Few schools have had more frustration with coming so close to winning a national title than Penn State and coming up just short. In both 1968 and 1969, the Nittany Lions finished unbeaten, but ranked 2nd in the final standings. In 1973, the Nittany Lions finished 12-0, but finished ranked 5th because there were a number of unbeaten teams that season.
In 1977 and 1978, Penn State finished with 11-1 records and 5th and then 4th in the final polls. In 1982, the Nittany Lions finally broke through with a dramatic win over Georgia and their star Herschel Walker in the Sugar Bowl and won their first national title.
The were ranked number 1 in 1985 only to lose to the Oklahoma Sooners who then won the national championship. The following season, the 2nd ranked Penn State Nittany Lions pulled one of the biggest stunners of the year by upsetting top ranked Miami to win the national title.
After a few average years mixed in with one 11-2 season, the Nittany Lions were back in the running for another national title in 1994.
The Penn State Nittany Lions were not affiliated with any conference for decades, but finally joined
the Big 10 conference in 1993 and finished 10-2. They ended up behind both Ohio State and Wisconsin in the standings in that first season. Wisconsin and Ohio State tied in a head to head match up and the Badgers earned the Rose Bowl berth because the Buckeyes went to the Rose Bowl a lot more recently than Wisconsin.
In spite of the unbeaten records in 1968, 1969 and 1973, plus national championships in 1982 and 1986, the 1994 Penn State team may have been their best of all time.
They did not have their greatest defense under Paterno, but their offense was incredible led by quarterback Kerry Collins, running back Ki-Jana Carter, top receivers Bobby Engram and Freddie Scott, and top tight end Kyle Brady. Fullback Brian Milne was an excellent blocker and good in short yardage situations.
The offensive line was also super with future first round draft picks Jeff Hartings and Andre Johnson, plus also future NFL players Marco Rivera, Keith Conlin and Bucky Greeley.
Every player on the 1994 Penn State offense played in the NFL. That’s a pretty cool stat. Let that sink in a minute, every single starter played in the NFL and several back ups.
Illinois countered with an incredible group of linebackers and they all played in the NFL as well.
Simeon Rice, Dana Howard, Kevin Hardy and John Holecek were about as good as it gets with a group of linebackers on one team.
Dana Howard won the Butkus and the Jack Lambert Awards in 1994 and Kevin Hardy won the Butkus in 1995. Simeon Rice and Hardy were both 1st round draft choices, but they all spent some
time in the NFL.
It was the great Penn State offense against the great Illinois defense.
The Nittany Lions were 8-0 coming in and ranked 2nd in the country.
They opened with a stomping of Minnesota of 56-3 before beating 14th ranked USC, 38-14.
By the following week when the Nittany Lions ripped Iowa a new one at 61-21, some must have been asking why they had invited Penn State to join the Big 10.
Rutgers was not in the Big 10 back in 1994, but Penn State went ahead and tore into them as well, winning 55-27. Maybe Rutgers should have taken the hint?
Temple was next and, as expected, another big win for the Lions, 48-21.
The 5-0 Penn State Nittany Lions were then ranked 3rd and had their first real test of the season with a visit to Ann Arbor, Michigan and the 5th ranked Wolverines. Penn State won, 31-24, but there was no time for celebrating because the 21st ranked Ohio State Buckeyes were next.
The game proved to be no problem for Penn State as they just ran all over the Buckeyes, 63-14. This was not as bad of a Buckeye team as the score would indicate led by future Heisman winner Eddie George. This Penn State team was just apparently really good.
However, the following week, Penn State must have been coasting and struggled to beat a really average Indiana, 35-29.
Penn State only had to get past Illinois, at Champaign, and then host Northwestern and Michigan State and win to become the Big 10 champion in only their second season as a member. No big deal.
Right.
Penn State struggled almost from the opening kickoff.
About three plays later, talented Penn State running back Ki-Jana Carter fumbled the ball on his own 25 yard line, recovered by super man Simeon Rice.
Top Illinois rusher Ty Douthard carted the ball down to the Penn State 5 yard line and a couple of plays later, the Illini scored first with Douthard doing the honors.
7-0 Illinois leading.
A few plays later, Penn State quarterback Kerry Collins dropped back to throw the ball and was picked off by Illini defensive back Tyrone Washington who ran it back to the Penn State 23 yard line.
Ty Douthard did most of the work from there getting the Illinois offense down to the Penn State 1
yard line. Illini quarterback Johnny Johnson rolled out and hit a wide open tight end, Ken Dilger, for the touchdown.
Illinois was now up 14-0, and some fans may not have been comfortable in their seats yet. But, how comfortable can you even be in Illinois on November 12th?
Still in the first quarter, Penn State was unable to do anything and Illinois drove the ball down to the Nittany Lion 17 yard line. Quarterback Johnny Johnson dropped back to pass and had all day before finding receiver Shane Fisher in the back of the end zone and he barely kept his feet in bounds.
21-0 Illinois. What was going on here, folks?
Penn State needed to wake up.
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Besides having the outstanding linebackers, this was not one of the stronger Illinois teams. John Mackovic had been their coach, but he left when for some odd reason he was offered the Texas job. He was replaced by linebacker guru, Lou Tepper.
