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What was the single greatest game performance on offense by a Penn State football player?

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saturdaysarebetter

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What was the greatest single-game performance by a Penn State football player on offense?

I'm going to go with Saquon Barkley vs Iowa, a performance I was fortunate to witness in person.

Others that come to mind: Curt Warner vs. Nebraska in Lincoln in 1981 I believe, Cappy had three consecutive 200-yard games rushing if I recall correctly, Curtis Enis vs USC in the Meadowlands

Others?

 
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Tony 83

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WSTLion87 said:
Blair Thomas vs ND 1987 in the freezing cold
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I'm going with Blair Thomas against Alabama in 1989. Bama blocked the field goal that would have won it; Thomas carried 11 times on a game-ending drive that got down to the Bama 1-yd line, and they blocked the f'n field goal. 35 carries for 160 that day for Blair Thomas. My older daughter was 2 years old at the time, and kept yelling at the TV (maybe 'cause her dad was too) - "they can't stop him!"

Best PSU offensive performance I ever saw, no question. One of the hardest losses to watch too.
 
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psuro

psuro

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Chris92 said:
Garrett Sickels in the 2nd half against tOSU in '16 would be up there as well for the greatest half. 9 tackles, 3.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks is legendary.
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Except the question was about offense. Not defense.
 
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Phoenix lion

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Tony 83 said:
I'm going with Blair Thomas against Alabama in 1989. Bama blocked the field goal that would have won it; Thomas carried 11 times on a game-ending drive that got down to the Bama 1-yd line, and they blocked the f'n field goal. 35 carries for 160 that day for Blair Thomas. My older daughter was 2 years old at the time, and kept yelling at the TV (maybe 'cause her dad was too) - "they can't stop him!"

Best PSU offensive performance I ever saw, no question. One of the hardest losses to watch too.
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My son said I threw the family cat in the air out of the living room when the FG was blocked. She laid in my lap all game.
 
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MacNit

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saturdaysarebetter said:
What was the greatest single-game performance by a Penn State football player on offense?

I'm going to go with Saquon Barkley vs Iowa, a performance I was fortunate to witness in person.

Others that come to mind: Curt Warner vs. Nebraska in Lincoln in 1981 I believe, Cappy had three consecutive 200-yard games rushing if I recall correctly, Curtis Enis vs USC in the Meadowlands

Others?

Click to expand...

Lj 2002 vs MSU
Blackledge 1981 vs Pitt
 
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nittanymoops

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In additions to the above references, honorable mentions to:
Trace vs Wisky in B1G Championship.
True frosh Zack Mills vs. tOSU in 2001 to push JVP past the Bear. 280 passing, 138 rushing.
DWill vs. Illini in 2008
Kijana vs. Sparty 1994
Engram vs. Sparty 8/109, two 4Q TDs including the game winner with seconds left.
 
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rudedude

rudedude

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Tony 83 said:
I'm going with Blair Thomas against Alabama in 1989. Bama blocked the field goal that would have won it; Thomas carried 11 times on a game-ending drive that got down to the Bama 1-yd line, and they blocked the f'n field goal. 35 carries for 160 that day for Blair Thomas. My older daughter was 2 years old at the time, and kept yelling at the TV (maybe 'cause her dad was too) - "they can't stop him!"

Best PSU offensive performance I ever saw, no question. One of the hardest losses to watch too.
Click to expand...
I sat in that endzone and saw the block. They should have given it to Blair one more time for the tuddy instead. Joepa probably had PTSD in regards to Bama and goal line stands.
 
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bbrown

bbrown

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saturdaysarebetter said:
What was the greatest single-game performance by a Penn State football player on offense?

I'm going to go with Saquon Barkley vs Iowa, a performance I was fortunate to witness in person.

Others that come to mind: Curt Warner vs. Nebraska in Lincoln in 1981 I believe, Cappy had three consecutive 200-yard games rushing if I recall correctly, Curtis Enis vs USC in the Meadowlands

Others?

Click to expand...

Those are all good ones, especially the Curt Warner Nebraska.
I'll stay with RB's and I would pick one of either LJ's vs MSU or Indy in 2002. IIRC. Indy basically had painted dirt as gras and LJ could have gone for 400+ yards that day.
 
