Was '86 Miami the best football team Penn State ever defeated?

[saturdaysarebetter]

Was '86 Miami the best football team Penn State ever defeated? Considering some past outstanding teams Penn State defeated that like the '86 Canes also ended their season with one loss thanks to Penn State:

Georgia '82 was #1, finished ranked #4
Nebraska '82 was #2, finished ranked #3
Pitt '81 was #1, finished ranked #4

Considering some past outstanding teams Penn State defeated that ended their season with two losses, one of those to the Nittany Lions:

Boston College '84 was ranked #9, finished ranked #5
Missouri '69 was #6, finished ranked #6
Ohio State '05 was #6, finished ranked #4
Ohio State '16 was #2, finished ranked #4

 

[Blair10]

Yes, and it’s not even close. That ‘86 Miami team was loaded with future NFL talent on both sides of the ball.

 

[LionJim]

Yes, and it’s not even close. That ‘86 Miami team was loaded with future NFL talent on both sides of the ball.

Not even close.

 

[LionsAndBears]

The 86 Miami team was one of the greatest teams of all time. The talent on that team was incredible. The job Joe did to defeat them was quite possibly the greatest coaching job ever. We had no business winning that game from a talent standpoint but Joe knew how to manipulate the egos of such men like Johnson, Testaverde and Irvin.

Joe would have made a great General if he had chosen that path.

 

[WSTLion87]

'81 Pitt was pretty darn good but '86 Miami gets the nod

Sports Illustrated article after the Fiesta Bowl claimed that, "The Nittany Lions upset a future NFL roster..."

 

[grinagrin]

Random question.
Which was the more incredible upset in a championship game?
Us vs Miami in ‘86
Or
OSU vs Miami in 2002

Both Miami teams were incredible and both us and OSU had no business winning those games.

 

[PSU_Lions_84]

Random question.
Which was the more incredible upset in a championship game?
Us vs Miami in ‘86
Or
OSU vs Miami in 2002

Both Miami teams were incredible and both us and OSU had no business winning those games.

Are you a Penn State fan or a Buckeye one? Therein lies the answer to your question.

 

[Nitt1300]

yep

 

[Bessmoney]

In my opinion, the bowl system played perfectly into any defensive oriented team. High power offenses tend to deteriorate over 4 weeks of not playing a live game, giving a defense a huge advantage. Fell right into Paterno’s wheelhouse.

 

[CVLion]

I sure think so!

 

[BW Lion]

This might be a bit controversial to post, but Jerry Sandusky was the master architect of the 1987 Fiesta Bowl victory.

 

[nittanymoops]

Another great squad PSU defeated was 2014 Ohio State.

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

Another great squad PSU defeated was 2014 Ohio State.

They were most certainly robbed and 2014 Ohio State was a machine at year's end.

 

[PSU89er]

There is nothing controversial to the Sandusky defense against Miami post. Its like saying OJ ran for 2000 yards in a season. Its the truth.

 

[MacNit]

Yes, and it’s not even close. That ‘86 Miami team was loaded with future NFL talent on both sides of the ball.

Pitt 1981

 

[Yogiman71]

I had 40 yard line seats at that Fiesta Bowl, great game.

 

[razpsu]

Random question.
Which was the more incredible upset in a championship game?
Us vs Miami in ‘86
Or
OSU vs Miami in 2002

Both Miami teams were incredible and both us and OSU had no business winning those games.

Wrong Miami game. Miami beating 83 Nebraska was as big as our upset over Miami.

 

[Blair10]

Pitt 1981

No offense to the 1981 Pitt Panthers who had a great team. However, that 1986 Miami Hurricane roster contained the greatest amount of talent ever assembled on a single team in the history of college football.

Think about this:

QB room: Testaverde, Walsh (Testaverde won the Heisman)
RB room: Bratton, Highsmith, Williams, Oliver, Gary (all drafted by or played in the NFL)
WR room: Brett Perriman, Irvin, Brian Blades (all future NFL players)
TE room: Roberts, Henry, Smith (all future NFL players)
OL room: Gregg Rakoczy, Paul O’Connor (both NFL players)
DL room: Jerome Brown, Danny Stubbs (both NFL players)
LB room: George Mira Jr., Randy Shannon, Winston Moss (all drafted by the NFL)
DB room: Bennie Blades, Bubba McDowell, Selwyn Brown, Darrell Fullington (all played in the NFL)
Punter: Jeff Feagles (played 22 seasons in the NFL)

The 1986 Miami Hurricanes roster had at least 20 players who were drafted by or played in the NFL.

 

[Bvillebaron]

The 86 Miami team was one of the greatest teams of all time. The talent on that team was incredible. The job Joe did to defeat them was quite possibly the greatest coaching job ever. We had no business winning that game from a talent standpoint but Joe knew how to manipulate the egos of such men like Johnson, Testaverde and Irvin.

