I figured I would try and have a light hearted and fun post to distract everyone from that other thing going on right now. So the idea came to me, that we should discuss some of the glories of Penn State. Not only in football but all sports. The idea is to pick a few of your all time favorite games, individual not part of a tournament like the BIG for wrestling or gymnastics where many teams all compete at once but when Penn State goes head to head with another team. This doesn’t necessarily have to be a football themed list, but all sports should be included. Here is my list.

One of the greatest football games I ever attended was the 2001 Ohio State game, when Penn State’s own Joe Paterno beat the record, held by Bear Bryant, to become the winningest coach in Division 1 history. My brother, who was a senior at PSU that year, invited me up to visit and head to the game. I was at another university at the time and headed up for the weekend. This was at the beginning of the Dark years, but we didn’t know it yet, and hopes for the game were not terribly high as we headed into the stadium. Those hopes were dashed once OSU jumped out to a large lead, only to see it slowly erased by the Nittany Lions lead by Zack Mills. The last quarter of that game and into the final minutes were some of the loudest I have ever heard in my life. I was fairly certain that the stadium was going to collapse due to the massive amount of jumping and yelling. After the game, JoePa was lead out to mid field on a platform and gave an impromptu speech; it was a magical fall day in Happy Valley. I kept the ticket and look at it every day, it was a good day to be a Penn Stater.

Ohio St at Penn St - 10/27/01 - JoePa Win #324 (via vslice02)

My second favorite game was the 2009 Women’s Volleyball Championship vs Texas. I am a huge fan of the women’s volleyball team, and men’s, and this was perhaps the greatest match I have ever seen. I was literally yelling in my house the entire match. Penn State and Texas had both come into the match undefeated; PSU was riding a 102 match win streak and going for a record breaking 3rd straight title. The game was a back and forth affair, with Penn State falling behind 2-0 heading into the break. Penn State had not gotten behind like this all season and was not playing their best volleyball. Whatever Russ Rose said at halftime must have been amazing since after the break PSU battled back to tie the match at 2-2, with a 3rd set tie breaker. At first Texas took a small lead, only to see Penn State battle once more and win the match. I started yelling and running around my house, in pure ecstasy, and proceeded to immediately take several shots to try and calm myself down. What was also great was that this was only about a week before the Penn State LSU Capital one Bowl. So I got to see 2 great PSU games back to back. This may be my favorite PSU game I have ever seen.

Penn State vs. Texas - 2009 NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship (via Underage)

My final selection is the 2008 Penn State Ohio State game. After watching, the QB that shan’t be spoken of for 2 years it was amazing to see Darryl Clark come out and play like a Heisman candidate leading the Nittany Lions to #3 ranking and dead set on a National Title. It was a defensive battle, with Ohio State taking a small lead into the half. This was the type of game that was classic Paterno, defense, running the ball, no penalties or turnovers. Then Darryl Clark was knocked out of the game with a concussion and in came Pat Devlin to lead the Lions to their only TD of the night, and in the end the deciding factor in the game. This was after Pryor tried to gain a few extra yards on a 3rd and 1 only to see the ball stripped from him, and in the scrum the Lions emerged with the ball. Finally it looked like the Buckeyes was going to drive the field and steal this win from the Lions, only to see Pryor throw up a long pass into the end zone for the go ahead TD, and instead went into the waiting arms of Lydell Seargent. Penn State would kneel the ball and walk out of the Shoe with a W for the first time in 30 years and not for the last time either. It was an amazing game; I paced back and forth the entire game, even during halftime. I just couldn’t sit down for one second, the game was so close, and the slightest mistake would determine the outcome. Thankfully it was OSU that made the mistake and not the Lions. Something happened in the next game, which I blocked that out of my head, but for that night it looked like PSU might be able to be in contention for a National Title.

2008 #3 Penn State at #9 Ohio State recap (via nittanywhiteout)

I was at a few more games, like the 2010 Michigan night game, #399 for JoePa was also an amazing atmosphere especially that fourth quarter 4th down defensive stand the Lions made. But these are the ones that stick out in my head the most. Now what is on your list?