12 Seasons on the Beat (and Counting): The Top 12 Penn State Games

I started covering Penn Point out athletics in 2011, which, to say the minimum, was not a absolutely usual time to do that kind of a work. That year was a blur of which I only sort of don’t forget the finer aspects.

But I do remember a ton of online games due to the fact then. Tons of games. I’ve coated just about each individual Penn State men’s hockey house video game, far more Penn State men’s basketball video games than is truly healthful and just about each dwelling and road Penn State football recreation.

There has been women’s volleyball, wrestling, lacrosse and a good share of other sports about the yrs. There have been other games that never make this list much too fantastic bowl games, NCAA match online games, wins and losses. It’s unattainable to genuinely include almost everything that has happened in excess of the past 12 seasons because so several online games have meant so numerous various matters to distinctive groups. (The 2014 Penn Point out women’s volleyball gain in excess of Stanford will come to brain here.)

So this listing — the 12 finest online games I have protected in-human being over the past 12 seasons — is inherently incomplete. For example, I didn’t genuinely uncover the 2016 Ohio Condition video game to be all that good till the quite conclude. But clearly that is a memorable a person for a good deal of people for very good purpose.

In flip, consider this all with a grain of salt. Aside from the Rose Bowl, these games are in no actual get simply because position very good sporting gatherings is like rating superior slices of pizza. You never do it, because they are all fantastic.

2016-17 Rose Bowl (52-49 reduction to USC)

It is likely to consider a whole lot to unseat this sport from the major of the record. It just experienced every thing. Major performs, comeback attempts, a last second field target. You could write an overall e book on this video game if you seriously desired to. From Saquon Barkley’s unbelievable touchdown operate to Chris Godwin catching every thing thrown his way, Penn State’s stars arrived to participate in less than the LA lights. The Nittany Lions did not get, but if there was at any time a game for Penn State lovers to try to remember fondly even in spite of losin, it’s this a single. Till even more observe it’s the ideal football video game I’ve found in human being.

2013 Penn State soccer vs. Michigan (43-40 win in 4 OTs)

Folks consider about this match because of the overtimes but this was a common prior to regulation at any time finished. Penn Condition went behind 10-7 at the finish of the 1st quarter only to place up 14 in the 2nd. Michigan then responded with 17 in the 3rd and Penn State managed just enough in the fourth quarter to tie issues up. You presently know about the Allen Robinson catch, but most people today really do not bear in mind the quintessential Monthly bill O’Brien decision in the fourth extra time to go for it on fourth-and-1 at the Michigan 16. A handful of performs later on Invoice Belton was across the aim line. You couldn’t request for significantly far more out of a college soccer activity than this.

2016 Big 10 Soccer Championship (38-31 gain around Wisconsin)

Penn Condition experienced absent down huge all 12 months, but this a person felt distinct. Wisconsin was going the ball, the Nittany Lions could not do much on offense and Trace McSorley was having unloaded on in the backfield. A desperation fourth-down attempt backfired and Penn Point out was abruptly down 28-7 with just in excess of five minutes to go in the initial 50 {f5ac61d6de3ce41dbc84aacfdb352f5c66627c6ee4a1c88b0642321258bd5462}. A Saeed Blacknall 40-lawn rating at the close of the half gave Penn State lifetime and that was all the NIttany Lions desired. The 2nd half was as 2016 as it could get for this Penn Point out workforce, turning on the switch, outscoring Wisconsin 24-3 in the closing 30 minutes. That wheel route to Saquon Barkley from McSorley to give Penn Condition the direct was as good of a go as you will ever see. Wisconsin went driving late, but a fourth down end won the Nittany Lions the activity. A typical comeback victory was entire.

2017 Penn Condition football vs. Michigan (42-13 earn)

A 21-13 halftime rating is a reminder that this recreation was a great deal nearer than the final, even however Penn State appeared poised to run absent with it early. This sport is not on this listing so substantially for the good quality of the contest as a lot as it is for what it represents. This was Penn State football at its very best under James Franklin. The crowd showed up early, stayed late, Penn Point out opened the game with a enormous score by Saquon Barkley and the clearly show was on. If you want to stage to a minute in the final 12 decades that is Penn Point out football flexing its muscle tissues it was this sport.

2020 Penn Condition basketball vs. Iowa at the Palestra (89-86 earn)

This recreation was the eyesight Pat Chambers experienced for Penn State basketball. A packed property, an associated crowd, gifted gamers and stable basketball. It was so scorching in the Palestra that day and it only extra to the environment. Incorporate in the point it had a substantial-scoring 89-86 final and you could not have asked for additional out of these two groups or the environment. Probably the most effective basketball match I have coated. Unquestionably the most entertaining.