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bbrown

bbrown

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rudedude said:
I sat in that endzone and saw the block. They should have given it to Blair one more time for the tuddy instead. Joepa probably had PTSD in regards to Bama and goal line stands.
Click to expand...
I was sitting around the 30 yard line on the press box side. My thought was its too close for FG give it to Thomas again.:(
 
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lemonears

lemonears

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Switching the theme to defense:

Mike Reid in the 1969 Orange Bowl

Honorable mention to Mike Munchak in the 48-14 game with the pitters. It was delightful watching Sal Sunseri purposely fall down in the second half to avoid Munchak's hits.
 
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JWB389

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bbrown said:
I was sitting around the 30 yard line on the press box side. My thought was its too close for FG give it to Thomas again.:(
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I was in the student section on the other end. I agree that Blair would have scored if he had another chance. I've tried to find the article, but Thomas said at one time that he should have/could have scored on his last carry, but he didn't realize where he was on the field. Had he known he was close to the endzone, he would have been in.
 
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1995PSUGrad

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Saquon vs Iowa is number one in my mind. Before that I might have picked Ki-Jana Carter vs. Michigan State in 1994.
 
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bbrown

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1995PSUGrad said:
Saquon vs Iowa is number one in my mind. Before that I might have picked Ki-Jana Carter vs. Michigan State in 1994.
Click to expand...
thats a good one as well.
The other one I was thining of and someone else mentioned was Ennis against USC. He was a BEAST.
 
Quint526

Quint526

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1995PSUGrad said:
Saquon vs Iowa is number one in my mind. Before that I might have picked Ki-Jana Carter vs. Michigan State in 1994.
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Barkley at Iowa is definitely in the conversation. Watching the clip above, I forgot how many negative and broken down plays he turned into gains and first downs.

Iowa keyed on and spied Barkley and nearly flooded their field with rubber pellets, and he still had over 300 total yards. Without him, it’s another dismal loss to those mouth breathers.
 
leinbacker

leinbacker

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Another one for the honorable mention list, Curt Warners 1979 debut. After the lost to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, the 1979 season felt like a bad hangover. Many key players graduated so it was a going to be a rebuilding year. The air was out of the Penn State balloon.

Paterno decides to play a true freshman running back (very rare of Paterno in that era) against a Rutgers tam that was playing tough early.

Warner enters the game, rushes 12 times for 100 yards. Caught 2 passes for 71 yards. Returned 4 kickoffs for 110 yards. Scored 3 touchdowns leading PSU to a blowout win.

While just one game, and just Rutgers, Warner gave the program much needed optimism. There was something good to build on.

https://www.nytimes.com/1979/09/16/...rutgers-4510-freshman-runs-wild-gracious.html
 
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LionJim

LionJim

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leinbacker said:
Another one for the honorable mention list, Curt Warners 1979 debut. After the lost to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, the 1979 season felt like a bad hangover. Many key players graduated so it was a going to be a rebuilding year. The air was out of the Penn State balloon.

Paterno decides to play a true freshman running back (very rare of Paterno in that era) against a Rutgers tam that was playing tough early.

Warner enters the game, rushes 12 times for 100 yards. Caught 2 passes for 71 yards. Returned 4 kickoffs for 110 yards. Scored 3 touchdowns leading PSU to a blowout win.

While just one game, and just Rutgers, Warner gave the program much needed optimism. There was something good to build on.

https://www.nytimes.com/1979/09/16/...rutgers-4510-freshman-runs-wild-gracious.html
Click to expand...
You hit the nail on the head. I too had a great sense of optimism after that game.
 
razpsu

razpsu

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I have two and clearly either could be the winner.

1. John cappelletti giving the heisman to his brother!!

2. Joey asking John to score 4 touchdowns for his birthday present. John did just that!!!
 
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Daveb9127

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Kenny Jackson in 81 against Pitt, over 30 ypc, 2 tds, beating the #1 team at the time, would have to be considered.
 
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DandyDonII

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nittanymoops said:
In additions to the above references, honorable mentions to:
Trace vs Wisky in B1G Championship.
True frosh Zack Mills vs. tOSU in 2001 to push JVP past the Bear. 280 passing, 138 rushing.
DWill vs. Illini in 2008
Kijana vs. Sparty 1994
Engram vs. Sparty 8/109, two 4Q TDs including the game winner with seconds left.
Click to expand...
Great call on Engram- that second touchdown was one hell of a dumb playcall, wr screen with no timeouts left, if Engram gets tackled game is over...

Ennis vs USC was huge, but he had another fantastic next level performance against OSU as well.
 
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