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What were the five best/most exciting games at Beaver Stadium?

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TheBigUglies

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2005 vs Ohio State - I was there and have never experienced an environment like that in Beaver Stadium since. It was electric from start to finish. The other games mentioned had lulls in them if I recall.

One game I sort of remember was a last minute win over Notre Dame somewhere in the early 80s, I was very young and was probably my very first game but the atmosphere in the stadium(and around town) got me hooked on PSU.
 
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Psu-cpa

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saturdaysarebetter said:
In no order:
1982 vs Nebraska
2005 vs Ohio State
2016 vs Ohio State
2013 vs Michigan 4OTs
1978 vs Pitt for what was at stake

Others?
Click to expand...
2012 vs Wisconsin. Wisconsin was very good and this was our Bowl game due to the NCAA slander against us.
Also 2002 vs Nebraska. Stadium was shaking on our pick 6.
82 Nebraska, 05 Ohio st are best, though.
Had to watch Ohio St 16 on TV in Arizona with a bunch of Ohio St fans. My usual vertical leap of two inches went to two feet on the blocked FG and the Buckeye guys were speechless!
 
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NittPicker

NittPicker

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nittanymoops said:
1978 Pitt
1981 Domers
1982 Nebraska
1983 Bama
1983 Domers
1985 Bama
1997 OSU
2005 OSU
2016 OSU

Gun to my head, top five for excitement are Nebraska, the three vs OSU and 83 Bama. Cheers!
Click to expand...
That 1983 Alabama game sometimes gets overlooked since PSU came into it with a 2-3 record. I was there as a sophomore. It was a nationally televised game against the #3 team in the country. A big comeback by Alabama. A controversial no-catch on what really should have been a tying Alabama TD at the end. But a penalty gave Alabama another chance at tying it on the final play. They ran the ball but came up short. Students rush the field. Goals posts torn down. Etc. If they had a replay review system back then, we would have lost (assuming the extra point was good).
 
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fairgambit

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saturdaysarebetter said:
In no order:
1982 vs Nebraska
2005 vs Ohio State
2016 vs Ohio State70oats
2013 vs Michigan 4OTs
1978 vs Pitt for what was at stake

Others?
Click to expand...
September 30, 1972, a 14-10, last minute, win over Iowa, and I was not there. I had tickets, but gave them up and listened to the game on my transistor radio while I sat in Three Rivers Stadium and watched Roberto Clemente get his 3,000th hit. This great man died in a plane crash 3 months later on December 31st while personally taking supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
Rest in Peace.
 
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PSUFTG

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82 Nebraska and 2005 OSU would top my list.

As an unmentioned underrated game:
1978 vs NC State.
A lot of interesting stuff there (good game against good team, some big game changing plays) and after the game PSU was ranked #1 for - IIRC - the very first time in school history. (Nebraska beat Oklahoma that same afternoon, elevating PSU to the #1 spot)

Those of a certain age remember in the pre-cell phone days:
When you were at the game - you were AT THE game. No outside distractions.
But the one thing you would get, during change of quarters breaks and what not - over the PA system (I can still hear this in the exact voice of the long-time PA guy. I bet other long-timers can too):

"In scores of other games....... "
And he would read off scores from around the country.
Late in the game, during a break, everyone heard "In scores of other games..." and he announced the Oklahoma-Nebraska score. That announcement get a very vocal response, and folks were certainly quite excited about it.
Meanwhile, on the field, PSU was locked in a could-go-either-way game w NC State (PSU may have been up by a FG or less), and just a moment after hearing the OU-UNL score, Matt Suhey busted loose on a punt return for a TD - and the crowd went bonkers (to a level I had never seen at Beaver Stadium - and wouldn't see again until the game vs Nebraska in 1982)
 
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step.eng69

step.eng69

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fairgambit said:
September 30, 1972, a 14-10, last minute, win over Iowa, and I was not there. I had tickets, but gave them up and listened to the game on my transistor radio while I sat in Three Rivers Stadium and watched Roberto Clemente get his 3,000th hit. This great man died in a plane crash 3 months later on December 31st while personally taking supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
Rest in Peace.
Click to expand...
My dad's favorite baseball player, dad as a forever Pittsburgh fan
 
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PSUFTG

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TheBigUglies said:
2005 vs Ohio State - I was there and have never experienced an environment like that in Beaver Stadium since. It was electric from start to finish. The other games mentioned had lulls in them if I recall.