Joe would have made a great General if he had chosen that path.

I was watching the game with my wife and best friend and his wife. Said right before the Gifto INT that after playing that hard all game Miami was going to run Highsmith who had been gashing the team on that final drive and win. Your post was spot on since discovered afterwards that Testaverde convinced Johnson to throw during a TO which played right into PSU’s game plan and resulted in first a sack and then a game ending INT. Favorite National Championship and I was in New Orleans for the first one.

 

[Train027]

It’s hard to disagree with that Miami team. One game to remember is the 1964 Ohio St. game. Penn St. was 3-4 and went to Columbus and beat #2 Ohio State 27-0.

 

[LionJim]

No offense to the 1981 Pitt Panthers who had a great team. However, that 1986 Miami Hurricane roster contained the greatest amount of talent ever assembled on a single team in the history of college football.

Think about this:

QB room: Testaverde, Walsh (both players won the Heisman)
RB room: Bratton, Highsmith, Williams, Oliver, Gary (all drafted by or played in the NFL)
WR room: Brett Perriman, Irvin, Brian Blades (all future NFL players)
TE room: Roberts, Henry, Smith (all future NFL players)
OL room: Gregg Rakoczy, Paul O’Connor (both NFL players)
DL room: Jerome Brown, Danny Stubbs (both NFL players)
LB room: George Mira Jr., Randy Shannon, Winston Moss (all drafted by the NFL)
DB room: Bennie Blades, Bubba McDowell, Selwyn Brown, Darrell Fullington (all played in the NFL)
Punter: Jeff Feagles (played 22 seasons in the NFL)

The 1986 Miami Hurricanes roster had at least 20 players who were drafted by or played in the NFL.

And Jerome Brown played the greatest game I’ve ever seen in that Fiesta Bowl.

 

[slwlion01]

Was '86 Miami the best football team Penn State ever defeated? Considering some past outstanding teams Penn State defeated that like the '86 Canes also ended their season with one loss thanks to Penn State:

Georgia '82 was #1, finished ranked #4
Nebraska '82 was #2, finished ranked #3
Pitt '81 was #1, finished ranked #4

Considering some past outstanding teams Penn State defeated that ended their season with two losses, one of those to the Nittany Lions:

Boston College '84 was ranked #9, finished ranked #5
Missouri '69 was #6, finished ranked #6
Ohio State '05 was #6, finished ranked #4
Ohio State '16 was #2, finished ranked #4

Watched the game in a bar in Key West. On the way stopped in Sugar loaf key and a bartender bet me $100 that Miami would "destroy" Psu. Went back to collect the next day and he took the day off. All these years later and it still makes me laugh.

 

[Nitt1300]

Pitt 1981

That Pitt team had some quit in them. It was a great win for us, but nobody with any character gets beat like that after being up by 14 early.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the hell out of it.

 

[Bob78]

I was at a PSU event in the spring after that game. John Shaffer and Shane Conlan spoke. Both said that on the field after the game, and then at the All-Star games later in January, the only Hurricane who was not gracious and congratulatory was Jimmy Johnson. Johnson later referred to that game as his most agonizing defeat in his career.
The great radio broadcast comment by George Paterno, made as the game was unfolding... "Right now, Vinny has no idea what the Penn State defense is doing". It was a brilliant game plan, never calling the same defense twice. The mini-documentary about the game said they had 150 different defenses prepared for the game.
That Miami team was unreal. However, while not at the same level player-for-player or position-for-position, let's remember that our team had significant talent as well, both college level and NFL level talent. While Miami was clearly and far above the most talented team in the country that season, we were a top 5 if not better. We likely had the coaching staff advantage, which is saying a lot as that Miami team had a very good staff.
A huge upset, certainly, but as I've always said, give Joe a month to prepare, and he was very tough to beat.

 

[Bob78]

Was '86 Miami the best football team Penn State ever defeated? Considering some past outstanding teams Penn State defeated that like the '86 Canes also ended their season with one loss thanks to Penn State:

Georgia '82 was #1, finished ranked #4
Nebraska '82 was #2, finished ranked #3
Pitt '81 was #1, finished ranked #4

Considering some past outstanding teams Penn State defeated that ended their season with two losses, one of those to the Nittany Lions:

Boston College '84 was ranked #9, finished ranked #5
Missouri '69 was #6, finished ranked #6
Ohio State '05 was #6, finished ranked #4
Ohio State '16 was #2, finished ranked #4

Paterno said at one point, that after reviewing all the film on Missouri, he felt they were the best team in the country by the end of the regular season in '69. They had some solid talent all over and solid coaching. Their offense was considered to be all but unstoppable.
Similar to Miami in '86.

