Who was the best opposing player/team you remember watching play vs Penn State

[PennStateNate]

Easy: Jim Brown, Syracuse!

Could go for quite a while naming players from Army, Navy, Maryland, NC State, Miami, Alabama, USC, UCLA, Michigan, Ohio State, etc.

I remember a Paterno interview that was done on one of the sports shows where there was a feature on Brown. Paterno said he remember going to Syracuse for a game and was in awe watching Brown run, he looked like he was just running with nobody else on the field.

I have never seen Brown play, but my Dad and Uncle did and both raved about him.

Quick story, I was told about a Browns game in Pittsburgh, where Cleveland had a 3rd and 42 and gave it to Brown and he got the first down.

 

[mn78psu83]

I remember a Paterno interview that was done on one of the sports shows where there was a feature on Brown. Paterno said he remember going to Syracuse for a game and was in awe watching Brown run, he looked like he was just running with nobody else on the field.

I have never seen Brown play, but my Dad and Uncle did and both raved about him.

Quick story, I was told about a Browns game in Pittsburgh, where Cleveland had a 3rd and 42 and gave it to Brown and he got the first down.

I have a friend who played against him and Syracuse in both football and lacrosse. For him he was hands down the greatest athlete he ever had the honor of competing with or against. Brown competed in track and lacrosse on the same day.
Amazing athlete:

LINK: Jim Brown at Syracuse

He earned 10 varsity letters at Syracuse in four different sports (basketball, football, lacrosse, and track).

He once competed in two sports the same day. On a warm May day in 1957 he wore his track suit, won the high jump and javelin, placed second in the discus, and helped Syracuse beat Colgate in a dual meet. Then he put on his lacrosse uniform and led the way to an 8-6 win over Army securing the undefeated season.

 

[Ten Thousan Marbles]

Flutie and his receivers. 1982. Both categories. Nuff said.

 

[21Guns]

Please clarify: The "best" player to play against us? or the player who played the "best" AGAINST us....?

 

[manatree]

Jim Brown was the ultimate physical freak of his time. Not only was he one of the fastest players in the league, he was as big as a lot of the linemen of the era.

 

[FHSPSU67]

I remember Paterno talking about how hard Art Monk was to defend.

 

[CDLionFL]

Ha. I remember a game at home against Rutgers. Somebody can help me, it was a long time ago. Early '90's. I want to say it was a night game back when they were very rare. In fact (too lazy to look it up), for some reason I want to say it was a Thursday night TV special - maybe the only Thursday nighter we ever played.

Anyway - the player was TE Marco Battaglia. Dude wore us out. We hammered Rutgers right on schedule, but he was a great player and had a terrific game. Battaglia lasted for a while in the NFL although he never tore it up. But he was a great college player - first-team All American IIRC.

Penn State's never played a Thursday night home game. You're probably thinking of the 1995 game in the Meadowlands when PSU won 59-34 which was better known for the late McQueary TD pass that caused Doug Graber to exchange some choice words with Paterno in the handshake afterwards.

 

[CDLionFL]

I vividly recall Tim Dwight. One of the fastest players I ever saw. He drove us nuts on special teams.

That 1996 Iowa game is right at the top of my 'worst games attended' list. Rainy, dreary, and yet they had that game in good shape until Dwight took that punt return to the house and then Wally couldn't lead them back for any sort of go-ahead score chance. That began Iowa's mastery at Beaver Stadium under Ferentz.

 

[ericstratton-rushchairman]

So many great Rutgers teams. So many great Rutgers players. I just cannot pick one of either.

I love it..

Major Harris was the first to come to my mind

 

[bison13]

That 1996 Iowa game is right at the top of my 'worst games attended' list. Rainy, dreary, and yet they had that game in good shape until Dwight took that punt return to the house and then Wally couldn't lead them back for any sort of go-ahead score chance. That began Iowa's mastery at Beaver Stadium under Ferentz.

I was there, soaked but Tim Dwight was amazing. Man some clutch 3rd down catches too. Erasmus James had 4 sacks against us a couple times I believe as mentioned before and randle El. I also recall Mark Sanchez and Damien Williams carving us up in the Rose bowl.

Best team is easily 2001 Canes. Their 2nd team beats us by 40+

 

[Tri-Power65]

2001 Miami is head and shoulders x 3 above any other team that could be mentioned. That was men vs. infants out there that night.
.

The acrid stench of Matt Senneca still lingers in the air.

 

[PSU Mike]

Flutie and his receivers. 1982. Both categories. Nuff said.

Was that like 52-17?

 

[wplion]

Probably not the best performance, but Mathias Kiwanuka was unstoppable in Beaver Stadium in 2003 or 2004. Very painful to me as BC had mediocre talent and beat us at home. My wife is a BC grad and I had to eat humble pie for a long time.

 

[DandyDonII]

Unfortunately I was present at the Kickoff Classic Game vs. Nebraska. talk about a somber crowd on the way back to Lock Haven...

 

[21Guns]

Ted Brown, North Carolina State.

A good running back that morphed into JIM Brown, every time he played us.

 

[KC-KS-Lion]

Jarvis Redwine, Nebraska, 1980.

 

[acksallstars]

Randy White Defense
Doug Flutie or Randle El Offense

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

Penn State's never played a Thursday night home game. You're probably thinking of the 1995 game in the Meadowlands when PSU won 59-34 which was better known for the late McQueary TD pass that caused Doug Graber to exchange some choice words with Paterno in the handshake afterwards.

