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What were your most heart-breaking Penn State Losses?

Jerademan74

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I know this is not a pleasant subject, but all my posts don't have to be questions about the top, or best or greatest, etc :)

For me, the ones that stand out the most were the I believe 14-7 loss to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl when we were stopped up the middle from the 1 yard line 4 straight times? Our loss to Oklahoma in the 1982 Orange Bowl,and that last second loss to UM on the Maningham TD reception in the back of the end-zone when a few seconds were given back to the clock to allow that last play!
 
For me, the ones that stand out the most were the I believe 14-7 loss to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl when we were stopped up the middle from the 1 yard line 4 straight times?

This will most likely always be number one for me. My freshman year. The 99 Minnesota loss was difficult too. I remember that a good portion of those sitting near us in W had a hard time even getting up to leave the stadium. We all sat there stunned.
 
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'89 Alabama. Blair Thomas took the team on his back on the final drive and got Penn State in range for the game-winning field goal. Alabama blocked the kick.
 
How about when we lost to Alabama on a missed FG (on 3rd and goal from inside the 1) after Blair Thomas Gained 98 yards rushing the ball on a drive from our own 1 to Alabama's 1. The reason why Joe kicked on 3rd down was to account for a bad snap (we could have spiked the ball and tried again). Sure as $hit, the snap was bad and the FG was blocked. Phu@k me! I never heard Beaver Stadium so quiet (and I was at the 6-4 Iowa debacle).
 
For me, the ones that stand out the most were the I believe 14-7 loss to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl when we were stopped up the middle from the 1 yard line 4 straight times?

This loss ranks #1 for me, as well.

Now, I don't want you to take offense to my post, for I honestly do not intend any towards you. But I have heard so many PSU fans through the years complain that Penn State ran the ball 4 straight times from the 1 yard line versus Alabama in that Sugar Bowl.

FACT: Scott Fitzkee caught the pass that put the ball on the Bama 1 on 2nd down! Yes, 2nd down. On 3rd down, Matt Suhey plunged ahead for what Matt, hundreds of other fans, and I thought broke the plane of the end zone for a touchdown. He was ruled short by inches. Then of 4th down, Guman was very clearly hit before crossing the end zone on another great Bama tackle.

Thus, Penn State ran the ball up the middle only TWO straight times, not FOUR. Granted, what difference does it make now? None, other than I think we Nittany Lion fans ought to get the facts right … lest we become like so many who troll our board.
 
Agree with everyone else that the Alabama loss in the '79 Sugar Bowl is the most heart-breaking. Second is the loss to Tennessee in Knoxville in the last game of the '71 regular season. That game cost us an unbeaten season.
 
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the '89 Bama loss with the blocked field goal was one I won't forget but we also dropped the Sugar Bowl to Oklahoma in the early '70s when Capelletti was sick and couldn't play. I was at that game. Drove all the way down from the Lehigh Valley with three friends. Quite the trip. Got stopped in Tennessee on the way back at a state police roadblock. Some prisoners escaped and the police were out with coon hounds. We had some herbs with us in the car and were a little unnerved to say the least. Cop had us open the windows, shined his flashlight on us and asked where we were heading, etc., and then looked at us again and said, "You boys all need some haircuts. You can go." We were very lucky. Two other friends who came down from the LV got busted at the Hotel Monteleone. Other than the game and the Tennessee thing, we had a heck of a good time. That was the first of three Sugar Bowl games I went to, the loss to Bama and the win over Georgia in '82, which pretty much made up for the two losses.
 
I know this is not a pleasant subject, but all my posts don't have to be questions about the top, or best or greatest, etc :)

For me, the ones that stand out the most were the I believe 14-7 loss to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl when we were stopped up the middle from the 1 yard line 4 straight times? Our loss to Oklahoma in the 1982 Orange Bowl,and that last second loss to UM on the Maningham TD reception in the back of the end-zone when a few seconds were given back to the clock to allow that last play!
Holy Toledo! Still can't believe they outplayed us up front and dominated
 
This loss ranks #1 for me, as well.

