Distraction from COVID -- 2002 beatdown of Nebraska

[NittanyIllinois]

Just because.



Man were Zach Mills and Bryant Johnson on fire that night.

That win sure felt good after the dreadful 2000 and 2001 seasons. '02 could have been truly special.....3 losses by 16 points.

"This kid is 6'3, 230, and he's wearing my number. But this kid is not playing quarterback" -- Bob Griese on Michael Robinson

 

[Sharkies]

Was this the last time Neb was any good? sure seems like this drubbing sent them into the dark ages...

 

[Zenophile]

*Easily* one of the best Beaver Stadium crowds of the pre-Gameday Choreographed Experience era.

 

[NittanyIllinois]

Was this the last time Neb was any good? sure seems like this drubbing sent them into the dark ages...

In the triple option era, yes. That was the last time an Osborne-inspired Nebraska team was in the top-10.

Bo Pelini got them back into the top-10 in 2010-2011 -- they even got as high as #5, I believe. But they weren't a real national title threat. They got back into the top-10 in 2016 before Ohio State beat them 62-3.

 

[cjrugger]

My first night game. Great times!

 

[BVSt.Paul]

Just because.

View embedded media

Man were Zach Mills and Bryant Johnson on fire that night.

That win sure felt good after the dreadful 2000 and 2001 seasons. '02 could have been truly special.....3 losses by 16 points.

"This kid is 6'3, 230, and he's wearing my number. But this kid is not playing quarterback" -- Bob Griese on Michael Robinson

Fullback alert!!!

 

[Connorpozlee]

Fullback alert!!!

Lavon Chisley alert!!!

 

[Steve G]

Just because.

View embedded media

Man were Zach Mills and Bryant Johnson on fire that night.

That win sure felt good after the dreadful 2000 and 2001 seasons. '02 could have been truly special.....3 losses by 16 points.

"This kid is 6'3, 230, and he's wearing my number. But this kid is not playing quarterback" -- Bob Griese on Michael Robinson

know a kid who played on that Nebraska team and he said they were not really expecting much fight from PSU, based on previous 2 years and were sort if living the "Nebraska mystique". They had no answer when they were getting their asses kicked and he said beating they took on filed was worse than the score or how it looked from stands. Like PSU really abused them physically which they were completely not expecting.

 

[djr4rebs]

I'm not sure what is more baffling...

The two sub-par years before this season or the two sub-par years after.

Of course, I think this team is perhaps remembered quite a bit more fondly because of specifically that. Not so much the close losses.

 

[PSU Soupy]

That was fun.... Thank you NittanyIllinois......

 

[Ski]

My first night game. Great times!

Not my first night game, but I didn't get my voice back until the following Thursday from screaming the entire game. On the Rich Gardner pick 6, it was like the world stopped for a second as everyone held their breath when the ball was in the air and then there was an explosion of sound that I have never heard before or since. Simply an electrifying moment.

 

[NittanyIllinois]

That was fun.... Thank you NittanyIllinois......

Ive been watching quite a few of these old classics lately. I’ll probably post a few others over the coming days.

 

[Beachwineguy]

I remember that one fondly. I was living in Charleston, SC, and found a local sports bar to watch the game. Lucky for me, it was where the local Penn State alumni group would meet. There were a group of them there and we talked a good bit before the game even started. We were all just hoping Penn State would keep it close, as no one really expected a great showing after the prior two seasons. Alas, we were all overjoyed (and probably over-intoxicated) by the end of the game.

 

[Lion8286]

Robbie Gould sighting. Whatever happened to him??

 

[djr4rebs]

Ive been watching quite a few of these old classics lately. I’ll probably post a few others over the coming days.

This led me to '05 vs Ohio State after.

Poz was an animal.

 

[LaJolla Lion]

Thanks for posting this...went through 2002, 2016, and I'm on 2005 games now. The ND game was another fun one. 2005 tOSU is still right up there for me.

 

[The Spin Meister]

Zach Mills looked so much like Joe Montana its spooky. Real shame he got hurt and was never the same.

 

[NittanyIllinois]

Thanks for posting this...went through 2002, 2016, and I'm on 2005 games now. The ND game was another fun one. 2005 tOSU is still right up there for me.

I've had a blast going through some of these 10-15 minute clips from the past.

Some that I have saved: '96 kickoff classic vs. USC, '97 vs. Ohio State, '99 vs. Arizona, '99 @ Miami, '99 @ Purdue, '01 vs. Ohio State for 324, '05 vs. Ohio State, '05 @ Northwestern, '05 vs. Wisconsin, '07 vs. Notre Dame, '08 vs. Illinois, '08 @ Ohio State, '12 vs. Wisconsin, '13 vs. Michigan, and some of the more recent games.

Thank God for Youtube.

 

[bdgan]

Let's beat them again this year. Too bad we missed them during their recent down years.

 

[Lion8286]

Let's beat them again this year. Too bad we missed them during their recent down years.

By recent down years you mean last year.

 

[odshowtime]

*Easily* one of the best Beaver Stadium crowds of the pre-Gameday Choreographed Experience era.

Definitely top 5 probably top 3 sporting events I've ever witnessed and best seats I ever had in Beaver Stadium. We didn't show up early or anything but they put us at the top of a section near the middle and I had a rail to lean on behind me. Didn't feel like normal student section to me. but then again I was WASTED.

 

[lj4heisman1]

Just because.

View embedded media

Man were Zach Mills and Bryant Johnson on fire that night.

That win sure felt good after the dreadful 2000 and 2001 seasons. '02 could have been truly special.....3 losses by 16 points.

"This kid is 6'3, 230, and he's wearing my number. But this kid is not playing quarterback" -- Bob Griese on Michael Robinson

Zach Mills looked so much like Joe Montana its spooky. Real shame he got hurt and was never the same.

Mills was a very very good college qb before he got injured.

 

[ApexLion]

Walked in, sun was setting, Kashmir was playing. Actually smelled beat down in the air. If you recall Jamaal Lord was their QB and he was absolutely awful as a passer. I knew if we got up it was going to be a long night for him. Said so on this board that week and a bunch of Nebraska yahoos kept touting Lord and the ‘black shirts’. We were like huh, really? Btw, midway thru the second quarter a 260 lb. frosh nose tackle with PSU jersey no. 72 enters the game. He pursues down the line and sticks a Nebraska back, gets a few more snaps and then goes to the bench. Can you name him?



the answer: Tamba Hali

My entire row in NB and the announcer thought it was Gus Felder (same number but much bigger and was gashing Nebraska’s other line all might).