What was the "Best" Penn State game you ever saw "in person"?

[Jerademan74]

Unfortunately, I missed the 2 national championship games we won, but did get to go down to Miami to see us beat the Hurricanes on that last minute Kevin Thompson to Chaffee Fields TD pass for the win. My best game at Beaver Stadium was is hard to choose from. My best Bowl Game was maybe the FSU win at the Orange Bowl I think in 08, or our win over Oregon at the Rose Bowl in 95.The tailgating at Miami outside the Orange Bowl game was phenomenal as it was our "comeback" bowl from a few drought years.

 

[PSUriseANDfire]

My two favorites were the Michigan Snow Bowl and OSU 63-14.

Lavar Leap game because I have never heard a collective silence that turned into a coordinated "wtf just happened there?". That was something out of a comic book.

 

[fairgambit]

Unfortunately, I missed the 2 national championship games we won, but did get to go down to Miami to see us beat the Hurricanes on that last minute Kevin Thompson to Chaffee Fields TD pass for the win. My best game at Beaver Stadium was is hard to choose from. My best Bowl Game was maybe the FSU win at the Orange Bowl I think in 08, or our win over Oregon at the Rose Bowl in 95.The tailgating at Miami outside the Orange Bowl game was phenomenal as it was our "comeback" bowl from a few drought years.

The best game was our win over Nebraska in 82', but the one that was most satisfying was 48-14.

 

[psu00]

Unfortunately, I missed the 2 national championship games we won, but did get to go down to Miami to see us beat the Hurricanes on that last minute Kevin Thompson to Chaffee Fields TD pass for the win. My best game at Beaver Stadium was is hard to choose from. My best Bowl Game was maybe the FSU win at the Orange Bowl I think in 08, or our win over Oregon at the Rose Bowl in 95.The tailgating at Miami outside the Orange Bowl game was phenomenal as it was our "comeback" bowl from a few drought years.

I think from a performance level it was the beat down of Ohio State in 1994.

From a pure satisfaction level, it was the 48- 14 pitt game over Marino.

From a standpoint of grabbing victory from sure defeat it was the 1987 game against West Virginia where PSU trailed 21-10 and needed 2 TDs and a 2 point conversion in the final 8 minutes to get a dramatic come back win in a game it looked like they would lose for sure.

 

[krichards]

Nebraska 1982
Georgia 1/1/83

 

[PSUriseANDfire]

I think from a performance level it was the beat down of Ohio State in 1994. .

Even looking back at what they did to that OSU team that was pretty solid and completely loaded with NFL quality talent it is incredible. I think if that game was played against Nebraska that year Nebraska might have scored a decent amount of points and it still would have been a massacre. PSU would have been the heavy favorite to win and I do think it may have been the best offense in college football history.

 

[Will68]

ILL. '94

 

[michnittlion]

In no particular order (besides chronological order). Strange, no Beaver Stadium games here, at least for me:

1) @ Michigan State 1993 --- the perfect 1994 season truly began with this comeback in the ice in November 1993.

2) @ Michigan 1994 --- in terms of raw talent on the field and high-level of play, this was the pinnacle in terms of games I've seen.

3) @ Michigan State 2005 --- won the B1G for the first time since 1994.

4) @ Ohio State 2008 --- magic night, winning in Columbus for the first time ever in B1G play.

5) @ Wisconsin 2013 -- capper to the O'Brien era.

6) Dublin 2014 vs. UCF --- incredibly unique event, we'll never again do anything like that. Insane how we totally took over in a European Country a whole ocean away.

7) Pinstripe Bowl last year.

 

[cronk]

my top 3...

1999- PSU beats Miami with the CHafie Fields touchdown
2006 Orange Bowl - Paterno and Bowden subplot and MRob's heroics
2014-PSU vs UCF - for obvious reasons since my wife works for UCF and I am a season ticket holder for them but that whole experience will be hard to ever top

 

[PSU73]

Joe's #324 vs OhioSt. Nobody wanted to leave.

 

[PSUriseANDfire]

ILL. '94

That's a good one. That Illinois defense was amazingly good and getting spotted 21 points and PSU won. That team wasn't going to lose.

 

[LemonEars]

Penn State 15 -- Kansas 14 in the 1969 Orange Bowl

Mike Reid was spectacular. Almost won the game by himself. I remember running onto the field and acting like a fool. I was a junior at the time.

