Biggest "fluke" plays that went against Penn State?

[blion72]

my wife and I were talking some PSU FB history at dinner and got into some games that turned on some fluke of a play. She says if that is our subject we are going to be here all night - so we ordered a bottle of wine and tried to one up each other.

1. Me - I go 1979 Sugar Bowl goal line stand by Bama stopping Guman and Suhey
2. She says that was no fluke that was stupid
3. Me - 1971 game v Tennessee where Hufnagel has pitch intercepted and guy goes for TD. We dominated them but lost the game.
4. She says - 1982 v Bama where our punter kicks into our own guy and game turns. - I did not recall this one.
5. Me - 2005 UMich game where they get magic 2 sec back on clock and win on last play.
6. She says - 1999 loss to Minny where there was a last min pass on 4th down that put them in FG position to win.
7. Me - 2020 starting with Micah opt out and Journey career over and then Cain down for season after 3 plays.
8. She says - 2020 Indiana last 2 minutes and last play. Ford scoring lets Indy back in.

Anyhow we went on for a while - sad that it was easy to find so many turns of tough luck.

 

[PSU12046]

my wife and I were talking some PSU FB history at dinner and got into some games that turned on some fluke of a play. She says if that is our subject we are going to be here all night - so we ordered a bottle of wine and tried to one up each other.

1. Me - I go 1979 Sugar Bowl goal line stand by Bama stopping Guman and Suhey
2. She says that was no fluke that was stupid
3. Me - 1971 game v Tennessee where Hufnagel has pitch intercepted and guy goes for TD. We dominated them but lost the game.
4. She says - 1982 v Bama where our punter kicks into our own guy and game turns. - I did not recall this one.
5. Me - 2005 UMich game where they get magic 2 sec back on clock and win on last play.
6. She says - 1999 loss to Minny where there was a last min pass on 4th down that put them in FG position to win.
7. Me - 2020 starting with Micah opt out and Journey career over and then Cain down for season after 3 plays.
8. She says - 2020 Indiana last 2 minutes and last play. Ford scoring lets Indy back in.

Anyhow we went on for a while - sad that it was easy to find so many turns of tough luck.

You might have her on number 5. The first time I almost throw my large screen TV out of the window (had to get to a halloween parade that my son and I were in for football and I didn't want to clean up the mess outside later). She wins on number 6 hands down. Derek Fox . . . The beginning of the dark years

 

[Mufasa94]

my wife and I were talking some PSU FB history at dinner and got into some games that turned on some fluke of a play. She says if that is our subject we are going to be here all night - so we ordered a bottle of wine and tried to one up each other.

1. Me - I go 1979 Sugar Bowl goal line stand by Bama stopping Guman and Suhey
2. She says that was no fluke that was stupid
3. Me - 1971 game v Tennessee where Hufnagel has pitch intercepted and guy goes for TD. We dominated them but lost the game.
4. She says - 1982 v Bama where our punter kicks into our own guy and game turns. - I did not recall this one.
5. Me - 2005 UMich game where they get magic 2 sec back on clock and win on last play.
6. She says - 1999 loss to Minny where there was a last min pass on 4th down that put them in FG position to win.
7. Me - 2020 starting with Micah opt out and Journey career over and then Cain down for season after 3 plays.
8. She says - 2020 Indiana last 2 minutes and last play. Ford scoring lets Indy back in.

Anyhow we went on for a while - sad that it was easy to find so many turns of tough luck.

The Lions were losing to Bama in ‘82 when the punt play occurred, so I don’t know that turning applies in regards to the outcome.

The ‘99 Minnesota game certainly qualifies. The Indiana game probably does also.

I’d add the ‘09 Iowa blocked punt game.

 

[PSU12046]

The Lions were losing to Bama in ‘82 when the punt play occurred, so I don’t know that turning applies in regards to the outcome.

The ‘99 Minnesota game certainly qualifies. The Indiana game probably does also.

I’d add the ‘09 Iowa blocked punt game.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't PSU start out as #1 in 1999 (with Lavar on the cover of SI) and the wheels just completely fell off at the end

 

[Nohow]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't PSU start out as #1 in 1999 (with Lavar on the cover of SI) and the wheels just completely fell off at the end

Also in 99, a week after the Minnie loss, PSU led UM 27-17 with a bit over 9 minutes to play, Tom Brady led UM back to win with 2 late TDs.

 

[PSU12046]

Also in 99, a week after the Minnie loss, PSU led UM 27-17 with a bit over 9 minutes to play, Tom Brady led UM back to win with 2 late TDs.

Arghhh. Lavar Arrington, Courtney Brown and Brandon Short. How do you even lose? Dare I say, it must not have been the DC?

 

[CDLionFL]

Bama blocking the short FG to win at Beaver Stadium when Blair Thomas got 'stopped' at the goal line.
ND getting that miraculous catch on the 2-point play to win the Snow Bowl at South Bend
Does Sam Ficken missing 4 FGs in a game count as fluky?

