Penn State Fans Reflect on Past Struggles Amidst Dramatic Game

After a tough season, fans of Penn State were nostalgic for 2016.

This year, Penn State sat at a disappointing 3-5, having faced losses against both Oregon State and UCLA, which knocked them out of the top 25 rankings. A subsequent defeat to Northwestern resulted in the firing of coach James Franklin, leaving any dreams of a championship behind. Yet, on Saturday, interim coach Terry Franklin had the challenge of facing Indiana, currently ranked No. 2 in the College Football Playoff early rankings, at Beaver Stadium.

The atmosphere amongst the Penn State supporters was tense.

In an impressive turnaround, the Nittany Lions managed to score 17 unanswered points in the second half, taking a 24-20 lead as the game neared its end. It could easily remind one of 2016, when the then-unranked Nittany Lions shocked No. 2 Ohio State with a 24-21 victory at home. During that memorable match, Grant Haley returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown just minutes into the game, capped off by 17 points scored in the fourth quarter.

But the game was not over yet, and the Hoosiers had a chance to respond.

With less than two minutes remaining and no timeouts left, Indiana took a Penn State punt at their own 20-yard line. Things quickly went downhill when quarterback Fernando Mendoza was sacked right away, setting up a daunting 2nd-and-17 from their own 13-yard line. It was uncertain how things would play out from there.

Still, Indiana managed to move down the field, with Mendoza connecting with Omar Cooper Jr. to kick off the drive. Tight end Riley Nowakowski then helped push the ball into Penn State territory.

Charlie Becker also made an impressive catch on a contested throw along the left sideline. It marked Becker’s seventh reception of the game, accumulating 118 yards.

Throughout his career, Becker had tallied seven catches for 158 yards and one touchdown.

At that point, Indiana was at 1st-and-goal on Penn State’s 7-yard line, with under 50 seconds to go. Mendoza’s first down pass fell short after being deflected at the line. The crowd erupted as a defensive blitz hit Mendoza during the second down, resulting in an incomplete pass.

But third down proved to be a pivotal moment.

With pressure from Penn State, Mendoza held his ground, connecting with Cooper on a high throw over the middle. Cooper made an impressive leap, not only catching the ball but somehow managing to land it into the end zone despite being pushed back by a defender. This play likely kept Indiana’s hopes alive.

In the FOX Sports booth, commentator Gus Johnson was ecstatic, while Joel Klatt described the throw as “marginal” yet called the catch one of the season’s best. After a video review, the touchdown was confirmed.

During that drive, Mendoza completed 5 of his 8 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown.

Penn State had one timeout remaining and a chance with just 36 seconds on the clock. They were just over midfield, but with five seconds left, they found themselves in a 3rd-and-5 situation at Indiana’s 28-yard line.

As noted by Johnson, it was time for a Hail Mary.

Unfortunately for Penn State, Ethan Grunkemeyer’s pass fell incomplete.

“It’s really about refusing to lose,” Indiana’s head coach Curt Cinetti said post-game. “This was an incredible victory. I’ve witnessed many things, but I’ve never seen anything like this.”

The win pushed Indiana University to 10-0, marking their second time in history achieving ten victories. The previous 10-win season occurred last year, coinciding with Cinetti’s arrival on campus.

Having made the College Football Playoff previously, the Hoosiers now have their sights set on even greater accomplishments in 2025.