Now, I don't want you to take offense to my post, for I honestly do not intend any towards you. But I have heard so many PSU fans through the years complain that Penn State ran the ball 4 straight times from the 1 yard line versus Alabama in that Sugar Bowl.

FACT: Scott Fitzkee caught the pass that put the ball on the Bama 1 on 2nd down! Yes, 2nd down. On 3rd down, Matt Suhey plunged ahead for what Matt, hundreds of other fans, and I thought broke the plane of the end zone for a touchdown. He was ruled short by inches. Then of 4th down, Guman was very clearly hit before crossing the end zone on another great Bama tackle.

Thus, Penn State ran the ball up the middle only TWO straight times, not FOUR. Granted, what difference does it make now? None, other than I think we Nittany Lion fans ought to get the facts right … lest we become like so many who troll our board.
This loss ranks #1 for me, as well.

Now, I don't want you to take offense to my post, for I honestly do not intend any towards you. But I have heard so many PSU fans through the years complain that Penn State ran the ball 4 straight times from the 1 yard line versus Alabama in that Sugar Bowl.

FACT: Scott Fitzkee caught the pass that put the ball on the Bama 1 on 2nd down! Yes, 2nd down. On 3rd down, Matt Suhey plunged ahead for what Matt, hundreds of other fans, and I thought broke the plane of the end zone for a touchdown. He was ruled short by inches. Then of 4th down, Guman was very clearly hit before crossing the end zone on another great Bama tackle.

Thus, Penn State ran the ball up the middle only TWO straight times, not FOUR. Granted, what difference does it make now? None, other than I think we Nittany Lion fans ought to get the facts right … lest we become like so many who troll our board.
I don't take offense at all. Those aren't my words. I quoted the OP only to agree that the Alabama loss was the most heartbreaking without commenting on that part of the OP's post. I remember Ftizkee running straight up and down like it was yesterday. Never forget how the DB easily pulled him down when it appeared that Fitzkee would make the corner.
 
81Miami game was a crushed.
Played a poor first half. Completely dominated the second and the team was driving for the lead score with under 3:00 in the 4th quarter - I believe - and the pitchout hit John Williams in the shoulder pad, he fumbled, Miami recovered. PSU had one last possession. Freddy Marion intercepted Blackledge to clinch it. PSU lost 17-14. Physically pummeled Miami too.
 
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I don't take offense at all. Those aren't my words. I quoted the OP only to agree that the Alabama loss was the most heartbreaking without commenting on that part of the OP's post. I remember Ftizkee running straight up and down like it was yesterday. Never forget how the DB easily pulled him down when it appeared that Fitzkee would make the corner.

Fitzkee was blasted out of bounds by Alabama defensive back Don McNeal, who is a great uncle of former Penn State quarterback Rob Bolden.
 
Fitzkee was blasted out of bounds by Alabama defensive back Don McNeal, who is a great uncle of former Penn State quarterback Rob Bolden.
Blasted is right. That was a physical mismatch and Don McNeal benefited from a massive hunter gatherer, adrenal rush when he closed on Fitzkee.
 
Alabama '79
Minnesota '99 never heard the crowd so quiet leaving Beaver Stadium.

Iowa 6-4 loss I felt badly for the defense which played its heart out and scored all four points that game.
 
I have always said that we didn't lose the 6-4 Iowa game, we simply ran out of time. Our D would have eventually tied it and sent it to OT WHERE WE WOULD HAVE WON BECAUSE YOU ALREADY START IN FG RANGE! :cool:
 
The loss of our reputation due to the mismanagement of the Sandusky Scandal by our Board of Trustees.
 
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I know this is not a pleasant subject, but all my posts don't have to be questions about the top, or best or greatest, etc :)

For me, the ones that stand out the most were the I believe 14-7 loss to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl when we were stopped up the middle from the 1 yard line 4 straight times? Our loss to Oklahoma in the 1982 Orange Bowl,and that last second loss to UM on the Maningham TD reception in the back of the end-zone when a few seconds were given back to the clock to allow that last play!

