My Favorite Penn State Season: 1986

Penn State finished the 1985 regular season undefeated at 11-0, ranked #1 in the nation.  As an Independent, our Lions could choose any Bowl invitation they pleased.  And in typical Joe Paterno fashion, they chose the hardest matchup - the Orange Bowl, a Penn State favorite among the Bowls, against Barry Switzer's #3 Oklahoma.

Penn State lost the National Championship to the Sooners, 25-10.  Quarterback John Shaffer finished 10 of 22 for 74 yards, with three interceptions.  He was pulled for backup Matt Knizner, who threw a fourth pick.  Penn State also lost a fumble on a punt return, finishing a dreadful minus 3 in turnover margin (thanks to our defense forcing two fumbles).  That the score was only 25-10 was testimony for the Penn State defense, which had held OU's normally potent wishbone offense, led by freshman phenom Jamelle Holieway, to just 31 yards rushing in the first half.

The disappointment of that night led 17 fourth-year players to return for a fifth year, and another shot at a National Championship.  Duffy Cobbs, Shane Conlan, Don Graham, Bob White, Keith Radecic, Dan Morgan, Eric Hamilton, Brian Siverling, David Clark - you get the idea.  Penn State would also have 17 more 4th year seniors heading into 1986, including All-Americans Chris Conlin and DJ Dozier - 34 seniors.  Thirty-four.

Pre-Season AP Poll

While PennLive held a vote to pick Joe's starting quarterback that August (which Matt Knizner won over John Shaffer), the Oklahoma Sooners returned 18 of 22 starters from their 1985 National Championship squad, and sat atop the pre-season AP poll.  Seven teams, including PSU, received first place votes.

Rank	Team	Points
1	Oklahoma (44)	1171
2	Michigan (6)	1016
3	Miami (1)	976
4	UCLA (3)	972
5	Alabama	911
6	Penn State (3)	892
7	Texas A&M (1)	871
8	Nebraska (1)	826
9	Ohio State	673
10	Tennessee	578

Week 1 - September 9th, 1986

After the first week of the season, it looked like the Sooners' trophy to lose.  Oklahoma boat raced #4 UCLA by 5 touchdowns in Norman.  That was enough for all but four voters to switch to the Sooners.  Penn State started with a yawner, 45-15, over hapless Temple.

Rank	Team	Points	Result
1	Oklahoma (55)	1175	W 38-3 vs. #4 UCLA
2	Miami (1)	1050	W 25-13 at #13 Florida
3	Michigan (1)	1026	DNP
4	Alabama	986	W 16-10 vs. #9 Ohio St
5	Penn State (1)	952	W 45-15 vs. Temple
6	Nebraska (1)	896	W 34-17 vs. #11 Florida St
7	Texas A&M	868	DNP
8	Tennessee	713	W 35-21 vs. New Mexico
9	Auburn	509	W 42-14 vs. Chattanooga
10	Ohio State	502	L 10-16 vs. #5 Alabama

Week 2 - September 16th, 1986

In week 2, Penn State and OU sat idle while Ohio State traveled to Seattle, and got destroyed by U-Dub, 40-7.  An 0-2 start for the Buckeyes (but still alive for the Rose Bowl WOOOOOOO!!!!!) dropped them from the polls completely.   Michigan squeaked out a 1-point win over an unranked Notre Dame in the Big House.  They lost their one first place vote for that.

Rank	Team	Points	Result
1	Oklahoma (55)	1175	DNP
2	Miami (1)	1099	W 61-11 vs. Texas Tech
3	Michigan	1000	W 24-23 vs. Notre Dame
4	Alabama (1)	992	W 31-17 vs. Southern Miss
5	Penn State (1)	938	DNP
6	Nebraska (1)	924	DNP
7	Washington (1)	751	W 40-7 vs. #10 Ohio St
8	LSU	747	W 35-17 vs. #7 Texas A&M
9	Baylor	629	W 38-7 vs. La Tech
10	Auburn	615	DNP

Week 3 - September 23rd, 1986

Penn State traveled to Boston College and played a night game at Sullivan Stadium.  BC night games are tough.  They won ugly, 26-14.  That dropped them in the polls to 7th, though they hung on to their lone first place vote.

