Quote:
Originally Posted by Bucklion
Penn State in the Big Ten has never been us under Tressel or anything, but they made a run at being good early in their Big Ten era...big finish to the 1993 season, undefeated in 1994, and despite losing to us both years, good seasons in 1995 and 1996. They were also ranked #1 for portions of 1997 and 1999, and have pasted some SEC teams in bowl games, which is always a welcome sight. However besides 1994 they could never really win the big game, or at least not 2 in one season, which you need to have a really great team, and a really great season.
That said, they officially ceased being relevant and hit the downward spiral for good (under Paterno) in 1999 when they were 9-0 and that 4th and 16 ball hit off a PSU defender, went to a Minnesota receiver, and the Gophers kicked the winning field goal. They have never recovered from that play, and won't until a new coaching staff is in place and the entire direction of the program is different. Their facilities are such that it is certainly possible they could be dominant again sometime in the future, but that isn't going to happen anytime soon. 2005 was a fluke...not that that wasn't a good team, it was, but much in the way that Illinois was in 2001 and Iowa was in 2002, in terms of a one-season wonder. Penn State is basically a 9-3 to 7-5 team...just like Florida State under Bowden is now. How long ago does that 12 year run in the top 4 for Florida State seem now? A lifetime ago? We have bigger fish to fry anymore...Penn State isn't even the 2nd biggest game on our schedule most seasons.
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I agree with you to a point. Penn State certainly has lost something as a program at the very top end, but they are a very good football team. Comparing 05 PSU to Iowa in 02 or Illinois in 01 is a stretch, IMO. The night they beat tOSU they could have beaten any college team I've seen play this century, which isn't something I would ever have said about the aforementioned 2 teams. They had a great season that year, and if they weren't scUM's bitch this may well be a different conversation. Comparing them to Florida State seems a bit of a reach, as well.
I can see a similarity to FSU, but Bowden's teams play terribly at times. They have repeatedly not shown up to games against teams they should beat like schoolchildren, and have been doing that for a few years. PSU hasn't made that a habit yet.