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Penn State’s Greatest Seasons: 1994

By Shane Lunnen

29 Oct 1994: Tailback Ki-Jana Carter of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs down the field during a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Penn State won the game 63-14. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger /Allsport
29 Oct 1994: Tailback Ki-Jana Carter of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs down the field during a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Penn State won the game 63-14. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger /Allsport /
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In 1994, Penn State assembled one of the greatest offenses in the history of college football.

In the1987 Fiesta Bowl, Penn State shocked the college football world by upsetting the heavily favored Miami Hurricanes to claim their second national title.  Nearly three years later, they would send shock waves through the college football landscape again.  This time it involved their decision to leave the ranks of the independents.

In December 1989, it was announced Penn State would join the Big Ten Conference.  The negotiations were held between the university presidents with no input from the conference athletic directors or its coaches.  David Jones of Penn Live published a great retrospective piece back in 1994, which can be found here.

The conference athletic directors and coaches were not happy with the decision, but the Nittany Lions would begin Big Ten play in 1993 for football.  The secret negotiations by the Big Ten were a lesson for the conference and a reason for the more inclusive process in recent years with the invites of Nebraska, Maryland and Rutgers.

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The inaugural Big Ten season for the Lions was a successful one.  They finished 10-2 and ranked eighth in the country, setting the stage for Penn State the following year.

Domination from the start and a test in Ann Arbor

On offense, the Nittany Lions were loaded.  By the end of the year they would be one of the greatest offenses in the history of college football.  Quarterback Kerry Collins had a slew of weapons surrounding him.  Running backs Ki-Jana Carter, Mike Archie, and Brian Milne.  Wide receivers Bobby Engram and Joe Jurevicius, plus tight end Kyle Brady.

The Lions poured on the points during their first five games, outscoring their opponents by a combined score of 258-86.  By mid-October they were ranked number three in the country as they traveled to Ann Arbor to face the fifth ranked Michigan Wolverines.  It was a hard fought, back and forth affair, but Penn State would come out on top 31-24.  After the victory, the Lions would be ranked number one in the country.  (Video courtesy of Lee Miller)

A Buckeye beatdown and The Drive

The No. 1 ranking would be short lived because, despite absolutely annihilating Ohio State 63-14, Penn State would be jumped by No. 3 Nebraska after their defeat of second-ranked Colorado.  The Lions would not reclaim number one the rest of the season.

At Indiana, the Lions led 35-14 late when coach Joe Paterno pulled his starters.  The Hoosiers scored twice to make the score respectable, 35-29, and that cost the Lions ground with the pollsters.  The next week at Illinois, the first five minutes of the game were an utter disaster, as the Illini went up 21-0.  Penn State started to claw their way back in the second quarter and late in the game they were down 31-28.  (Video courtesy of vinnymckee)

Penn State would hang on for victory to claim their first ever Big Ten championship.  After blowout wins over Northwestern and Michigan State, Penn State would be headed to Pasadena to take on the Pac-10 champion Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl.

Everything is coming up roses.  Well, almost everything

As an independent, Penn State enjoyed having the freedom to negotiate bowl invites with any bowl of their choosing.  Now that they were in the Big Ten and its champion, they were obligated to the Rose Bowl. Top-ranked Nebraska was invited to the Orange Bowl as champion of the Big 8 and they would face third-ranked Miami.

The Orange Bowl was held the night before the Rose Bowl.  Unfortunately for Penn State, the Cornhuskers had a fourth-quarter comeback and defeated Miami 24-17, thus effectively sealing their first national championship under Tom Osborne.

The Nebraska victory put some damper on Penn State’s game versus Oregon the next day, however the Lions still put on a good show for their first appearance in the Rose Bowl in over 70 years.  Ki-Jana Carter rushed for three touchdowns, including an 83-yard scamper on the Lions’ first offensive play of the game.  (Video courtesy vslice02)

Penn State would win 38-20 and become the first Big Ten team in history to be 12-0.   So many records were set and accolades earned by the 1994 Nittany Lions, but officially they were not crowned national champions.

There is little doubt among Penn State fans about who would have won a match-up against Nebraska that year.  In my opinion the 1994 team was the most exciting Nittany Lion team to watch and my favorite team of all-time.  It will live in Penn State fans’ hearts forever.

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