Rank	Team	Points	Result
1	Oklahoma (55)	1175	W 63-0 vs. Minnesota
2	Miami (1)	1104	DNP
3	Alabama	1020	W 21-7 at #13 Florida
4	Nebraska (1)	954	W 59-14 at Illinois
5	Michigan	946	W 31-12 vs. Oregon St
6	Washington (1)	903	W 52-21 vs. #11 BYU
7	Penn State (1)	878	W 26-14 at Boston College
8	Auburn	722	W 45-0 vs East Carolina
9	Arkansas	639	W 34-17 vs Tulsa
10	Arizona	583	W 41-17 at Oregon

Week 4 - September 30th, 1986

Then everything changed.  The Miami Hurricanes hosted Oklahoma and beat them convincingly, 28-16, in the Orange Bowl.  Miami's first place vote count went from 1 to 56.  Alabama climbed to #2.  Don James' Huskies lost.  And Penn State inched up to #5, after trouncing East Carolina in a game that, almost assuredly, was not broadcast on television outside of Centre County.

Rank	Team	Points	Result
1	Miami (56)	1156	W 28-16 vs. #1 Oklahoma
2	Alabama (1)	1058	DNP
3	Nebraska	1020	W 48-14 vs. Oregon
4	Michigan	953	W 20-18 vs. #20 Florida St
5	Penn State (1)	908	W 42-17 vs. East Carolina
6	Oklahoma	891	L 16-28 at #2 Miami
7	Auburn	819	W 34-8 vs. Tennessee
8	Arkansas	716	W 42-11 vs. New Mexico St
9	USC	707	W 20-10 vs. #6 Washington
10	Arizona	629	W 24-21 vs. Colorado

Week 5 - October 7th, 1986

Another week, another set of beatings.  Big Ten Powerhouse Rutgers got destroyed 31-6 by Penn State.  Alabama took out Notre Dame, and made it look a whole lot easier than Michigan had done two weeks earlier.

Rank	Team	Points	Result
1	Miami (55)	1155	W 34-0 vs Northern Illinois
2	Alabama (2)	1084	W 28-10 vs Notre Dame
3	Nebraska	988	W 27-24 vs South Carolina
4	Michigan	959	W 34-17 vs Wisconsin
5	Penn State (1)	937	W 31-6 vs Rutgers
6	Oklahoma	867	W 56-10 vs Kansas State
7	Auburn	828	W 55-6 vs Western Carolina
8	Arkansas	726	W 34-17 vs TCU
9	USC	709	W 35-21 vs Oregon
10	Iowa	614	W 24-21 at #17 Michigan State

Week 6 - October 14th, 1986

For week 6, Penn State hosted Cincinnati, and had to come from behind in the fourth quarter to pull out a hard fought 23-17 win.  The voters saw the box score, and were unimpressed, dropping the Lions to 6th place, one spot behind the 1-loss Sooners.

Rank	Team	Points	Result
1	Miami (56)	1175	W 58-14 vs West Virginia
2	Alabama (2)	1099	W 37-0 vs Memphis
3	Nebraska	1088	W 30-10 vs Oklahoma St
4	Michigan	986	W 27-6 vs Michigan St
5	Oklahoma	946	W 47-12 vs Texas
6	Penn State (1)	892	W 23-17 vs Cincinnati
7	Auburn	861	W 31-9 at Vanderbilt
8	Iowa	752	W 17-6 vs Wisconsin
9	Washington	676	W 24-14 at #18 Stanford
10	Arizona State	619	W 37-17 at Oregon

Week 7 - October 21st, 1986

One week later, the Canes traveled to Cincinnati and stomped the Bearcats, who were still getting over the Penn State flu.  Asked before the January 2nd Fiesta Bowl about both teams, the Cincinnati head coach thought Penn State would win.  More people should have listened to him.

This also feels like the point that Penn State started to hit their stride.  They mercilessly drubbed a good Syracuse team 42-3 (the Orange would finish 11-0-1 in 1987, by the way).  Joe always had a special hate for the 'Cuse.  But that beating still left PSU 6th, behind the 1-loss Sooners.