One game I sort of remember was a last minute win over Notre Dame somewhere in the early 80s, I was very young and was probably my very first game but the atmosphere in the stadium(and around town) got me hooked on PSU.
Click to expand...
I think you are also a "local", and may feel the same way.

The thing that was absolutely UNIQUE about OSU in 2005 is that the entire town/campus was buzzing - it was palpable - for the entire WEEK leading up to the game.
Each day from Monday to Friday felt like a game day around town - with each day moving up a notch.
I never experienced anything like that (it was, of course, the perfect confluence of events that all came together that week - the Dark Years, top flight opponent, the complete rejuvenation of the program, the hated Buckeyes, etc)

When game day finally came? Absolutely, on game day, from well before kickoff until the final whistle and for the entire time in between:
The energy was off the charts. And it was REAL energy - not the electronic pumped-in psuedo noise that most games now - even the big games - substitute for real energy.
 
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T

TheBigUglies

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PSUFTG said:
I think you are also a "local", and may feel the same way.

The thing that was absolutely UNIQUE about OSU in 2005 is that the entire town/campus was buzzing - it was palpable - for the entire WEEK leading up to the game.
Each day from Monday to Friday felt like a game day around town - with each day moving up a notch.
I never experienced anything like that (it was, of course, the perfect confluence of events that all came together that week - the Dark Years, top flight opponent, the complete rejuvenation of the program, the hated Buckeyes, etc)

When game day finally came? Absolutely, on game day, from well before kickoff until the final whistle and for the entire time in between:
The energy was off the charts. And it was REAL energy - not the electronic pumped-in psuedo noise that most games now - even the big games - substitute for real energy.
Click to expand...
It absolutely was!! Thanks for bringing back those memories. Some guy at work sold me tickets way above cost because I wanted to take my dad. First time I experienced my dad getting that loud at a football game!! Also, it was the last time I went to a football game with my dad.
 
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Bison13

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Psu-cpa said:
2012 vs Wisconsin. Wisconsin was very good and this was our Bowl game due to the NCAA slander against us.
Also 2002 vs Nebraska. Stadium was shaking on our pick 6.
82 Nebraska, 05 Ohio st are best, though.
Had to watch Ohio St 16 on TV in Arizona with a bunch of Ohio St fans. My usual vertical leap of two inches went to two feet on the blocked FG and the Buckeye guys were speechless!
Click to expand...
agree with the 2012 Wisconsin game. 4 OT UM game is mine
 
N

NittanyLion15

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Aug 17, 2001
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Ohio State 2001 was special, one of the few times PSU played OSU when neither team was ranked... JoePa's 324, came back from down 27-9 in the 3rd quarter... The TD catch by McCoo to put us up, then the blocked field goal to keep the lead, then Zack Mills taking off to seal it.

Great game during a crappy year for both squads
 
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CFLion

CFLion

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A few others not yet mentioned...

'95 Michigan -- the Snow bowl!
'94 Ohio State --- 63-14
'97 Iowa -- Jurevicius!
'08 Michigan -- thumped the cheaters 46-17 after 9 straight losses
 
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Phlebitis

Phlebitis

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Psu-cpa said:
2012 vs Wisconsin. Wisconsin was very good and this was our Bowl game due to the NCAA slander against us.
Click to expand...
The Michigan game was one of the greatest sporting events I ever attended, but the Wisconsin game always comes to my mind first. It was not the best or most exciting game in the traditional sense, but it meant the world to me at that time. I've never wanted to see a bunch of kids be rewarded more in my life. It was an awesome experience.
 
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EricStratton-RushChairman

EricStratton-RushChairman

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NittPicker said:
That 1983 Alabama game sometimes gets overlooked since PSU came into it with a 2-3 record. I was there as a sophomore. It was a nationally televised game against the #3 team in the country. A big comeback by Alabama. A controversial no-catch on what really should have been a tying Alabama TD at the end. But a penalty gave Alabama another chance at tying it on the final play. They ran the ball but came up short. Students rush the field. Goals posts torn down. Etc. If they had a replay review system back then, we would have lost (assuming the extra point was good).
Click to expand...
my freshman year!
 
rudedude

rudedude

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I was at all of the games folks listed and the difference was the actual, palpable feel of the energy of the crowd in those games. Sat in EHU for Ohio State 2005 and I remember the upper deck vibrating when Hali sacked Troy Smith and we recovered the fumble. We never got out of the parking lot until about 1:30 am!