For me Penn State's biggest loss was to Minnesota in 99. I did not get upset at the loss to Alabama in 79. Penn State and Alabama were at least evenly matched. I would say that running the ball four times in a row, up the middle, was upsetting. However, that wasn't the end of that game. We still could have won that game. The Minnesota game in 99 was so upsetting to me because we should
have easily beaten Minnesota. That loss was the end of Joe's great run as a coach. We were ranked #1 going into that game. We haven't seen #1 since. After that we moved head long into the Dark Years. I fully expected us to play for the National Championship in 99. I took that loss hard.
 
Sheer Importance:
1) Alabama Sugar Bowl
2) Oklahoma Orange Bowl
3T) Michigan 2005
3T) Iowa 2008
5) Minnesota 1999

Zebra Influence (see a pattern here?)
1) Michigan 2005 (yes this deserves both lists)
2) Michigan 2002
3) Ohio State 2014
4) Ohio State 2003
5) Ohio State 1995

Honorable mention even though in the wrong sport Indiana basketball 1993



I know this is not a pleasant subject, but all my posts don't have to be questions about the top, or best or greatest, etc :)

For me, the ones that stand out the most were the I believe 14-7 loss to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl when we were stopped up the middle from the 1 yard line 4 straight times? Our loss to Oklahoma in the 1982 Orange Bowl,and that last second loss to UM on the Maningham TD reception in the back of the end-zone when a few seconds were given back to the clock to allow that last play!
 
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Not technically a lost game, but losing the #1 ranking in '94 after we throttled tosu, and then never getting it back after an undefeated season still sucks. Call me a homer, but I have no doubt that we would've beat Nebraska by 2 scores that year but thanks to petty b1g voters, we had a MNC stolen from us.
 
Not technically a lost game, but losing the #1 ranking in '94 after we throttled tosu, and then never getting it back after an undefeated season still sucks. Call me a homer, but I have no doubt that we would've beat Nebraska by 2 scores that year but thanks to petty b1g voters, we had a MNC stolen from us.


Osborne was awarded a "pity" MNC because he didn't have one.
 
Not technically a lost game, but losing the #1 ranking in '94 after we throttled tosu, and then never getting it back after an undefeated season still sucks. Call me a homer, but I have no doubt that we would've beat Nebraska by 2 scores that year but thanks to petty b1g voters, we had a MNC stolen from us.
This is correct! There is NO DOUBT we would have beaten Nebraska had the #1 vs. $2 system was in place then!
 
'89 Alabama. Blair Thomas took the team on his back on the final drive and got Penn State in range for the game-winning field goal. Alabama blocked the kick.
Range is not the word. Penn State was a foot from the goal line.
 
Most of the ones mentioned, but I'll still never forget Toledo 2000. It was the beginning of some tough, tough years.
 
For me Penn State's biggest loss was to Minnesota in 99. I did not get upset at the loss to Alabama in 79. Penn State and Alabama were at least evenly matched. I would say that running the ball four times in a row, up the middle, was upsetting. However, that wasn't the end of that game. We still could have won that game.

Had that actually happened, I would agree with you that it is upsetting. Someone even posted a video clip of that series of downs. :)
 
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I know this is not a pleasant subject, but all my posts don't have to be questions about the top, or best or greatest, etc :)

For me, the ones that stand out the most were the I believe 14-7 loss to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl when we were stopped up the middle from the 1 yard line 4 straight times? Our loss to Oklahoma in the 1982 Orange Bowl,and that last second loss to UM on the Maningham TD reception in the back of the end-zone when a few seconds were given back to the clock to allow that last play!
I would agree with all 3 of those.
 
Has anyone ever done vertical plane overlay on the 79 alabama 3rd down play like what was done for the offside kickoff call?
 
1999 Minnesota due to the impact, we were in the title hunt at the time.
6-4 Iowa. It was just embarrassing.
 
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