1994 Illinois Final Drive

[rico18]

Was this a bigger win than the 1994 Illinois Final Drive? Both teams remain undefeated. 2017 Iowa final drive reminds me of that Illinois night at Memorial Stadium. I can't recall another game that finished in the same manner over the last 23 years. Anybody else feeling the same way?

 

[AvgUser]

I’m giving the edge to the 1994 game: Lousy weather. Later in season. More at stake at the moment.

This was perhaps 1AAAA. So very close but if forced to pick, 1994 gets the nod

 

[steelrazor]

For me it really depends on how the rest of the season goes.

 

[RochLion]

Was thinking the same thing the morning ... this is our "Illinois" game. But, as others have mentioned, it's too early in the season.

 

[rico18]

Although slightly different than 1994, this was an early challenge that could provide confidence throughout the season. But I do agree, we have to see how the rest of the season plays out. Nevertheless, clutch performance in both games. It's been a while since we won a game on the last play of the game.

 

[ejb25]

Too me it's Iowa because Top 5 teams loose at kinnick at night It takes a special team to overcome that.

 

[sarasotan]

I was at the 94 game and it was truly incredible. Weather was ferocious. Fans not quite so hostile as last night. I was more stressed out last night, but just barely.

 

[Ranger Dan]

Was this a bigger win than the 1994 Illinois Final Drive? Both teams remain undefeated. 2017 Iowa final drive reminds me of that Illinois night at Memorial Stadium. I can't recall another game that finished in the same manner over the last 23 years. Anybody else feeling the same way?

It depends on how the rest of the season end up. I have been thinking about how this season could play out and one common thread for great seasons is overcoming adversity and winning. Last year it was the tOSU game where we somehow managed to win, and it enabled us to win the big ten championship. I'm wondering if the hard fought win in the tough environment last night will be that adversity that will propel Penn State to a repeat big ten championship and maybe a chance of even more glory.

 

[michnittlion]

1994 Illinois was better. Several reasons:

(1) The stakes were higher. They were high yesterday, of course, but it's still September.

(2) Weather was tougher. Damn near surreal through the fog and mist.

(3) Most importantly, Illinois had perhaps the nation's best defense in 1994. They were very very very very good. Our offense, however, proved to be even better. It was truly epic how it was a case of strength on strength.

(4) It wasn't just the final drive. We fell behind 21-0 quickly, of course. Given their defense, EVERY offensive drive of that game from the 2nd quarter onwards had a "do-or-die" feel to it.

 

[Nittanyfarmer]

1994 Illinois is better. Several reasons:

(1) the stakes were higher. They were high yesterday, of course, but it's still September.

(2) weather was tougher. Damn near surreal through the fog and mist.

(3) Most importantly, Illinois had perhaps the nation's best defense in 1994. They were very very very very good. Our offense, however, was even better.

^^^ This. Illinois had Simeon Rice, Dana Howard and Kevin Hardy in that LB corp that year. No body at Iowa compares to those three or even the whole Illinois defense that year.

 

[acg116]

^^^ This. Illinois had Simeon Rice, Dana Howard and Kevin Hardy in that LB corp that year. No body at Iowa compares to those three or even the whole Illinois defense that year.

Holocek too who spent a little bit of time in the NFL too.

 

[tboyer]

Some parallels but that was a late season game and PSU was No. 1 in the country. This is just the Big Ten opener. This team still has to win a bunch more games before there are more parallels with 1994.

 

[N&B4PSU]

Illy 94 remains one of my top 5 all-time wins. The stakes were incredibly high, the team came out flat (as opposed to the Illini who came out smoking), and the team never knew what him them until it was nearly too late.

Last night we were flat out better than the opposition and only lousy play-calling inside the 10 kept us from blowing them out. [for gosh sakes, this has to be fixed... get 2 big linemen to block, and just give SB the ball 4 times from inside the 5 and we will score.] That it came down to a final play still irks me... that we stood tall and won is great, but no way this ever should have been a contest.

otoh, illinois 94 was a very good football team and to come back there as we did in the face of that adversity... and against THAT defense... that weather... at that moment.. with THAT much on the line... the stuff of legends.

But ya know what? Those kids impressed me last night. Strong second.

 

[NitneLiun]

I was at the Illinois game in '94 and remember the final drive very clearly. Many people forget that we had terrible field position most of the game. Three of our TD drives in that game started inside the ten-yard line and two of those three drives began inside the five-yard line.

The Illinois defense just couldn't stop us after the first quarter.