 
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step.eng69

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N.C. STATE BEATEN; Penn State Holds Off Foe in Last Minute for 13-8 Victory PENN STATE BEATS N.C. STATE, 13 TO 8​

LINK: to NY Times..... https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=aa3e...mYtZm9lLWluLWxhc3QtbWludXRlLWZvci0xMzguaHRtbA

This is the game that started Penn State's national prominence with JoePa driving the Blue-Bus through the end of the 60's, into the 70's & 80's. It was a thriller at the Beaver!

"UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., Nov. 11- With two quick touch- downs in the opening period and a strong second-half defense that was a marvel to watch, Penn State wrenched North Carolina State from the ranks of undefeated football teams today with a 13-8 victory. Not since Joe Paterno became head coach in 1966 had Penn State gained such an impressive and important victory. By beating the team ranked third in the nation, the Nittany Lions must have made a mark with Orange, Sugar and Gator Bowl scouts in the sellout crowd of 47,070 at Beaver Stadium."

Onkotz Intercepts Pass

"This thrilling victory was a tribute to the coaching staff and the players who executed new plays With a couple of new twists on offense, Penn State ripped off one touchdown in the first four minutes on an 18-yard pass from Tom Sherman to Ted Kwalick. Three minutes later, Denny Onkotz intercepted one of Jim Donnan's passes and ran the ball back 67 yards for the second touchdown. From then on, it was up to Penn State's defense, particularly in the second half when, backed against their end zone most of the 30 minutes, the Nittany Lions held at just the right times. A goal-line stand in the last minute halted the Wolfpack at the Penn State 1-yard line. With that, the Lions had the game they fought harder for than any other in the last two seasons."

Scoring Average Ruined

"Two field goals by Gerry Warren and a safety were all North Carolina State could manage. Prior to this game, the Wolfpack had been an explosive second-half team in winning its first eight games of the year. It had scored at least 13 points in each of those victories. Also, North Carolina State entered the game with the best scoring defense in the nation, having given an average of 7.5 points a game and never more than 10 a game. That scoring average was ruined within 6 minutes 40 seconds. But after Penn State's two touchdowns, the game became an old-fashioned cliff-hanger."

"North Carolina State kept pounding away in the second half and held good field position most of that time. The Lions never got beyond their 37 in the second half and were behind their 20 most of the time.

After Warren's 14th and 15th field goals of the year, both in the third period, North Carolina State moved in for the kill in the fourth quarter. But Tim Montgomery made a saving interception of another of Don- nan's passes in the Penn State end zone with 7:40 to go. Back came the Wolfpack in a few minutes, and Penn State was on its heels. North Carolina State had a first down on the Penn State 9 with 51 seconds to go. The Wolfpack had a fourth down on the 1 with 40 seconds to go. Here, Onkotz and Jim Kates, sophomore linebackers, tackled Dockery on a plunge to halt the Wolfpack for good." ...........CONTINUED

Starters are marked with an asterisk (*) click to enlarge
1787268683527.png

1787269123676.png
1787269198032.png
 
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CDLionFL

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PSUFTG said:
"In scores of other games....... "
And he would read off scores from around the country.
Late in the game, during a break, everyone heard "In scores of other games..." and he announced the Oklahoma-Nebraska score. That announcement get a very vocal response, and folks were certainly quite excited about it.
Meanwhile, on the field, PSU was locked in a could-go-either-way game w NC State (PSU may have been up by a FG or less), and just a moment after hearing the OU-UNL score, Matt Suhey busted loose on a punt return for a TD - and the crowd went bonkers (to a level I had never seen at Beaver Stadium - and wouldn't see again until the game vs Nebraska in 1982)
Click to expand...
It's amazing how nostalgia works. That phrase is so ingrained in my skull that whenever I pull up the scores page on a Saturday, I'll mutter that phrase to myself.
 