 

[Aoshiro]

Every home game in 1982.

 

[m.knox]

1) @ Michigan State 1993 --- the perfect 1994 season truly began with this comeback in the ice in November 1993.

2) @ Michigan 1994 --- in terms of raw talent on the field and high-level of play, this was the pinnacle in terms of games I've seen.

I don't have an extensive resume of live games, but was at both of these, and I agree.

For the 1993 State game, we had seats in the end zone and watched Engram haul in two TD passes right in front of us to come back from 21 down. I fully agree, this game set the stage for the 12 - 0 season.

For the 1994 UM game, we were in the UM season ticket holder section. The funs sucked, but how sweet was it to watch Engram catch the final TD over the middle? And I fully agree again. The amount of talent was incredible. We know our side, but from theirs they had Toomer and Wheatley I believe. Lots of NFL talent on the field that day.

 

[Achowalogan]

Nebraska 1982

 

[nits74]

The best game was our win over Nebraska in 82', but the one that was most satisfying was 48-14.

With you on both of those, and I'd add Ohio State 2005.

 

[HazletonLion]

My first game at PSU the one in my sig pic.

 

[TheWitchDoctor]

Unfortunately, I missed the 2 national championship games we won, but did get to go down to Miami to see us beat the Hurricanes on that last minute Kevin Thompson to Chaffee Fields TD pass for the win. My best game at Beaver Stadium was is hard to choose from. My best Bowl Game was maybe the FSU win at the Orange Bowl I think in 08, or our win over Oregon at the Rose Bowl in 95.The tailgating at Miami outside the Orange Bowl game was phenomenal as it was our "comeback" bowl from a few drought years.

THE game. Fiesta Bowl vs. The Convicts. Sat on the 20 Yd line at the end of the field where Gifto intercepted. Best game of any sport, I've ever been to.

 

[psuro]

In no particular order (besides chronological order). Strange, no Beaver Stadium games here, at least for me:

1) @ Michigan State 1993 --- the perfect 1994 season truly began with this comeback in the ice in November 1993.

2) @ Michigan 1994 --- in terms of raw talent on the field and high-level of play, this was the pinnacle in terms of games I've seen.

3) @ Michigan State 2005 --- won the B1G for the first time since 1994.

4) @ Ohio State 2008 --- magic night, winning in Columbus for the first time ever in B1G play.

5) @ Wisconsin 2013 -- capper to the O'Brien era.

6) Dublin 2014 vs. UCF --- incredibly unique event, we'll never again do anything like that. Insane how we totally took over in a European Country a whole ocean away.

7) Pinstripe Bowl last year.

I will go with thus list but replace Illinois 94 for Michigan 94. Because I was in Champsign fir that monumental victory

 

[Shpsu]

Nebraska 1982 and Fiesta Bowl 1987.

 

[Sviatoslav]

Three come to mind..
1) Ohio State 2005, Tamba Hali stands Troy Smith up on his head and caused game-ending fumble as tOSU is driving. Stadium in berserk mode.
2) Nebraska 2002 - After two miserable seasons, Talieferro skips out onto the field and then an old fashioned woodshed beating of mighty Nebraska. When Rich Gardner took that interception to the end zone it was euphoric.
3) Northwestern on the road... mid 2001... Zack Mills came into the game in the fourth quarter and threw winning TD after Senneca got injured.

 

[psengr82]

48 - 14
Nebraska 82
Georgia 83
Alabama 83
Nebraska 02
NW 10 Joe's 400 win. The game was fantastic and salute video was even better!

 

[PSU Mike]

Nebraska '82.

 

[Art]

48-14

 

[lein]

Sugar Bowl vs. Georgia, 1/1/83

 

[wplion]

1.Sugar Bowl, 1983. Our first National Championship. How does it get any better.
2. 48 - 14. Best win over what was a decent rivalry for awhile.
3. Nebraska 1982.
4. The night game versus Notre Dame with Clausen as QB and Fat Charlie as coach.

 

[nittanymoops]

I don't think anything can top the 82 Nebraska game. Two great teams slugging it out. One had to win.
Other contenders: 78 Pitt, 81 ND, 83 Bama, 85 Bama, 97 OSU, 2001 OSU, 2002 Neb, 2005 OSU, 2010 NW, 2013 UM, 2014 Rutgers/OSU.

97 OSU game was another game with two great squads going at it toe-to-toe. Was shocked that the Bucks came from behind to put us down 10, and how quiet the Beav got at that point. Then Aaron Harris and Curtis Enis took over and that was that. 2005 OSU was perhaps the closest to no. 1 for me.

Little-remembered factoid quasi-related to the day of the 1982 Nebraska game: That was the morning (Sept. 25) that George Banks decided to trim 13 members from his family tree in Wilkes-Barre. Folks from NEPA probably remember the sirens echoing through the valley that morning. The couple we would travel to games with came from WB and were somewhat late, perturbing some of the group who hated to be late for anything, much less a PSU game. Once we realized why, it was understood.

 

[john4psu]

Nebraska '82.
Ohio State '05.
Michigan 4 OTs for the extended drama.

 

[fairgambit]

With you on both of those, and I'd add Ohio State 2005.

Agree. It was the loudest home crowd I can recall. I took a good friend of mine up for that game. It was the first, and still only, Penn State game he ever saw in person. He still talks about it with awe.

 

[CentexLion]

1982 Nebraska. Best seats in the house in the endzone for Bowmans catch

2014 UCF. Great time in Ireland and great last second victory and first PSU win for Coach Franklin

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

In person? Top three. . .

1. 2005 Ahia State at home
2. 1999 @ Miami
3. Florida State 2005 Orange Bowl

Mulching ND, Nebby, or Arizona at home, 63-14, Pinstripe Bowl, they were pretty good too. We have a LOT to choose from. I'm a piker compared to a lot of other posters.

 

[Chris92]

Surprised no one has mentioned the Pigskin Classic over the Camp Cochise crew. "You know Trung Candidate only needs a crack..." Bear Down!

 

[psu00]

Surprised no one has mentioned the Pigskin Classic over the Camp Cochise crew. "You know Trung Candidate only needs a crack..." Bear Down!

That was a good game as well.

 

[slwlion]

Penn State 15 -- Kansas 14 in the 1969 Orange Bowl

Mike Reid was spectacular. Almost won the game by himself. I remember running onto the field and acting like a fool. I was a junior at the time.

Tho I was much older in 1969, I certainly agree.. Probably the most exciting PSU game I ever attended.

 

[gslachta]

For me top three I was at was 1970 Orange Bowl against Missouri (shutout against one of best offenses in country) Onkotz was awesome; backfield had Charlie Pittman (sr), Lydell Mitchell (so) & Franco Harris (so); 1983 Sugar Bowl and 1987 Fiesta Bowl in that order.

 

[harbest]

Michigan 2013. Two years later and I still can't believe we won that game.

 

[BarryPSU]

Nebraska 82, Kansas 15-14 in 69 Orange Bowl, Pitt 48-14, OSU for Joe's 324, and Michigan 2013 with the OT win was pretty exciting. All great games and there have been many more.

 

[kgilbert78]

Tough one.Emotionally, the last game my senior year vs Temple was one that won't be mentioned much but was very close to my heart (1977). 63-14 and the 2005 win over tOSU are big ones too. The win over ND that Felli mentioned in another thread (if only because of the cold). 36-0 over ND (boy was I soaked to the skin and HiWay Pizza was kind enough to let us change in the bathroom as we had a long ride back to my buddy's place in PGH. And 1989 vs Syracuse--my now wife's first PSU game. She fell in love with the Lions that day (and is a born and raised Columbus gal).

 

[CDLionFL]

My favorites:

1. Michigan 4 OT game. Held the seat cushion in my hand from the final drive of the 4th quarter all the way until Belton walked into the end zone. Couldn't put it down or else I'd kill the mojo.

2. Alabama 1983. My 2nd game. I was 7. My dad yelled at me on the drive up because I booed cars that we drove past that had Bama stickers.

3. Snow Bowl vs. Michigan. I found that game on YouTube a few months ago and had to re-watch it.

4. 1997 vs. Ohio State. Can still see Aaron Harris breaking tackles and running towards me in the South endzone with nothing but green grass and Mike McQueary leading the way.

5. 1994 vs. Ohio State. Like a tremendous machine in that first half and then being near the OSU locker room when they came off the field and everyone was taunting them.

 

[NitneLiun]

Illinois 1994. I went to the game with an Illinois fan, even though he was a West Pointer. I stayed that night at his sister's and brother-in-law's house. Both were Illinois grads and huge Illini fans. I did my best to be gracious. They were crushed.