14 years ago today: Judgment Day

Submitted by WolverineHistorian on

...in Happy Valley. #4 Michigan destroys #3 Penn State by a final score of 34-8.

The current PSU scandal and all those involved were a part of this game. Jerry Sandusky was still on the sideline watching his defense get shredded. Once Michigan went up 31-0 in the 3rd quarter, the camera showed Sandusky staring off into space and Bob Griese made a point of saying, "Jerry Sandusky cannot believe this."

A quote from Penn State quarterback Mike McQueary before the game:

"We've played tougher games in the 4th quarter than Michigan and that will probably be the difference. We're Penn State and we're not the kind of team that shies away from a particular player like Charles Woodson. We'll go right at him. We'll be careful with the ball and know what he can do. He's a great athlete and a great corner, but certainly, we're going to be a big challenge for him."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HKV_6vmCSc&feature=related

 

jericho

November 8th, 2011 at 11:26 AM ^

I remember this game so well. I had a whole bunch of family over and we were supposed to go out to eat, but I wouldn't leave the game even when we were up by 31.  So all 20 of them were standing in my living room watching me as I watched the game.  Heh.  I still like to watch the first half of that game once a year.  Plus, this had the best hit I have ever seen in football when Taylor laid out that full back.

The Baughz

November 8th, 2011 at 11:29 AM ^

This was my first ever time going to a college football game. I was a youngster, but I remember sitting around all PSU fans, and I was rocking a starter pullover Michigan jacket. It was awesome.

profitgoblue

November 8th, 2011 at 11:40 AM ^

If any of you have ever sat in the PSU student section, its a harrowing experience to say the least.  And it was made even more difficult by Michigan's absolute blowout of PSU that day (because I wanted to jump up and down like a complete idiot at the risk of getting punched in the nose).  We made the trip from Ann Arbor and it was obviously well worth it.  Seeing Woodson break open in the middle of the PSU defense, catch the pass, and then streak into the endzone is one of my most memorable Michigan moments.  I love it when PSU fans are quiet.  Great memories.

M-Dog

November 8th, 2011 at 12:25 PM ^

I was at that game.  That game and the Cap One bowl were the only times I was ever in awe of my own team.

Some impressions of the game:
 
I had 2 tickets from the DC alumni association.  My wife (girlfriend at the time) got sick and could not go.  I was just going to bag it . . . why schlep 3 hours in the rain by myself to see a game we are supposed to lose in a hostile environment? . . . but I decided at the last minute, WTF.  One of the best decisions I ever made.
 
Game time was at 3:30 on a gloomy, misty, cloudy day.  A real Big Ten football day.  Clocks had already been set back so it was getting dark already.  I was late so I had to listen to our first series on the radio.  It was a good drive, but ended only in a field goal.  When I got close to the stadium, I could see it lit up in the distance.  It looked like a battleship floating in the middle of the ocean in a storm.  It was eerie, yet stunnning.
 
When I made it into the stadium, Penn State was starting their first drive.  I entered the stadium at field level just in time to see McQueary "The Rooster" and his trick play blown up for a big loss, up close and personal.  After that, Michigan just unloaded.  We stopped every PSU drive and scored on all of our drives in the first half.  It looked like an NFL team against a high school team.
 
I sat in the upper deck which was new at the time.  The other deck was not built yet, so you could see Mount Nittany in the distance.  When it got into the middle of the 3rd quarter, what I vividly remember is the endless stream of taillights in the darkness, all leaving town in the dimming shadow of Mount Nittany.  Penn State had quit.  We Michigan fans started our own version of the Penn State cheer:  "Where is . . . Penn State?, Where is . . . Penn State?"
 
When the game was over, the team came over to the Michigan section near the end zone to celebrate with us.  That small section of fans was louder than the entire Big House on many football Saturdays.
 
After the game about 50 of us gathered around a guy with a portable TV to watch the end of the Nebraska-Missouri game.  Missouri was winning late in the fourth quarter.  We went nuts, up until the famous illegal kick that was recovered by Nebraska to force OT.  Once it went to OT we knew the writing was on the wall.  Game, Nebraska.
 
The game was broadcast on ABC and ESPN was doing a mini Judgement Day "Game Day" from Penn State.  (FSU and UNC were the other undefeated Judgement Day contestants).  Beno Cook was doing the PSU broadcast.  Earlier in the day, he stated that Michigan should not even bother to show up.  So we went over to the braodcast booth and let him have it good.  He was clearly embarassed by his earlier statements.  To calm us down, he informed us that he would be voting us #1 the next day, despite Nebraska's OT win and FSU's win.  
 
I hit the bars after that, careful not to show too much of my Michigan sweatshirt under my coat.  But my Cat-that-ate-the-Canary grin gave me away all night.  I did not leave 
until so late that I had to find a flea-bag roadside motel near Harrisburg because I just could not stay awake any longer.  
 
Slept like a baby that night.
 

jmblue

November 8th, 2011 at 12:36 PM ^

After the game, someone asked McQueary if he'd see Michigan defenders in his sleep.  He said something like "I hope not.  I saw enough of them today."

Srock

November 8th, 2011 at 2:50 PM ^

That was one of the best games I have ever been to. A group of 5 or 6 of us left Ann Arbor mid-morning on Friday and drove straight to State College where we slept on the floor of a fraternity house on Friday night. We got up early, heading to the Stadium to start our tailgate. We ran into one of the Baldwin Brothers (Stephen I think, PSU grad and wrestler at PSU). We had those seats low in the corner of the endzone near the PSU Student Section. I remember going up 21-0 or so and started the chant, "We can't hear you." It seemed so loud - just our small Michigan contingent. As one poster mentioned, it was the icing to have the team run up to us and celelbrate with us all. Oh it was great!

Go Blue!

Wolverine Devotee

November 8th, 2011 at 3:55 PM ^

When I took a poll on here awhile ago, MGoBloggers voted this as the greatest Michigan game of the 90s.

Anytime penn state gets destroyed at home is a good thing. Hate their classless fans.

FrankMurphy

November 8th, 2011 at 4:06 PM ^

I road-tripped to State College for our game there in '99 (which we won 31-27), and I actually think their fans were some of the classiest I saw during any of my B1G college road trips. The worst, surprisingly, were the fans in Madison. The fans in East Lansing and Columbus were bad, but the fans in Madison were worse. 

BluCheese

November 8th, 2011 at 4:53 PM ^

My wife and I were vacationing in Key West for that game.  We watched it in a sports bar just off Duval Street.  At half time I go into the restroom and meet a guy in there wearing Michigan gear.  He tells me he's got a brother on the team.  Turns out it's Jeff Griese.  I invite him out to our table and he sits with us for a while drinking celebratory shots.

Next to us is a table of Nebraska ex-football players who all congratulate us after the game and say we should be No. 1.

One of my favorite memories ever.

NoMoPincherBug

November 8th, 2011 at 7:18 PM ^

I remember that game very well...Dadrion Taylor crushing the PSU TE with the biggest hit in history...

and then late in the game ... "Joe Pa has taken the headphones and is now calling the plays!!!"

LOL at the little egotistical puke when he pulled that crap on his OC and started calling the plays himself....

didnt work Joe you were well past your prime by 1998 buddy.

Mfan17032

November 8th, 2011 at 11:07 PM ^

a PSU blowout and Michigan should just send the band.  I remember being in the stands for the OT game vs PSU when Chris Perry scored and cheering.....We own, Penn State!  My oh my but how the mighty have fallen....