Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1529598
6 0 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M M uch has been made in recent years of Penn State's struggles against highly ranked opponents, with the Nittany Lions' recent 20-13 home loss to No. 4 Ohio State adding some heat to a simmering debate over the program's current place in the college football hierarchy. What tends to get lost in the furor over PSU's perennial difficulties against the Buckeyes is that consistently win- ning the games you're supposed to win is an accomplishment in itself — one that shouldn't necessarily be taken for granted. Thirty years ago, one of Penn State's all-time greatest teams proved that point when it headed to Champaign, Ill., for the last road trip of the 1994 season. The Nittany Lions were ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press poll prior to their Nov. 12 meeting with Illinois, having amassed wins over No. 14 USC, No. 5 Michigan and No. 21 Ohio State, the latter a 63-14 beatdown in Beaver Stadium that still brings smiles to the faces of longtime PSU followers. Penn State was undefeated and hop- ing to earn at least a share of the national championship. Illinois was not angling for any titles, national or otherwise. The Illini were unranked at 6-3, with losses to Washington State, Purdue and Michigan. But head coach Lou Tepper had assem- bled an outstanding defense anchored by a pair of future All-Americans in edge rusher Simeon Rice and linebacker Kevin Hardy, both of whom would go on to be chosen early in the first round of the NFL Draft. A COMEBACK FOR THE AGES Thirty years ago, Penn State rallied for one of the signature victories in program history M AT T H E R B | M AT T. H E R B @ O N 3 . C O M Joe Paterno and offensive coordinator Fran Ganter didn't have any answers in the first quarter when Penn State fell behind Illinois by three touchdowns. But the Nittany Lions outscored the Illini 21-3 in the second half en route to a 35-31 victory. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL