

So many, but gotta be sure 1977 is in there. That was the '78 team plus Cefalo and Shuler. One bad game in the rain cost them a major bowl and allowed ND to sneak into the championship game where they beat an overrated Texas team. The Fiesta was't considered a major bowl at the time. I'll add the '94 and '05 teams to my list.

I have made the argument that the '77 team was probably a shade better than the '78 team,even as great as the '78 team was.
Another key piece on the D side in '77 who graduated and was missing from the '78 team was Randy Sidler. Even though greatly undersized at what was then called 'nose guard' on the DL, Sidler was just too quick for most centers or guards to handle consistently. Petruccio in '78 was very good, but Sidler was an All-American. Sidler vs.Tom Brzoza of Pitt was a great match-up, as both were very quick and tough.
'77 Kentucky (with Art Still and Derrick Ramsey) game at home - rain in the first half and we were up 20-14. Clear skies in the 2nd, and we lost 24-20. Aaarrgghhh!
PSU beat a very good Arizona State team in the Fiesta pretty handily, 42-30... and never in doubt, as Fran Fisher might say. ASU featured the great John Jefferson at WR, and the great Frank Kush was their HC.

 

[Sharkies]

2005 will always have a special place in my heart.
2008 was memorable, but the thrashing in the bowl left a bad taste..
2012 for obvious reasons..
2016 sure..

But I'll tell ya the most fun I've had at a game -- Penn State vs UCF in the Croke Park Classic...

 

[PSUMATT85]

68, 69 and 73... my undergrad years.

6 years of college down the drain?

 

[lionroar88]

in no particular order

1982, 1986, 1994, 2005, 2012, 2016

I know it is 6, but those to me are the teams that defined PSU Football during my lifetime (the part that I remember following PSU FB, being born in 1971 I don't remember 68, 69, or 73).

 

[Nitt1300]

I say if you've been around longer, you get more picks

1968
1969
1982
1986
1994
2016

 

[indynittany]

I say if you've been around longer, you get more picks

1968
1969
1982
1986
1994
2016

How can you go to six and then leave out our undefeated '73 team featuring our only Heisman winner?

 

[fairgambit]

1968
1969
1994

 

[psu1969a]

1967, 68, 69 I know this in itself is 3 years but what a run which setup all the future great years.

1986
2012

 

[wentzel25]

Nothing beat watching 94 as a 12-year-old. First year really getting into watching sports, and it was a great one.

 

[LionJim]

Nothing beat watching 94 as a 12-year-old. First year really getting into watching sports, and it was a great one.

The first PSU game I ever watched was the Kansas Orange Bowl game. Hooked me for life. I ended up attending PSU but even if I hadn't I would still be a regular on this board.

 

[Nitt1300]

How can you go to six and then leave out our undefeated '73 team featuring our only Heisman winner?

I never saw that team, Uncle Sam had me out of touch for a few seasons.

 

[Monty2007]

I was just thinking of this the other day that the '77 and '81 teams sort of get forgotten. With the current playoff system, they would have been tough to beat in that format.

 

[LionJim]

I was just thinking of this the other day that the '77 and '81 teams sort of get forgotten. With the current playoff system, they would have been tough to beat in that format.

You will please notice that I had the 1981 team on my list. They were a great team.