They opened the 1994 season ranked 22nd and promptly lost to unranked Washington State and their infamous coach Mike Price. Washington State turned out better than expected and Price was infamous for his short term experience as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Illinois took out their hurt feelings on Missouri the following week, crushing them 42-0. They beat Northern Illinois next rather easily and getting back into the rankings at 25th before being upset the following week by Purdue. The Boilermakers were not an overly good team in 1994, but they did have an amazing fullback by the name of Alstott that ran for nearly 1,200 yards that season.
The Illini were up and down like a roller coaster at Disney World and came back the following week to beat a good Ohio State team in convincing manner, 24-10. Again, Ohio State had a great running back in Eddie George and the Illinois defense held them to 10 points.
Illinois curb stomped Iowa the following week, 47-7. While not the best of his teams, this was still a Hawkeye squad coached by Hayden Fry.
They lost to then ranked 11th Michigan, at home, 14-19. The 1994 version of the Wolverines may have been slightly disappointing as a team, but they still had Tyrone Wheatley at running back and they were quarterbacked by Todd Collins and coached by Gary Moeller, who was a former Illinois head coach.
Now, 4-3 on the season, the Illini fought back and beat Northwestern and Minnesota to improve their record to 6-3.
They were unranked, but a very dangerous opponent for the Penn State Nittany Lions as a national television audience was finding out on this November 12th of 1994.
The first quarter ended with a stunning 21-0 Illinois advantage.
Penn State got the ball on their own 1 yard line and had a couple of good runs by Carter getting them some breathing room. Collins dropped back to hit outstanding tight end Kyle Brady who ran the ball all the way out to the Illinois 42 yard line. Brady was a beast of a tight end.
Collins hit Brady a couple of more times, one for a much needed first down and the other to the
Illinois 16 yard line. Penn State moved the ball down to the one yard line and from there excellent fullback Brian Milne ran it over for a touchdown. Penn State was finally on the board and it was an extremely impressive 99 yard drive with Collins, Carter and Kyle Brady doing a lot of the work.
This was not one of Joe Paterno and Penn State’s better defenses, but they stopped the Illini on their next drive and partially blocked the punt and got the ball on the Illinois 38 yard line. Great field position for an outstanding offense.
Penn State faked an end around to Bobby Engram and Collins hit wide open Freddy Scott for a 38 yard touchdown.
The score was now 21-14, with Illinois fighting to maintain a lead.
The Illini put together their own drive after the Penn State score with running back Ty Douthard making some nice runs and quarterback Johnny Johnson hitting tight end Ken Dilger on a couple of impressive passes. Douthard did the final honors by scoring and increasing the Illinois lead to 28-14.
Penn State fought back. Running and throwing the ball, the Nittany Lions drove down the field and pulled within 7 points 28-21 on a short Ki-Jana Carter run.
Here came Illinois, but they were stopped at the Penn State 10 yard line and had to settle for a field goal, 31-21.
But, here came Penn State yet again and Collins hit back up running back Mike Archie, who was wide open, all the way down to about the Illinois 11 yard line. But, those linebackers rose up and stuffed Penn State and made them settle for a field goal, which they missed.
It was now in the 4th quarter and Penn State was threatening again. It was 4th and 2 to go at the Illinois 33 yard line. Down by 10 points with about 9 minutes left in the game, Paterno elected to go for it.
Collins dropped back to pass and had all day to get rid of the football. This offensive line was tough. Looking all around and keeping his cool, Collins hit receiver Bobby Engram down to the Illinois 16 yard line. After an impressive Carter run, beefy fullback Brian Milne ran it in for a score from the 5 yard line.
The score was now 31-28 Illinois still holding the advantage.
Illinois tried running out the clock and the Penn State defense stepped up forcing a punt. Penn State
punt returner Mike Archie mistakenly let the ball sail over his head and it rolled all the way down to about their own 3 yard line.
The Penn State offense was backed up against their own end zone with a 3 point disadvantage on the scoreboard and the clock was their enemy. But, there was still plenty of time with about 5 minutes left.
The Nittany Lions offense faced 3rd and 3 from their own 10 when Collins hit old reliable again in tight end Kyle Brady.
Somebody please tell me why college football coaches have moved away from the tight end in their offenses?
Helped later by a face masking penalty, now the Nittany Lions had to move the ball down the field effectively while eating up the clock.
Running and passing their way to a first and goal at the 3 yard line with about a minute left. The Nittany Lions do the right thing and hand the ball to powerful fullback Brian Milne who runs it in for a touchdown. With about 52 seconds left in the game, the Nittany Lions have their first lead at 35-31.
Now, Illinois had it’s turn at a come back. With 4th and 15 at their own 35, quarterback Johnson hit one of his best receivers in Jasper Strong for a huge first down in Penn State territory.
A single completion later, the Illinois offense was on the Penn State 31 yard line with 2 seconds left.
Johnny Johnson threw the ball into the end zone and it was picked off, which sent a huge sigh of relief throughout the Penn State nation.
2nd ranked Penn State was fortunate to leave Champaign, Illinois with a win.
Nebraska was number one in the nation and Penn State was obligated to go to the Rose Bowl because they won the Big 10 title. Ironically, if the Nittany Lions had remained an independent, they could have played the Cornhuskers in the Orange Bowl. But, they didn’t and we will never truly know for certain that Penn State was not the best team in the nation in 1994.
But, Penn State did finish unbeaten at 12-0 and was maybe Joe Paterno’s best team.