You made me look it up. Thanks for setting me straight on never a home Thursday night, for some reason I had it in my head. Battaglia was still there in '95 but the game was up there, so would have had to be '93 or '94 when we had them at home and killed them both years.

Graber was a joke. Another in a long line of ham and eggers they've had.

 

[marshall23]

Floyd Little Syracuse

 

[Thus Spake Mainer]

Sal Sunseri and Dan Marino .......... when Pitt was actually good........ if anyone can remember that far back.

 

[pap17754]

That QB from NAVY, who went on to fame as the QB for the Dallas Cowboys, some young due named Roger.
Penn State paid the Naval Academy back when the wrestling team beat them just as badly.

 

[PennStateNate]

Sal Sunseri and Dan Marino .......... when Pitt was actually good........ if anyone can remember that far back.

I never remember Marino ever playing well against us.

Staubach too.

 

[jiml25]

For me it's easy, it was 68 or 69, I was on the field and Ted Hendricks of Miami was unblockable. Ty Cline was on the other side and he was no slouch. We won anyway as Reid and Ham were also dominant that day

 

[BoilerBulldog]

Purdue has a football message board?

Barely

 

[gr82baspartan]

Michigan State & Bubba Smith

Amtrak and hitchhike to the game.,
Hitchhike back to E L.
Bubba ,,, first team all Century,,, along with Webster,,, per SI.
Bubba also a beast on the Bball court in our I M bldg.

,,,,,,,cheers

 

[Bushwood CC]

Player was Dallas Clark of Iowa

Team was 2001 Miami, they just manhandled us.

McPherson @ SorryExcuse light us up good his Sr year. SorryExcuse ended up in a Major Bowl (Sugar if I remember correctly) game ended in a tie and SorryExcuse ended near top of polls that year (i think 3 or 5). Ditto Major Harris at WVU - pretty sure they went undefeated and played for MNC in bowl but lost. One of NDs tailback light us up for 250 yards or something - again ND was a top team that year.

 

[BoChops]

Hugh Green. My memories from those times are fading but seeing Hugh Green play and dominate in Beaver Stadium sticks out. Pitt may not have had many good teams in the modern era but they have had some superstar players.

 

[LemonEars]

Sal Sunseri and Dan Marino .......... when Pitt was actually good........ if anyone can remember that far back.

The thing I most remember about Sunseri is how Munchak dominated him in the 48-14 game. Sunseri didn't want to be there after about 10 minutes of getting pounded.

 

[mn78psu83]

The thing I most remember about Sunseri is how Munchak dominated him in the 48-14 game. Sunseri didn't want to be there after about 10 minutes of getting pounded.

Munchak knocked the bluster right out of him.

 

[gr82baspartan]

My vote is for the 1997 Michigan State Offensive Line. They made Marc Renaud & Sedrick Irvin look like Jim Brown & Walter Payton when we were ranked 4th. 49-14. Ugh.[/QU
Believe both of our RB's ran for 200 yds + each.
Still an NCAA record?

,,,,,,,,,,cheers

 

[MICH.Nit Fan]

How about Dan Morgan?

Who is Dan Morgan?

 

[#OneTeam#NextLevel]

Randle El

Yep. Me too. He returned a kick and we had him pinned with like 6 players, all surrounding him and he just juked them all and got free. He was a cartoon!

 

[flash86]

FLutie, Mike Alstott

 

[mn78psu83]

Totally forgot about that. I think the official score went to sleep in the 2nd quarter. Thomas had way more solo tackles then 8. He was in on every PSU offensive play.

I was curious about the solo tackles too. I found this article:

LINK: Derrick Thomas

I guess nine QB hurries represents some of the disruption we remembered.

"Kermit Kendrick laughed while recalling the time he gave up a long touchdown pass on an October afternoon when the University of Alabama was playing host to Penn State at Legion Field. It helps soften the memory that the touchdown was called back because of holding but it's what happened afterwards that is what makes the memory fond.

On his way back to the defensive huddle, teammate Derrick Thomas stopped by for some encouragement.

"I remember Derrick comes over to me saying, `don't worry, he won't have time to throw the ball deep anymore'," Kendrick said.

It was more than talk. By the end of that memorable afternoon, Thomas's stunning stat line included three sacks, nine quarterback hurries and a safety. Penn State had just 21 second half yards and Alabama walked away with an 8-3 victory."

 

[MrDibbs]

The thing I most remember about Sunseri is how Munchak dominated him in the 48-14 game. Sunseri didn't want to be there after about 10 minutes of getting pounded.

One of my favorite plays from the 48-14 classic was in the late 3rd/early 4th quarter, Blackledge gives a hard count and Sal Sunseri jumps offside, between a gap in the PSU offensive line. he doesn't touch anybody so no flag is thrown and Blackledge delays a second so good old Sal crosses back to his own side, facing his sPitt defender teammates. Quick snap and quick handoff had Sal Sunseri leading the blocking. Priceless.

Still one of the best days of my life. I think about it every time I go into Pennsylvania Macaroni in the Strip District.

 

[psu7113]

Player was Dallas Clark of Iowa

Team was 2001 Miami, they just manhandled us.

Tie between Dan Marino and Doug Flutie.