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AvgUser

AvgUser

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fairgambit said:
September 30, 1972, a 14-10, last minute, win over Iowa, and I was not there. I had tickets, but gave them up and listened to the game on my transistor radio while I sat in Three Rivers Stadium and watched Roberto Clemente get his 3,000th hit. This great man died in a plane crash 3 months later on December 31st while personally taking supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
Rest in Peace.
Click to expand...
It was his birthday on Tuesda
 
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AvgUser

AvgUser

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rudedude said:
I was at all of the games folks listed and the difference was the actual, palpable feel of the energy of the crowd in those games. Sat in EHU for Ohio State 2005 and I remember the upper deck vibrating when Hali sacked Troy Smith and we recovered the fumble. We never got out of the parking lot until about 1:30 am!


Click to expand...

I like how Hali just walked off the field After the play without all the ‘look at me’ pomp and circumstance
 
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pendal1

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saturdaysarebetter said:
In no order:
1982 vs Nebraska
2005 vs Ohio State
2016 vs Ohio State
2013 vs Michigan 4OTs
1978 vs Pitt for what was at stake

Others?
Click to expand...
I agree with all of those games. Another game we won that had a vibe of total hate was the Michigan State game after they ran it up on us and put their guard in to score a TD late.
The hate for Dantonio in that stadium was palpable and Morehead kept chucking it down field for TDs. I remember a player indicated he asked Morehead during the game are we going after them and Morehead said we're going to put 60 on them.
And this game put us in the BIG championship game and Dantonio kept calling timeouts with under a minute to play. The entire stadium was booing him and after the game people were throwing roses at him as he walked off the field. The guy was a POS.
Two games that drove me nuts were 89 vs bama and 93 vs Boston College. Both devastating losses. And the Kentucky game in 77. We should have had back to back undefeated seasons.
 
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BUFFALO LION

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saturdaysarebetter said:
In no order:
1982 vs Nebraska
2005 vs Ohio State
2016 vs Ohio State
2013 vs Michigan 4OTs
1978 vs Pitt for what was at stake

Others?
Click to expand...

MAN!!! You NAILED it almost perfect!!! 1982 Nebraska DEFINITELY number 1 ! And 2005 Ohio State DEFINITELY number 2 ! I would have probably picked 3, 4, and 5 exactly as you did too. Hard to argue with those, although there were a LOT of GREAT Games! 🙂
 
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JWB389

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A couple others to add:

1987 vs. ND. Brutal cold
1994 MSU. Win going undefeated into the Rose Bowl. Fun game.
1999 Arizona. If you were on the message boards at that time, you know.
 
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JWB389

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pendal1 said:
I agree with all of those games. Another game we won that had a vibe of total hate was the Michigan State game after they ran it up on us and put their guard in to score a TD late.
The hate for Dantonio in that stadium was palpable and Morehead kept chucking it down field for TDs. I remember a player indicated he asked Morehead during the game are we going after them and Morehead said we're going to put 60 on them.
And this game put us in the BIG championship game and Dantonio kept calling timeouts with under a minute to play. The entire stadium was booing him and after the game people were throwing roses at him as he walked off the field. The guy was a POS.
Two games that drove me nuts were 89 vs bama and 93 vs Boston College. Both devastating losses. And the Kentucky game in 77. We should have had back to back undefeated seasons.
Click to expand...
It’s possible I’m misremembering, but I think the Dantonio time out game was earlier, prior to the running up the score game. Thought Paterno was the coach for that one.
 
C

CVLion

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PSUFTG said:
I think you are also a "local", and may feel the same way.

The thing that was absolutely UNIQUE about OSU in 2005 is that the entire town/campus was buzzing - it was palpable - for the entire WEEK leading up to the game.
Each day from Monday to Friday felt like a game day around town - with each day moving up a notch.
I never experienced anything like that (it was, of course, the perfect confluence of events that all came together that week - the Dark Years, top flight opponent, the complete rejuvenation of the program, the hated Buckeyes, etc)

When game day finally came? Absolutely, on game day, from well before kickoff until the final whistle and for the entire time in between:
The energy was off the charts. And it was REAL energy - not the electronic pumped-in psuedo noise that most games now - even the big games - substitute for real energy.
Click to expand...

2005 vs. OSU is possibly my very favorite Penn State memory of all, football games and otherwise. You’re absolutely right about the palpable energy in the air throughout the town.