 

[CVLion]

I was at a PSU event in the spring after that game. John Shaffer and Shane Conlan spoke. Both said that on the field after the game, and then at the All-Star games later in January, the only Hurricane who was not gracious and congratulatory was Jimmy Johnson. .

It’s good to hear the players carried themselves that way in the end, because they sure acted like d-bags beforehand!

 

[Connorpozlee]

It’s good to hear the players carried themselves that way in the end, because they sure acted like d-bags beforehand!

Truth of the matter is that, if given the opportunity, Penn State’s players probably would have acted like d-bags before that game as well. Penn State’s head coach would not allow that type of behavior.

 

[Bob78]

Truth of the matter is that, if given the opportunity, Penn State’s players probably would have acted like d-bags before that game as well. Penn State’s head coach would not allow that type of behavior.

Or... generally speaking, maybe PSU recruited and created team leadership from a different kind of off-field personality to complement their self-confidence and on-field aggressiveness.

 

[Connorpozlee]

Or... generally speaking, maybe PSU recruited and created team leadership from a different kind of off-field personality to complement their self-confidence and on-field aggressiveness.

Maybe. But kids tend to follow their leadership.

 

[Bob78]

Maybe. But kids tend to follow their leadership.

Yes. And people tend to recruit (sports or business) with the overall culture and direction of their leadership (and brand) in mind.

 

[NavyBlue]

I had 40 yard line seats at that Fiesta Bowl, great game.

I had a great seat also. I was sick (incredible intestinal flu) beginning the first full day of my Penn State sponsored package. Laid in bed until the pep rally the day before and was in fighting form by gametime. We sat around at the resort after the game, exhausted, thinking did we just see that?

 

[PSU87]

I had 40 yard line seats at that Fiesta Bowl, great game.

Front row end zone. DJ running just about straight at us for the winning TD.

While it wasn't the best view in the house, the experience of being at field level for that game... no words. Thanks mom and dad for that early graduation present.

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

Paterno said at one point, that after reviewing all the film on Missouri, he felt they were the best team in the country by the end of the regular season in '69. They had some solid talent all over and solid coaching. Their offense was considered to be all but unstoppable.
Similar to Miami in '86.

That Missouri team defeated both Oklahoma and Nebraska and also went into Ann Arbor and beat the Wolverines 40-17, a team that would later beat #1 Ohio State 24-12. The Tigers beat Oklahoma 44-10 whereas eventual-not-truly-worthy-national champion Texas managed a 10-point victory over the Sooners 27-17.

 

[Connorpozlee]

Yes. And people tend to recruit (sports or business) with the overall culture and direction of their leadership (and brand) in mind.

Correct

 

[MacNit]

No offense to the 1981 Pitt Panthers who had a great team. However, that 1986 Miami Hurricane roster contained the greatest amount of talent ever assembled on a single team in the history of college football.

Think about this:

QB room: Testaverde, Walsh (both players won the Heisman)
RB room: Bratton, Highsmith, Williams, Oliver, Gary (all drafted by or played in the NFL)
WR room: Brett Perriman, Irvin, Brian Blades (all future NFL players)
TE room: Roberts, Henry, Smith (all future NFL players)
OL room: Gregg Rakoczy, Paul O’Connor (both NFL players)
DL room: Jerome Brown, Danny Stubbs (both NFL players)
LB room: George Mira Jr., Randy Shannon, Winston Moss (all drafted by the NFL)
DB room: Bennie Blades, Bubba McDowell, Selwyn Brown, Darrell Fullington (all played in the NFL)
Punter: Jeff Feagles (played 22 seasons in the NFL)

The 1986 Miami Hurricanes roster had at least 20 players who were drafted by or played in the NFL.

Check the Pitt roster. Starts with an all-time great QB. Offensive Lineman in Pro Football Hall-of-Fame, etc.

 

[MacNit]

That Pitt team had some quit in them. It was a great win for us, but nobody with any character gets beat like that after being up by 14 early.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the hell out of it.

Our great 1981 team made them quit. And keep in mind, they had beaten us 2 in a row on our home field.

 

[Nitt1300]

You could make the case that the 86 'Canes were the best one loss team ever.

 

[BobPSU92]

You could make the case that the 86 'Canes were the best one loss team ever.

And no one would say that ‘86 PSU is the best undefeated team ever, so we still lost by winning.

 

[Nitt1300]

And no one would say that ‘86 PSU is the best undefeated team ever, so we still lost by winning.

fire Franklin

 

[Keyser Soze 16802]

And no one would say that ‘86 PSU is the best undefeated team ever, so we still lost by winning.

Some years, including 1986, Paterno had teams that were greater than the sum of their parts

That's what great coaches do

Have we seen a greater than the sum of its parts team under Big Game James?

NOPE