With the first two nominees already introduced, we now unveil the third in our list; from the 1980s.
The Nittany Lions were coming off of arguably the best season and best game in the program's history. An 11-0 regular season in 1986 was capped off by a classic 14-10 victory over top-ranked Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, securing Penn State its second National Championship of the decade. Anybody hoping to see a repeat performance in 1987 was sorely disappointed as the Lions lost 13 players to the NFL draft, and had to replace graduated quarterback John Shaffer, who was 23-1 as a starter for Joe Paterno. Luckily for the Lions, the temporary fall from the top of college football was padded by a soft schedule that featured only one team with fewer than four losses and included just four road games, none further away than Boston.
The Lions were able to rack up eight wins in 1987, but beat only two teams with winning records, Rutgers (6-5) and Notre Dame (8-4). Less than half of Penn State's opponents finished the season above .500, and only three teams were invited to play in a bowl game, combining to go 0-2-1 in the post season. The Lions took on Clemson in the Citrus Bowl, falling 35-10 to the Tigers, and finished the season unranked.
1987 Schedule
vs. Bowling Green (5-6) W 45-19
vs. Alabama (7-5) L 13-24
vs. Cincinnati (4-7) W 41-0
@ Boston College (5-6) W 27-17
vs. Temple (3-8) W 27-13
vs. Rutgers (6-5) W 35-21
@ Syracuse (11-0-1) L 21-48
vs. West Virginia (6-6) W 25-21
@ Maryland (4-7) W 21-16
@ Pittsburgh (8-4) L 0-10
vs. Notre Dame (8-4) W 21-20
THE GOOD
The Lions took on three teams that were ranked in the top-20 at the time they played them, including #7 Notre Dame in the regular-season finale. Only one of the final five opponents finished below .500. The Lions did get to celebrate a milestone, when Joe Paterno opened the campaign with win #200 against Bowling Green.
THE BAD
The Lions' four road games were in Boston, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Syracuse - all just a few hours from campus. Each of Penn State's first six opponents ended the year with at least five losses.
POSTSCRIPT
Penn State was coming off of back-to-back undefeated regular seasons in 1985 and 1986, so its pedestrian performance in 1987 could certainly be forgiven. Penn State would fall even further in 1988, finishing at 5-6, Paterno's worst record yet. The coming seasons would see the Lions take on teams like Texas, USC and Miami as Penn State's time as a college football independent ran out. It began play in the Big Ten Conference in the 1993 season, bringing an end to many of its traditional rivalries.
The Lions were able to rack up eight wins in 1987, but beat only two teams with winning records, Rutgers (6-5) and Notre Dame (8-4). Less than half of Penn State's opponents finished the season above .500, and only three teams were invited to play in a bowl game, combining to go 0-2-1 in the post season. The Lions took on Clemson in the Citrus Bowl, falling 35-10 to the Tigers, and finished the season unranked.
1987 Schedule
vs. Bowling Green (5-6) W 45-19
vs. Alabama (7-5) L 13-24
vs. Cincinnati (4-7) W 41-0
@ Boston College (5-6) W 27-17
vs. Temple (3-8) W 27-13
vs. Rutgers (6-5) W 35-21
@ Syracuse (11-0-1) L 21-48
vs. West Virginia (6-6) W 25-21
@ Maryland (4-7) W 21-16
@ Pittsburgh (8-4) L 0-10
vs. Notre Dame (8-4) W 21-20
THE GOOD
The Lions took on three teams that were ranked in the top-20 at the time they played them, including #7 Notre Dame in the regular-season finale. Only one of the final five opponents finished below .500. The Lions did get to celebrate a milestone, when Joe Paterno opened the campaign with win #200 against Bowling Green.
THE BAD
The Lions' four road games were in Boston, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Syracuse - all just a few hours from campus. Each of Penn State's first six opponents ended the year with at least five losses.
POSTSCRIPT
Penn State was coming off of back-to-back undefeated regular seasons in 1985 and 1986, so its pedestrian performance in 1987 could certainly be forgiven. Penn State would fall even further in 1988, finishing at 5-6, Paterno's worst record yet. The coming seasons would see the Lions take on teams like Texas, USC and Miami as Penn State's time as a college football independent ran out. It began play in the Big Ten Conference in the 1993 season, bringing an end to many of its traditional rivalries.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment