10 Reasons to Hate Penn State

By JL Kirven on November 22, 2019 at 7:40 pm
10 Reasons to Hate Penn State
Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports
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Hate is often reliable, unlike Penn State with a lead in the fourth quarter. Here are 10 reasons to hate the Nittany Lions.

10) A couple of whuppins 

Ohio State leads the all-time series against Penn State 19-14, but a few of the 14 losses to the Nittany Lions are particularly embarrassing. 

Let’s start with the first one. 

In November of 1912, the Buckeyes met Penn State in Columbus. Penn State was coming off an undefeated season and it showed. The Nittany Lions dog walked the Buckeyes 37-0. What’s worse is the game was recorded as a forfeit by Ohio State.

That wouldn’t be the last time Penn State put a beatdown on the Buckeyes. In 1994, Penn State’s second season in the Big Ten, the Nittany Lions put on of the worst whuppins in recent Buckeye history. Ki-Jana Carter ran all over John Cooper’s defense and the Nittany Lions won 63-14 and finished the season undefeated. 

  

9) Trace McSorley 

You would think Trace McSorley was Brett Farve the way announcers talk about his grit and swagger, but really it’s just cockiness and hype with little to back it up.

McSorley had the difficult job of handing the ball off to Saquan Barkely and milked it for all it was worth. Still though, despite the baseball swings after touchdowns and the wide receiver get up, McSorley was always a tough opponent and I can imagine Buckeye fans are happy that he won’t be Penn State’s signal caller on Saturday. 

8) We are...kinda lame 

Most schools have a call and response. Everyone knows Ohio State’s, O-H! Yep go ahead and say it. But Penn State’s is kinda lame.

We Are! Penn State!

Oh and is that supposed to mean something? Did I think I was playing someone else? Thank you for reminding me constantly that you are Penn State, a team that’s blown fourth quarter leads to the Buckeyes in back-to-back seasons.

We Are! Not built for this! 

7) Happy Valley 

Technically known as Beaver Stadium, Happy Valley makes the list of hate out of respect. I would hate to play there. It’s a place that’s not happy for an opponent and can be described in two words: Loud and white. Their white outs are the best in the country and their fans are some of the rowdiest. Happy Valley is Penn State’s ultimate weapon and no matter how focused or motivated you are, walking out with a win will be easier said than done.

6) Their running backs are busts 

This one may be a bit of a reach, considering Penn State does have several running backs who flourished in the NFL. Lenny Moore, Franco Harris, Curt Warner and even Saquan Barkley today come to mind. But for a while, Penn State running backs were looked at cautiously thanks to the career fates of Ki-Jana Carter, Curtis Enis and Larry Johnson. 

Carter, who fun fact went to high school with my mom, could have been a stud in the league had he not injured his left knee in the preseason of his rookie year. Carter lasted seven years in the league but didn’t come close to sniffing the potential he showed while he was at Penn State.

Enis was a big boy bruiser with a burst. Enis also had knee troubles as well. By his second season he was a fullback and he was out of the league by the end of his third.

Johnson looked like he had reverted Penn State’s running back legacy to its former glory after back-to-back 1700 yard plus seasons. Unfortunately, Johnson’s body also wore down fast from the toll  of being a workhorse back and he was out of the league after eight years. Today, Johnson deals with the effects of CTE. 

5) What is a Nittany Lion? 

Be the mountain lions or the Cougars but to just make up this concoction is just weird, not to mention it's the scariest besides that thing at Western Kentucky. It looks like someone took out the stuffing of a big bear so they could parade around in its soft cotton exterior to scare the crap out of their friends. 

4) James Franklin 

I don’t know what it is, but I don’t like James Franklin. You know those coaches that sorta just ride the momentum of one great game, moment or season their entire career? Yeah that’s him.

This man was on the hot seat in 2016, but after that season which we will get to shortly, he turned from man who you hoped could turn Penn State around after the scandals and Bill O’Brien to this cocky, annoying and petty thorn in Ohio State’s side.

3) 2016 

Ugh. We all knew it was coming. You couldn’t hear a pin drop in my house during the play you know I’m talking about. Frankly and please leave your opinion in the comments,  that may have been the worst play in Ohio State history. Not just because it cost the Buckeyes the game, but because of the monster it created.

Penn State went on to win the Big Ten and despite a strong argument to go to the College Football Playoff, was left out in favor of an unrefined Ohio State team that got the taste smacked out of its mouth by Clemson.

The same probably would have happened to the Nittany Lions, but they’ve had a chip on their shoulder ever since and the discussions for expansion to the CFP and how important a conference championship is happen every year largely because of that season. 

2) They’re not our rival 

Let me make this perfectly clear. Penn State is NOT our rival. We aren’t like these other schools  that want to hype themselves up for every other game with a bullcrap rivalry for tacky trophies.

Ohio State plays good teams. Wisconsin, Michigan State and Penn State all fall into the category of teams that bring out a different level of intensity in the Buckeyes. As they should, they’re storied programs so of course we they bump heads it’s exciting. The fact that it’s a debate proves my point.  Let’s just all agree that Ohio State’s one and only rival is Illinois in the battle for the Illibuck .

I’m just kidding. That other team doesn’t deserve the honor of being mentioned in this piece. They’ll get what’s coming to them next week. 

1) Jerry Sandusky 

‘Nuff said

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