Rank	Team	Points	Result
1	Miami (55)	1174	W 45-13 at Cincinnati
2	Alabama (3)	1111	W 56-28 at Tennessee
3	Nebraska	1024	W 48-17 vs Missouri
4	Michigan	997	W 20-17 vs #8 Iowa
5	Oklahoma	937	W 19-0 vs Oklahoma St
6	Penn State (1)	902	W 42-3 vs Syracuse
7	Auburn	861	W 31-10 vs Georgia Tech
8	Washington	704	W 48-0 vs Bowling Green
9	Arizona State	695	W 49-0 vs Cal
10	Texas A&M	606	W 31-30 vs #20 Baylor

Week 8 - October 28th, 1986

Week 8.  This was the week that Penn State's National Championship took flight.  The Lions traveled south to Tuscaloosa for its annual rivalry with then #2 Alabama.  It was a massacre, 23-3.  The defense forced 5 turnovers, knocked out 12 teeth, and took 2 or 3 unsportsmanlike penalties.  Bama got a few 15-yard flags themselves.  But John Shaffer played brilliantly, as did a "good, young back" named Blair Thomas.

Rank	Team	Points	Result
1	Miami (55)	1193	DNP
2	Penn State (4)	1107	W 23-3 at #2 Alabama
3	Michigan (1)	1081	W 38-14 at Indiana
4	Oklahoma	1017	W 38-0 at Iowa State
5	Auburn	986	W 35-6 at Mississippi St
6	Washington	818	W 38-3 vs Oregon
7	Arizona State	798	W 52-7 vs Utah
8	Alabama	792	L 3-23 vs #6 Penn State
9	Nebraska	684	L 10-20 at Colorado
10	Texas A&M	679	W 45-10 vs Rice

Week 9 - November 4th, 1986

Just when the offense looked like it may have turned the corner......back to the grind.  I think the 1986 team preferred it that way, actually.  They'd rather punch and fight than roll up the score.

If the Bama and Miami games from this season are the evidence, then the '86 Lions actually preferred when the other team punched back.  It's as if they were bored by teams that curled in a ball, and got energized by an opponent who attempted to fight back.  Sort of an, "oh, you punched back?  YES! That's terrific, because now I'm really gonna **** you up" attitude.

It's hard to describe.  But however you attempt to define it, that trait remains the distinguishing feature to this team thirty years after they last suited up.

Rank	Team	Points	Result
1	Miami (53)	1153	W 41-23 vs #20 Florida St
2	Penn State (4)	1076	W 19-0 vs West Virginia
3	Michigan (1)	1053	W 69-13 vs Illinois
4	Oklahoma	953	W 64-3 vs Kansas
5	Arizona State	921	W 34-21 vs #6 Washington
6	Alabama (1)	861	W 38-3 at #19 Mississippi St
7	Nebraska	793	W 38-0 at Kansas State
8	Texas A&M	740	W 39-35 at SMU
9	Auburn	660	L 17-18 at Florida
10	Arkansas	639	W 45-14 vs Rice

Week 10 - November 11th, 1986

But first, before we crown them, we come to stupid Maryland.  The Turtles, pre-season #20, visited Beaver Stadium and went for a 2-point conversion to tie the game with less than 2 minutes to play.  A Penn State defensive back knocked the pass attempt away, preserving the win.  Penn State lost three first-place votes, and fell to 3rd in the polls behind Michigan.  An undefeated Auburn squad with Brent Fullwood running wild had climbed to 8th - three spots behind John Cooper's once-tied Arizona State team.  (Exactly how the polls work today).

Rank	Team	Points	Result
1	Miami (57)	1195	W 37-10 at Pitt
2	Michigan (1)	1102	W 31-7 at Purdue
3	Penn State (1)	1075	W 17-15 vs Maryland
4	Oklahoma	1041	W 77-0 vs Missouri
5	Arizona State (1)	973	W 49-0 vs Cal
6	Nebraska (1)	878	W 35-14 at Iowa State
7	Texas A&M	830	DNP
8	Auburn	782	W 52-7 vs Cincinnati
9	Ohio State	711	W 31-10 at #11 Iowa
10	Washington	606	W 28-12 at Oregon State

Week 11 - November 18th, 1986

Penn State traveled to South Bend and beat Lou Holtz, climbing back to #2 in the polls after Michigan crapped the bed against a Minnesota Gophers team that the Sooners had beaten 63-0 earlier in the season.  Suck it, Domers and M-Club.

