Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1482664
N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 2 19 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M FIVE YEARS AGO, 2017 It took a little longer than they might have hoped, but the Nittany Lions re- gained their stride after an agonizing come-from-ahead loss at Ohio State in late October. Penn State opened the November por- tion of its schedule with a three-point loss at Michigan State, but there was no stopping the Saquon Barkley-led offense in the three games that followed. PSU concluded its regular season by rolling to victories over Rutgers (35-6), Nebraska (56-44) and Maryland (66-3). The Nittany Lions' home finale against Nebraska might have seemed relatively competitive to those who saw only the final score, but the hosts led 42-10 at halftime, thanks primarily to Barkley, who rushed for 142 yards and 3 touch- downs in the first two quarters alone. The junior running back played sparingly in the second half and finished the game with 158 yards rushing and 224 yards of total offense. Barkley was asked afterward whether he had just played his last game in Bea- ver Stadium. He said he hadn't made a decision about whether to leave early, preferring instead to honor the players who had been introduced to the crowd on Senior Day. "When this program was at the bot- tom and everyone counted us out, it was those guys and the class before them … that kept us together and kept Penn State growing," he said. "I'm so thankful for those guys." 10 YEARS AGO, 2012 Penn State was banned from postsea- son play in 2012, so the team headed into its regular-season finale knowing that the matchup against visiting Wisconsin on Nov. 24 would have to suffice as a de facto bowl game. It was an emotional day at Beaver Sta- dium, with stalwart players such as line- backer Michael Mauti, fullback Michael Zordich and quarterback Matt McGloin among the Senior Day honorees. The veterans had stuck with Penn State after the NCAA levied an assortment of seem- ingly devastating sanctions the previous summer and had led the team to a 7-4 record heading into the finale. Against Wisconsin, running back Zach Zwinak totaled 179 yards on 34 carries for his sixth 100-yard game of the sea- son, and kicker Sam Ficken hit 3 field goals, including a 37-yarder in overtime that supplied the decisive points in a 24- 21 victory. Afterward, the departing players re- flected on their time at Penn State and the part they had played in helping the program persevere during the most tur- bulent period in its long history. "It's a different feeling, knowing that there are no more Saturdays at Penn State," McGloin said. "It's definitely emotional, but at the same time, you're happy with what you left behind, and you keep moving forward." 25 YEARS AGO, 1997 On college football's "Judgment Day" — so labeled because there were two late-season games pitting unbeaten na- tional title hopefuls against each other — the battle between No. 3 Penn State and No. 4 Michigan was the prime time headliner. It wasn't much of a game, though. Michigan served as judge, jury and ex- ecutioner in a 34-7 thrashing of PSU at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions managed just 169 yards of total offense and didn't score until Curtis Enis plowed into the end zone in the fourth quarter, long after the outcome had been decided. Bounced unceremoniously from na- tional championship contention, the Li- ons recovered to defeat Purdue 42-17 the following week in West Lafayette and Wisconsin 35-10 on Senior Day at Bea- ver Stadium. They ended with another lopsided loss, though, falling to Michigan State 49-14 in East Lansing. After entering the season ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll, they headed to December at No. 11 and with no as- surances they would be playing on New Year's Day when the bowl invitations went out. — Matt Herb This Month in Penn State Athletics History In what would turn out to be his final game at Beaver Stadium, Saquon Barkley rushed for 158 yards and 3 touchdowns in Penn State's 56-44 win over Nebraska in 2017. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL