Penn State Football: Ranking the top 20 wins in program history
By Brad Weiss
19. 2012 Penn State football 24, Wisconsin 21 (OT)
The 2012 college football season was Bill O’Brien’s first at the helm of the Penn State football program. It was an up and down season for sure, but there were some real fireworks to close out what would be an eight-win season for the Nittany Lions.
Playing against the hated Wisconsin Badgers, the Nittany Lions were in a slugfest on a cold day inside Beaver Stadium. Both teams went into this game unranked, but the Badgers would actually win the Leaders Division that season because Michigan and Ohio State were ineligible.
An overtime battle to the finish, the Nittany Lions NASCAR offense was able to do just enough against a Badgers team led by running back Montee Ball, who set the NCAA career touchdown record in this one. In overtime, Sam Ficken’s field goal proved to be the difference, as Kyle French missed his kick wide left after what looked like a sure interception by Glenn Carson.
In a season where the Nittany Lions struggled to play consistent football, this game was a great one to end the year and cap off O’Brien’s first in Happy Valley.