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Football What is your favorite Penn State game that you've attended?

I was too young to attend the '82 NE game, sold my tickets to the '16 OSU win because I had to travel for work and was not able to attend any of the national championship games. I did actually make the trip to the '94 Indiana game, which many claim cost us the popular vote, though that wasn't memorable for any other reason.

I'm going outside of the box. The 1986 Pitt game. As a student walking out of Beaver Stadium at the end, everyone just had a sense of the enormity of the moment and we were about to be a part of it in some small way.

Honorable mention:

The 2006 (after the 2005 season) Orange Bowl was pretty cool. I was there as a guest of FedEx. Nice opportunity. My wife was pregnant. She was miserable.

The 2002 Nebraska game was jacked up. Gardner picked off that pass and took it to the house, I thought the (I believe newly opened) South upper deck was coming down.

The '87 ND game in freezing cold was memorable.

EDIT: '99 Arizona. We just destroyed them. Their internet fans made that win one of the most enjoyable. So much promise for the rest of the season. Yes, I was at the Minn game that year too. My first post-grad year with season tix.
 
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OSU in 2005. When Tamba hit Troy OSU QB and Paxton recovered fumble, I thought the stadium would crumble, it was shaking.

Nebraska in 2002. Rich Gardner goes pick six, thought the stadium would crumble. Headlines in Patriot News..."We're Back"

First White out game vs ND in 2007? Day game. Punished Rick Mirer and romped those pricks.

Honorable mention...UCF in Dublin. Walk off Fickens FG in Franklin's first game. Paratrooper flew into the wall of Croke Park outside of stadium, found him on train tracks outside of stadium.
 
PSU/Oregon Rose Bowl
PSU blocks OSU kick for a TD.
PSU forced fumble by OSU.

Might also add my first game. A rain soaked game against Army sometime in the early 60s. You always remember your first as your best.
 
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What's everyone's favorite Penn State game that you've ever attended? What about a non-Penn State sporting event?
As a Student home: 1982 Nebraska 27-24
As a Student away: 1981 Pitt 48-14
As an Alum home: 2016 OSU 24-21/ 2013 Michigan 43-40
As an Alum away: 2021 Wisconsin 16-10 / 2022 Auburn 41-12
Bowl Game: 2006 Florida State 26-23
Neutral Site: 1996 USC 24-7 / 2014 UCF 26-24
Honorable Mention: Mens NCAA Tourney 2023
Texas A&M 76-59
Non-PSU Sporting Event: 1989 Kentucky Derby
 
My first game when my older brother attended PSU and I was in Jr High, 1968 PSU/Pitt. We were going to drive up Saturday after friends from Cleveland came to Pittsburgh on Friday and stayed over at our home. But the Dad of that family had late business appointments on Friday, so he instead picked us up at the Allegheny County Airport in his company's plane and we flew up to PSU on Saturday morning. And as I learned back then, it's always fun to beat up on Pitt. ...... to the tune of 65–9. Also, first time on a plane.....

Other top games:
- Any home game in the 1973 undefeated season my freshman year on main campus, ending with Cappy's Heisman Trophy and his address to the fans at a PSU BB game right after he won it, which I also attended.
- One of my favorite games was the 1983 Alabama game. DJ Dozier, a true freshman, ran wild in the the first half. Spin moves, fakes, jumping over defenders. He ran with a wreckless style that seemed to go away later in his PSU career.
- I really enjoyed the 1980's 10 year Notre Dame series. One of the home wins was a game in the rain where PSU was shutting out ND. The weather was miserable and my wife went to the car at half time. I told he I was staying and hoping to sit there wet and see PSU win 100 to zip. ND left their starters in and eventually scored late in the 4th quarter but it was a great thrashing.
- Another home ND game was decided late in the game when ND was driving late for the winning score. Alan Pinkett was having a great game and ND on that late drive had to go for a 4th and 1 or 2. Sure enough Pinkett got the hand off on the 4th down play. But Rogers Alexander was there to meet him and tackle him in the backfield. Game over.

Just too many to choose from.......
 
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2016 - Penn State vs Ohio State
2005 - Penn State vs Ohio State
2002 - Penn State vs Nebraska
1992 - Penn State vs BYU
2013 - Penn State vs. Michigan
2005 - Penn State vs Notre Dame
1984 ....don't know the game, but I was 4 and I remember being in the stadium on a beautiful day and my earliest memory in beaver stadium.
 
2014 Quad overtime win over Michigan. Great to beat those SOBs anytime. But four overtimes….. especially bizarre circumstances that we both blew it and escaped by the skin of our teeth…made it a true roller coaster game. Amplified by the fact that that was at the worst of the sanctions scholly restriction and was thought to have no chance of winning. Just a crazy night.

The game in Ireland. Cappelletti’s four TDS. Tons of great memories.
 
What's everyone's favorite Penn State game that you've ever attended? What about a non-Penn State sporting event?
I don't really have one Penn State game that trumps all others but here are the candidates

2001 - Ohio State
2005 - Ohio State
2005 - Michigan State
2008 - Ohio State
2011 - Illinois
2012 - Wisconsin
2013 - Wisconsin

Non-Penn State sporting event.

1992 NBA Finals, game 6 Chicago over Portland. My first NBA game.
 
my top 3 that I attended would be:

Vs OSU 2005. Place nearly exploded.

Vs. Nebraska 2002. Gardners pick 6 after the shit no fumble call was amazing

at Illinois 1994. The crowd turning throughout the game is something I will never forget.
 
In rough chronological order:

Orange Bowl vs Kansas - I'll never forget the sight of that ref waving his flag in the end zone after Kansas stopped our go ahead TD with their unique 12 man defense.

Cotton Bowl win over Texas. It was a revenge game for us and Texas was ambushed. It was the first time in like 80 games they didn't score a TD. A Texas fan in front of me was so pissed off that she threw her drink on me.

48-14 - For a Pittsburgh boy, this was so sweet. I remember after Pitt scored their second TD, the Pitt fan in front of me turned to his friend and said, "48-14 sounds about right." He did not hang around to see how right he was.

Beating Georgia was great. Garrity's catch was a thing of beauty.

Loved beating the Miami thugs.

I went to the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State with a Buckeye fan. A very enjoyable game... as was the 63-24 beat down of OSU in our 94 victory tour.

The Notre Dame freeze out game.

Ohio State blocked field goal for a TD.
 
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Temple game in 90. It stands out to me because as the Temple team took the field, someone in section ND yelled out loud "Here come the Christians!"
 
05 OSU
07 ND (First White Out)
17 @Iowa

Non-Penn State

Pats @ Ravens 2012. Replacement refs. The "bullshit" chant game.
 
ND in 1986.

ND fans mad we won but after the loss started chanting Beat Miami.
I was there too and that day was special. Michigan lost and the dice rolled in our favor to set up Fiesta Bowl. Post game I ended up at The Senior Bar with a group of ND students whovwere friends of friends- one of whom was Lee Trevinos daughter. Great day and party.

The MSU game in 2015 was similarwith us catching a break from OSU and then winning the game and the East. That evening was spent at The Phyrst with a buddy whose son was a former student and Little League player of mine and PSU Water Polo player who was there with the team. That was the last time I made a last call in a bar. A totally unexpected outcome and magical memory.

Been to 4 Yankees World Series clinchers, the Phils 93 NL Pennant clincher vs Braves (AppoMaddux game) and 3 Olympics, but my favorite non PSU sporting event is the 76ers vs Lakers in 1980- the Dr. J Baseline Scoop Shot game.

Me and my dad were seated in the upper rows of the lower level of The Spectrum behind the basket where he scored. The place went silent, stunned by what he did. The Lakets called timeout and then people screamed like their hair was on fire for 3 minutes, getting louder and louder throughout. Unbelieveable. Loudest I ever heard that building.

 
I was there too and that day was special. Michigan lost and the dice rolled in our favor to set up Fiesta Bowl. Post game I ended up at The Senior Bar with a group of ND students whovwere friends of friends- one of whom was Lee Trevinos daughter. Great day and party.

The MSU game in 2015 was similarwith us catching a break from OSU and then winning the game and the East. That evening was spent at The Phyrst with a buddy whose son was a former student and Little League player of mine and PSU Water Polo player who was there with the team. That was the last time I made a last call in a bar. A totally unexpected outcome and magical memory.

Been to 4 Yankees World Series clinchers, the Phils 93 NL Pennant clincher vs Braves (AppoMaddux game) and 3 Olympics, but my favorite non PSU sporting event is the 76ers vs Lakers in 1980- the Dr. J Baseline Scoop Shot game.

Me and my dad were seated in the upper rows of the lower level of The Spectrum behind the basket where he scored. The place went silent, stunned by what he did. The Lakets called timeout and then people screamed like their hair was on fire for 3 minutes, getting louder and louder throughout. Unbelieveable. Loudest I ever heard that building.

Love Dr J. Imagine what he could have done with the No rules world Micheal created.
 
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'83 Sugar Bowl for first NC.

Runner Ups...Neb '82. Pitt '77, '78, '81. OSU '78.
 
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