 

[razpsu]

The catch by fitzkee and the Bama player laying him out parallel to goal line stopped the touchdown. That was the fluke.
Minny 1999 was the greatest play that cost us. Hail Mary on 4th down that was tipped and another receiver caught it setting up the fg. Everyone was shocked including the players as they were still shell shocked a week later against Michigan.

 

[PSU12046]

Does Sam Ficken missing 4 FGs in a game count as fluky?

2012 Virginia with BOB as coach. I was watching my daughter's 12U softball game in the car with the radio on with Jack and Steve and almost punched my front window out

 

[CVLion]

I’d add the ‘09 Iowa blocked punt game.

Was that the one where it just rained and rained and rained?

 

[LionJim]

The long Oklahoma TD pass off the blitz in the NC game. Not really a fluke, but that works 9 times out of ten.

 

[MrTailgate]

my wife and I were talking some PSU FB history at dinner and got into some games that turned on some fluke of a play. She says if that is our subject we are going to be here all night - so we ordered a bottle of wine and tried to one up each other.

1. Me - I go 1979 Sugar Bowl goal line stand by Bama stopping Guman and Suhey
2. She says that was no fluke that was stupid
3. Me - 1971 game v Tennessee where Hufnagel has pitch intercepted and guy goes for TD. We dominated them but lost the game.
4. She says - 1982 v Bama where our punter kicks into our own guy and game turns. - I did not recall this one.
5. Me - 2005 UMich game where they get magic 2 sec back on clock and win on last play.
6. She says - 1999 loss to Minny where there was a last min pass on 4th down that put them in FG position to win.
7. Me - 2020 starting with Micah opt out and Journey career over and then Cain down for season after 3 plays.
8. She says - 2020 Indiana last 2 minutes and last play. Ford scoring lets Indy back in.

Anyhow we went on for a while - sad that it was easy to find so many turns of tough luck.

I’d say to not get into any further debates with your wife. A lot of people will say that Fitzkee thought he was going to score and did not exert max effort to get into the end zone. Never liked him....or his girlfriend at PSU during that time either.

 

[Nits74]

This is for the older guys on the board. The 1965 21-17 road loss to Cal on a Hail Mary TD pass. Cal, very questionably, was able to stop the clock with a second left in the game. This was during an era where West Coast officiating was known to be notoriously biased against teams outside their region.

 

[blion72]

I’d say to not get into any further debates with your wife. A lot of people will say that Fitzkee thought he was going to score and did not exert max effort to get into the end zone. Never liked him....or his girlfriend at PSU during that time either.

good one there. I remember the play but not the effort. I recall the BAMA people said that was the big play as their guy somehow got to him when it looked like a sure score. He scores and who knows how that game ends. I think after we were stopped, didn't we hold them inside like their 3 yd line and then there was some kind of fluke penalty on Penn State that let them out and another set of downs? I might be wrong on that, but please correct.

 

[MaconNitt]

2012 Virginia with BOB as coach. I was watching my daughter's 12U softball game in the car with the radio on with Jack and Steve and almost punched my front window out

I guess we all know where BO'B got that from

"it makes me wanna put my fist through this windshield right now."

Bill O'Brien, the outsider, arrived at the perfect time; maybe he's leaving at the right time, too

When O'Brien arrived, he was exactly what PSU needed when they needed it. But he was never destined to fit for long at a place where just being a coach wasn't enough for some.

www.pennlive.com

 

[PSU12046]

I guess we all know where BO'B got that from

"it makes me wanna put my fist through this windshield right now."

Bill O'Brien, the outsider, arrived at the perfect time; maybe he's leaving at the right time, too

When O'Brien arrived, he was exactly what PSU needed when they needed it. But he was never destined to fit for long at a place where just being a coach wasn't enough for some.

www.pennlive.com

My wife felt like David Jones at that point!

 

[MrTailgate]

good one there. I remember the play but not the effort. I recall the BAMA people said that was the big play as their guy somehow got to him when it looked like a sure score. He scores and who knows how that game ends. I think after we were stopped, didn't we hold them inside like their 3 yd line and then there was some kind of fluke penalty on Penn State that let them out and another set of downs? I might be wrong on that, but please correct.

Fitzkee was 100 yard dash champ in high school and I can remember Joe being at the meet and talking to him afterwards. I can remember going out one night to see Johnny’s Dance Band but can’t remember where we saw them up there. It was a bar that you had to go upstairs to enter. It wasn’t one of the usual places and I remember going there a lot one summer since they had a lot of specials. Fitzkee and his girlfriend walked up the stairs to get in first to get a good table. You should have seen his look when our group walked up the stairs past him and his girlfriend and walked in before the doors opened. Our friends were good friends with the band and used to help their lead singer (the incomparable NaN Mancini) get ready. This involved putting her on a table to pull her skin tight pants past her hips. They loved playing at State College by the way.

 

[[email protected]]

ballroom upstairs above mr c's?

 

[[email protected]]

Was that the one where it just rained and rained and rained?

chaz powell caught a pass and went 70+ yards on first play or at least possession,,,and no one on psu made another play the whole game on offense or defense....

 

[JakkL]

Was that the one where it just rained and rained and rained?

I think that was the Tim F'n Dwight game.

 

[Wex18]

good one there. I remember the play but not the effort. I recall the BAMA people said that was the big play as their guy somehow got to him when it looked like a sure score. He scores and who knows how that game ends. I think after we were stopped, didn't we hold them inside like their 3 yd line and then there was some kind of fluke penalty on Penn State that let them out and another set of downs? I might be wrong on that, but please correct.

Penn State had 12 men on rbe field after Alabama shanked a punt.
Bama scored just before halftime on a ball that was trapped in the end zone. I was at the game and the receiver had his back to me, so I didn't see it.When I got home, some non-PSU people told me it shouldn't have counted

 

[Bison13]

I think that was the Tim F'n Dwight game.

It was, I was there as a student and definitely try to eliminate that came from memory.

 

[Midnighter]

Not a fluke per se, but bad luck - think we dropped an INT against Michigan State in 2017, which would have sealed the win, only to get a roughing the passer call next play and then eventual pass TD for the loss. Was the rain delay game IIRC.

 

[PSU12046]

Not a fluke per se, but bad luck - think we dropped an INT against Michigan State in 2017, which would have sealed the win, only to get a roughing the passer call next play and then eventual pass TD for the loss. Was the rain delay game IIRC.

Not to lay blame on one play on one player, but was that dropped int on Oruwariye, between the numbers?

 

[Midnighter]

Not to lay blame on one play on one player, but was that dropped int on Oruwariye, between the numbers?

Think he had two drops that game.

 

[PSU12046]

Think he had two drops that game.

Ooooof!!

 

[GringoStarr99]

The long Oklahoma TD pass off the blitz in the NC game. Not really a fluke, but that works 9 times out of ten.

Smart play call by Switzer...Ray Isom was hurt on the play before if I recall and he was on TE Keith Jackson....can't recall who took Isom's spot but they went right at him and it worked....

 

[MrTailgate]

ballroom upstairs above mr c's?

Yes, i think you’re right. I can’t remember the name of it. I was going to say Gatsby’s but maybe I’m just dreaming that.

 

[MrTailgate]

Was that the one where it just rained and rained and rained?

It poured. I took mercy on my wife and agreed to leave so she could take a shower and change. Watched the rest of the end at Prospector’s.

 

[WSTLion87]

2017 Michigan State the weather delay game.. Thompkins dropped a 4th down pass in his hands.

1999 Minnesota- I still do not understand why Adams and Boyd sat while Fox played.

 

[PSU73]

The long Oklahoma TD pass off the blitz in the NC game. Not really a fluke, but that works 9 times out of ten.

Most painful for me, followed by Bama stuffing us over and over at the goal line.

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

How do you guys remember that stuff. The only things I remember from my 4 years and 3 summers at State are Harry and the 30’ platform

 

[Nitt1300]

the 1999 season- that team flat out quit

 

[PSU12046]

2017 Michigan State the weather delay game.. Thompkins dropped a 4th down pass in his hands.

1999 Minnesota- I still do not understand why Adams and Boyd sat while Fox played.

IIRC MSU had dryers in their locker room. PSU did not bring extra dry uniforms. PSU returned to the game, soaking wet yet. Not really an excuse . . . but still, that had to be a miserable 3 hour(?) delay.

 

[Wex18]

Smart play call by Switzer...Ray Isom was hurt on the play before if I recall and he was on TE Keith Jackson....can't recall who took Isom's spot but they went right at him and it worked....

It might have been Barry Buchman. He wasn't in on the previous play.

 

[blion72]

IIRC MSU had dryers in their locker room. PSU did not bring extra dry uniforms. PSU returned to the game, soaking wet yet. Not really an excuse . . . but still, that had to be a miserable 3 hour(?) delay.

actually now that I think of it, we could probably make several of the Michigan State games flukes. Really strange bad luck v that team. Weather combined with unusual plays has been the story with that team. Last year snow game probably helped them in several situations more than us. Jordan misses chip show with slip.

 

[Keyser Soze 16802]

good one there. I remember the play but not the effort. I recall the BAMA people said that was the big play as their guy somehow got to him when it looked like a sure score. He scores and who knows how that game ends. I think after we were stopped, didn't we hold them inside like their 3 yd line and then there was some kind of fluke penalty on Penn State that let them out and another set of downs? I might be wrong on that, but please correct.

12 men on the field for the punt

 

[PSU12046]

actually now that I think of it, we could probably make several of the Michigan State games flukes. Really strange bad luck v that team. Weather combined with unusual plays has been the story with that team. Last year snow game probably helped them in several situations more than us. Jordan misses chip show with slip.

Was MSU the one that ran the 400 lb. lineman into the endzone to blowout PSU? Although, I remember being in the stands when PSU won in 2008 at home to go to the Rose Bowl and fans were throwing roses at Dantonio and he was throwing them back into the stands. Which just encouraged the exchange more.

 

[manatree]

Kordell Stewart's deflected Hail Mary to Michael Westbrook to beat dUMb in 1994.

 

[massimoManca II]

Arghhh. Lavar Arrington, Courtney Brown and Brandon Short. How do you even lose? Dare I say, it must not have been the DC?

Two Words: Derek. Fox.