Rank	Team	Points	Result
1	Miami (56)	1196	W 23-10 vs Tulsa
2	Penn State (3)	1119	W 24-19 at Notre Dame
3	Oklahoma	1083	W 28-0 at Colorado
4	Arizona State (1)	1025	W 52-6 vs Wichita State
5	Nebraska	964	W 70-0 vs Kansas
6	Michigan	856	L 17-20 vs Minnesota
7	Ohio State	842	W 30-17 at Wisconsin
8	LSU	730	W 14-10 at #6 Alabama
9	Alabama	707	L 10-14 vs #8 LSU
10	USC	641	W 28-3 vs Cal

Week 12 - November 25th, 1986

Ahhh...end of season rivalry games.  The best time of the year.  We used to have one of these, by the way.

Penn State stomped the life out of Pitt, 34-14.  Barry Switzer beat Tom Osbourne (again).  Michigan pulled one out against Chris Carter and Ohio State.  Bama lost to Auburn, and Arizona State lost to Arizona (proving that John Cooper stunk at rivalry games).  And, after Thanksgiving, Texas A&M put the nail in Texas' coffin.

Only three of those six rivalry games are played today.  Hooray, conference expansion.

Rank	Team	Points	Result
1	Miami (54)	1156	DNP
2	Penn State (4)	1090	W 34-14 vs Pitt
3	Oklahoma	1056	W 20-17 at #5 Nebraska
4	Michigan	878	W 26-24 at #7 Ohio State
5	LSU	862	W 21-19 vs Notre Dame
6	Nebraska	834	L 17-20 vs #3 Oklahoma
7	Alabama	763	L 17-21 vs #14 Auburn
8	Arizona State	723	L 17-34 at #14 Arizona
9	Arkansas	670	W 41-0 at SMU
10	Texas A&M	625	W 74-10 vs TCU

Week 13 - December 2nd, 1986

The regular season was over for almost everyone.  Miami beat up on East Carolina, but not as badly as Penn State had back in week four.  Maybe the Canes were not invincible after all?  (HINT: they were not).  At least five voters saw it that way, giving Penn State its most first place votes of the season.

Penn State and Miami were the only unbeaten teams in the land.

Rank	Team	Points	Result
1	Miami (53)	1155	W 36-10 vs East Carolina
2	Penn State (5)	1092	DNP
3	Oklahoma	1053	DNP
4	Michigan	984	W 27-10 at Hawaii
5	LSU	877	W 37-17 vs Tulane
6	Nebraska	861	DNP
7	Alabama	777	DNP
8	Arizona State	710	DNP
9	Arkansas	692	DNP
10	Texas A&M	631	W 16-3 at Texas

Final Poll

We all know how this season ended - with the greatest college football game ever played.  That's how.  The Lions, a 4-point underdog, squeezed the life out of the Canes on defense, and did just enough on offense to secure the National Championship for those 34 seniors.  (Thirty-four!!!)

Even then, though, Penn State's 2nd official National Championship wasn't unanimous.  No, friends.  In a final show of stupidity, three pollsters voted Barry Switzer first.  And that is a microcosm of the larger poll system, and why all football polls must die: because pollsters are dumb.

But that 1986 squad......what a bunch of fighters, huh?

Rank	Team	Record	Points	Result	Bowl
1	Penn State (54)	12-0	1137	W 14-10 vs #1 Miami	Fiesta
2	Miami	11-1	1064	L 10-14 vs. #2 Penn State	Fiesta
3	Oklahoma (3)	11-1	1045	W 42-8 vs. #9 Arkansas	Orange
4	Arizona State	10-1-1	938	W 22-15 vs. #4 Michigan	Rose
5	Nebraska	10-2	937	W 30-15 vs. #5 LSU	Sugar
6	Auburn	10-2	791	W 16-7 vs. USC	Citrus
7	Ohio State	10-3	762	W 28-12 vs #8 Texas A&M	Cotton
8	Michigan	11-2	758	L 15-22 vs. #7 Arizona State	Rose
9	Alabama	10-3	680	W 28-6 vs. #12 Washington	Sun
10	LSU	9-3	526	L 15-30 vs. #5 Nebraska	Sugar