2017 Penn Condition soccer at Iowa (21-19 get)

This was in essence each Penn Point out/Iowa activity. Difficult hits, difficult earned yards and good defense. In lots of methods it’s a shame that Penn State didn’t finish up accomplishing a bit extra with this season simply because the comeback drive to acquire the match on the final participate in was worthy of all the lore that “The Drive” in 1994 receives. Juwan Johnson snagging a pass out of the air and shushing the group was the final stroke to a Saquon Barkley masterclass. The ending, the hurdle and the closing generate definitely tends to make this one, and hat idea to the Iowa group that evening as properly.

2017 Penn Point out hockey vs. Minnesota (4-3 reduction)

You could pick a ton of Penn State men’s hockey video games — and wins — to place on this record, but an eventual 4-3 decline to Minnesota in additional time had all the things. Penn State was on the verge of its first NCAA Event berth, clawing tooth and nail towards a Minnesota plan that represented some of the finest university hockey has had to provide. This game was again and forth, and a Denis Smirnov penalty shot and target with just about a minute to go blew the roof off Pegula Ice Arena. The undesirable information: Minnesota would score with just 3.5 seconds to go to tie the activity, at some point winning in extra time. Penn Condition would go on a historic Huge 10 Event Championship run and make the NCAA Event, but this was a person of those evenings that Penn State felt like a hockey faculty, even in defeat.

2014 Penn Condition hockey vs. Michigan (4- gain)

This video game isn’t on in this article so a lot for the top quality as it is the novelty. Penn Point out was nevertheless just in its second 12 months of existence as a Division I hockey software, hosting a Michigan team with a handful of long term NHL gamers on the roster. Blink and abruptly Penn State is up 3- in the very first period of time from the No. 10 ranked group in the nation. Matt Skoff would submit a 32-help save shutout in the earn for Penn State’s fifth victory of the season. The Nittany Lions would go on to enjoy much better hockey down the highway and conquer Michigan in significantly significantly less stunning vogue in the system, but this was a huge get for a method that was not absolutely sure how a lot of wins it would get in the early likely.

2013 Penn State basketball vs. No. 4 Michigan (84-78 win)

Penn Condition only trailed 39-36 at the 50 percent and the upset felt authentic for a plan continue to figuring out the early levels of the Pat Chambers era. Jermaine Marshall scored 25 in the successful hard work even though DJ Newbill added 17 as Penn State snapped an 18-match dropping streak in opposition to the most unlikely of opponents. Michigan would go on to lose in the nationwide title game against Louisville while Penn Point out would finish… a little bit shy of that mark. Regardless of the report, this sport was an early indicator that Chambers could get his fellas to fight no subject how the time was likely. Angle in truth.

2014 Pinstripe Bowl (31-30 time beyond regulation earn vs. Boston Faculty)

Sam Ficken going from his times of having difficulties to creating winning kicks against UCF and Boston College or university at just about every conclude of the time definitely was the fantastic narrative arc. The crowd at Yankee Stadium was fantastic as equally groups landed punches and both equally groups took them. It was not often a rather sport but no person can say no to a 31-30 ultimate. Chris Godwin’s 70-property touchdown was a emphasize introduction for him forward of a prolonged and productive Penn Condition profession. This bowl was the 1st of the put up sanction period, and it felt like Penn Condition hitting the reset button, seeking to pick up in which it still left off.

2017 Penn State football at Ohio Condition (39-38 reduction)

You could really decide any of these Ohio Point out video games to set on this listing. The only explanation the 2016 sport is not on here is basically due to the fact the ending was good but the relaxation was variety of lousy. The 2017 edition experienced a little bit of everything: significant performs, a comeback and a spectacular ending. Penn Condition dropped, but this sport was excellent from start to complete. To be honest there have been incredibly number of undesirable online games in this sequence as of late, but this a single is a little bit superior than the relaxation. If you want to squint and pretend this is the 2016 match in its place, which is wonderful. 2019 and 2021 receives a nod below as perfectly. The in close proximity to 2013 upset was not fifty percent bad either.

2018 NIT Championship (82-66 get vs. Utah)

This sport will get a be aware for environment as considerably as anything at all else. There have been much better Penn Condition basketball video games, but Madison Square Yard truly cared about this a single and whilst the NIT may possibly be neglected by most, this match actually mattered to the Nittany Lions much too. Tony Carr experienced one past dance for Penn State just before heading to the NBA Draft system and Pat Chambers obtained to cut down some nets to validate a long several yrs of efforts.