We were sitting in the south upper deck and didn’t leave until well after the game ended. As we made our way around the final bend of that long endless ramp to make our exit, we came upon a young man who was giving EVERY person coming off the ramp a high five and wouldn’t depart until he’d gotten absolutely everyone.

We also sat in the lots until the wee hours of the morning, not caring to budge, happy just to listen to the post-game commentary and soak up the vibe. I remember one guy calling in and starting to talk through some point about the game, then suddenly yelling “F—K OHIO STATE, F—K ‘EM!” and hanging up.

The whole night was a pure thing of beauty and joy.💙🤍💙🤍💙🤍
 
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razpsu

razpsu

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1982 hands down no question the best.
then a whole bunch after.
I ran the field twice at the 83 bama game. Damn penalty.
2002 was awesome stadium rocked for fiirst time ever.
2005 proved to my wife from bc that we didn’t always suck!!
2016, I cried, yep big cry baby after what we had been too,
So many good games.
End of year game is always so special. Juice bowl we call it. We always get so juiced!! One year msu cold game came down to the end. I was rocked. My wife decided to drive us back to Raleigh. 3 baby kids and me all passed out until Fredericksburg. I woke up when we arrived not knowing where we were. Wife and kids went to bed, I went downstairs and ate and drank and watched football for two hours. 😂
 
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pendal1

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JWB389 said:
It’s possible I’m misremembering, but I think the Dantonio time out game was earlier, prior to the running up the score game. Thought Paterno was the coach for that one.
Click to expand...
Morehead was definitely the OC so the TO antics were post Joe.
 
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bdgan

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saturdaysarebetter said:
In no order:
1982 vs Nebraska
2005 vs Ohio State
2016 vs Ohio State
2013 vs Michigan 4OTs
1978 vs Pitt for what was at stake

Others?
Click to expand...
I don't attend nearly as many games as some of you but by far the two best I saw in person were:

1986 PSU was undefeated and leading Maryland 7-3 in the 4th quarter. Maryland was 2nd and goal from the 7 yd line and Pete Curkendahl intercepted a pass from Dan Henning and returned it about 85 yards until he ran out of gas. Dozier took it in for the score and a 14-3 lead but Maryland came back and we needed to stop a 2 pt conversion to preserve teh win.

2013 a sanctioned PSU beat Michigan in 4 OTs. It looked hopeless until Hackenberg connected on a long bomb to Allen Robinson to send it into OT. Both teams missed opportunities in OT. PSU fumbled a reverse and Michigan missed a FG before Belton finally ran it in for a winning TD.

One of the best things in both games is that I was sitting in the visitors section. It's amazing how quiet it got.
 
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HardHat

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PSUFTG said:
I think you are also a "local", and may feel the same way.

The thing that was absolutely UNIQUE about OSU in 2005 is that the entire town/campus was buzzing - it was palpable - for the entire WEEK leading up to the game.
Each day from Monday to Friday felt like a game day around town - with each day moving up a notch.
I never experienced anything like that (it was, of course, the perfect confluence of events that all came together that week - the Dark Years, top flight opponent, the complete rejuvenation of the program, the hated Buckeyes, etc)

When game day finally came? Absolutely, on game day, from well before kickoff until the final whistle and for the entire time in between:
The energy was off the charts. And it was REAL energy - not the electronic pumped-in psuedo noise that most games now - even the big games - substitute for real energy.
Click to expand...
I was at the 2005 Ohio State game and agree with your comments about the energy in the stadium. If I remember correctly, it rained that day and was misty during the game. We had club seats and still vividly remember when number 81(forgot his name) hit the Ohio State QB and caused a fumble. I've been to many games at the Beav, but that one was most memorable!
 
P

PSUFTG

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HardHat said:
I was at the 2005 Ohio State game and agree with your comments about the energy in the stadium. If I remember correctly, it rained that day and was misty during the game. We had club seats and still vividly remember when number 81(forgot his name) hit the Ohio State QB and caused a fumble. I've been to many games at the Beav, but that one was most memorable!
Click to expand...
IIRC: Tama Hali made the hit - where Smith went *** over tea cups - and Scott Paxson recovered the fumble. But that is OTTOMH.


It is kind of sad that there will NEVER be another game like that. It just isn't the same when your "team" (and this applies to every team) is nothing more than a collection of guys wearing the same color uniform (that year) in exchange for the biggest paycheck they could round up.

It is what it is.
 
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