They would love to smell roses as the New Year rolls in. They would love to feel the Miami Beach sand in between their toes. They would love to watch the crystal football shine in the light while their beloved 81-year-old coach raises it into the night.
But if you ask any Penn Stater which day they have marked off in their calendar, they won’t tell you January 1. They won’t say January 8th either.
Nope, it’s October 18, 2008—the day the Nittany Lions face Michigan at Beaver Stadium.
Title dreams are always there, they never go away—but beating Michigan has become the must have of must haves for those who bleed blue and white.
The Nittany Lions haven’t defeated Michigan since 1996—November 16, 1996 to be exact. It’s pushing 12 years now, and since that day, hearing Michigan’s fight song has been extra painful to the majority of the Penn State faithful – kind of like nails on a chalkboard played at max volume over a speaker the size of Michigan Stadium. Yeah, it’s that bad.
Enter the 2008 Nittany Lions, a team on a mission—a team packed with seniors and impact players—a team with talent on offense and defense. They’re a team disciplined enough that they won’t overlook any match, whether it be at Wisconsin this coming weekend, or Michigan at home the following weekend—or anyone else.
Enter the 2008 Wolverines—a squad that isn’t your typical Michigan team. They’re winning games like Lindsay Lohan is passing driver’s tests. Wisconsin comeback aside, which was an impressive victory in its own right, Michigan is still the innocent bunny hiding in a corner surrounded by college football’s carnivores.
Forty-five points and a record 431 total yards to Juice Williams last weekend—ouch. The Wolverines even made Notre Dame look like a powerhouse carnivore. Seven fumbles against the Domers—Michigan couldn’t even get Cheetos to stick to their fingers that day.
Let’s face it; “Rich Rod” needs some time to adapt this program into his system. He will get them there; but it’s just going to take time.
Enter the Penn State Homecoming weekend, which happens to be this match-up—a rarity for teams to schedule power programs on the same weekend as Homecoming.
Still, it’s Penn State’s Homecoming, where fans come extra hungry and tailgate extra hard—
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about 1 month ago
WE ARE..........GOING TO BEAT MICHIGAN..........PENN STATE.....
from about 1 month ago
Ha ha... dude, if there's any year that they can, it's this year.
WE ARE... visiting the CAFE.
about 1 month ago
Warn your wife on "What is about to happen at the cafe". Let the good times roll.
from about 1 month ago
Ha ha - I think a lot of people may need to be warned.
about 1 month ago
just remember new orleans baby
from about 1 month ago
One of the more fun times I've had...
about 1 month ago
Nice article, Michigan may be the most important game of the season, or at least the most important home game. You cannot forget Ohio State away. If we beat Wisconsin and Michigan, Ohio State is the difference to us between National Championship, or Rose Bowl and even possibly Capital One Bowl if Ohio State beats us out in conference play and doesn't go to the Championship. Michigan is very important, though. I think we will beat them and break the curse. I'll be cheering even harder at this game than I was at the Illinois game. I don't know why, but I have a strong feeling that I'll be in Miami in early January playing the second ranked team in the country, as we will be #1.
from about 1 month ago
Thanks Isaac. Yeah, I'm obviously not forgetting those, but just trying to really get that point across that Penn Staters of the world really want to finally get that Michigan monkey off their backs. You know?
I know they're not as talented as Ohio State, but there would be three more games after that, and certainly Michigan State has some weapons - and PSU blew a game to them last year in the second half. I realize this is a different team, but Ringer will still be a headache to deal with.
By the way, if you're there in Miami, I'm planning on being there too. We should meet up if it ever gets that far.
from about 1 month ago
Yeah...maybe we could meet somewhere. But I'm only going if PSU makes it to the Championship, or if I somehow win a sweepstakes and get free tickets. I'll tell you if I'm going.
Michigan State shouldn't be a problem because that's our last game, and even if we are undefeated we can't look ahead in that game because there's nothing to look ahead to. If we are undefeated and win that game, we go to the Championship...but there's no way that's a look-ahead or trap game so we shouldn't have a problem. What could be a trap game is Iowa away or Indiana at home, those could be season spoilers, though unlikely. Every game makes or breaks our season now, and these three upcoming ones are the most important.
from about 1 month ago
I'll be honest - not too worried about MSU either. I mean, they're good, but PSU's defense has been able to handle the solid running games and they should be able to handle Ringer to some degree, which will force the Spartans to beat the Lions with the passing game... while also keeping Penn State's offense off the field. Tall order.
I hear you - my plans were to go to Miami or Pasadena or wherever this year if I can. Just thought I would toss it out there... obviously a long season left.
Are you going to have a piece on the Wisconsin game? A preview?
from about 1 month ago
Probably. Depends on how much time I have on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before the game. I might just do a recap or a summary of each half while watching the game. I'm just gonna see how it goes...
I might run up some statistics on offensive and defensive strengths for both teams and make matchups based on that. I don't think I've written a match up article yet, so I'll probably do that...and I'll probably do the same thing for the Ohio State game. Those two games are the ones where matchups might really matter.
from about 1 month ago
Yeah most definitely those two are... it's going to be interesting, it really is. I still feel like at times this team has been sloppy, but the talent coupled with the number of looks on the Spread HD offense have helped... but the fumbleitis has to stop or it's going to eventually burn them.
They are going to make Evridge beat them... while trying to keep Hill and Clay at bay.
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