Penn State and the bye.
No, really. We aren’t going there. I promise.
Instead, let’s have some happy thoughts ahead of a weekend where we’ll be watching the full landscape of college football rather than hyper focusing on Penn State.
But before that – and maybe to introduce some good vibes heading into Oregon week – let’s look back at some of Penn State’s BEST performances after a restful week away from the field. I went back to 2000 to highlight some of the Nittany Lions’ biggest wins off of a bye.
Also, I like to rank things.
Honorable Mention: 2019 at Maryland
I don’t need to mention much about this game, because you all likely have great memories of it. Penn State went to Maryland for a Friday night game. The Terrapins had canceled classes and called for a blackout. By the end, Penn State fans, wearing white, were the only ones left in the stadium to see the Lions close out a 59-0 thrashing.
Honorable Mention: 2012 at Iowa
Penn State had knocked off a ranked Northwestern team on a glorious Homecoming Saturday entering the bye week. They headed to Kinnick and were ruthless in gutting Iowa. Penn State dominated from start to finish in a 38-14 win before a sellout primetime crowd. The loss would start a six-game slide for Iowa to close the season, leading many to call for Kirk Ferentz’s job.
#5: 2001 at Northwestern
Penn State had started the year 0-4 for the first time in history ahead of its bye week. Ahead of a trip to Evanston to face a ranked Wildcat squad, Penn State made alterations to its offense and ran a lot of option against Northwestern behind quarterback Matt Senneca. This led to a back-and-forth game at Ryan Field, one that Senneca ultimately left because of injury. In came redshirt freshman Zack Mills and he hit Eric McCoo for a game-winning touchdown. Joe Paterno had win No. 323, tying Bear Bryant for the all-time record, and, more importantly, Penn State turned its season. The Lions would win five of six games, but came up short of a bowl game as they narrowly lost at Virginia in a game rescheduled because of the 9/11 attacks.
#4: 2017 vs. Michigan
Rewind to this night and it’s probably the high-water mark of the James Franklin era. Penn State was No. 2 in the country. College Gameday was in town. Saquon Barkley seemed like a surefire Heisman contender and he played like it on this night. Barkley scored on a direct snap early in the first quarter to electrify the crowd. He added another two touchdowns, including a juggling catch on a sideline pass route, as Penn State won easily and looked poised to claim a second straight Big Ten title.
#3: 2005 at Michigan State
Penn State traveled to Spartan Stadium for the season’s final game. The Lions were 9-1 and would clinch the Big Ten title with a win against Sparty. It wasn’t the most dramatic or most exciting win of the season, but it got the job done. Michael Robinson had a nifty scoring run, while Alan Zemaitis was dominant in the secondary. The night closed with Penn State fans tossing oranges onto the field as the No. 3 Lions prepared for a trip to South Beach.
#2: 2002 vs. Nebraska
This is the game that made me think of this whole post. Nebraska had played for the national title the previous season and there were plenty of Penn State fans who still wanted revenge for 1994. The Cornhuskers had already played three games and brought a No. 8 ranking to Beaver Stadium. Meanwhile, Penn State had only played once, a very forgettable season opener against UCF, before having a bye week early. The Nittany Lions dominated before a crowd that would stand as the largest in Beaver Stadium history for a long time. Larry Johnson ran for a score. Michael Robinson was introduced to the college football world. Zack Mills was efficient in the first half. Oh, and Richard Gardner had the most glorious pick six in Penn State history as the Lions won 40-7.
#1: 2016 vs. Ohio State
The tale of the 2016 team is well known. After a 2-2 start, Penn State found its footing with an overtime win against Minnesota and a dominating win at Beaver Stadium against Maryland. That put Penn State at 4-2 with a perfectly placed bye at the midpoint. The Lions started slow and trailed by two scores in the second half before rallying for 17 unanswered points in the 24-21 win against the No. 2 Buckeyes. The game catapulted Penn State into the national conversation where they’ve been ever since that unforgettable October night.
