T he Alabama Crimson Tide plays Penn State this week, and the rivalry is one of historic importance.
The AP provided this stat from the series: “The average score of the first 13 meetings was appropriate for two programs known for defense: Alabama 12.4, Penn State 11.8.”
AP: “I can’t speak for everybody on the team, but I really feel like I appreciate the history of the game,” said Jones, born on May 25, 1990. “I feel like this is really something special. You go into an old Alabama restaurant — which there are many of them across the state — and you see old games playing. And a lot of times you see Alabama-Penn State, and it’s great to be a part of that rivalry. Maybe one day they’ll be showing our Alabama-Penn State (game) on the TVs.”
MORE: In a battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2, Alabama’s Barry Krauss upended running back Mike Guman at the goal line to preserve the Tide’s 14-7 win in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1979. It gave second-ranked ‘Bama a national title.
Defensive back Don McNeal had knocked Scott Fitzkee out of bounds about a foot from the goal line on the second-and-goal play before that.
“Can I ever forget it? I don’t want to ever forget it, I really don’t,” said McNeal, a great uncle of current Penn State quarterback Rob Bolden. “I had covered my guy in the end zone on that play, I saw he made the throw and just reacted. I hit him and took him out of bounds. My roommate Curtis McGriff said, `Don, that’s one heck of a play you just made.’ I didn’t realize that. I was just playing football.” (The entire AP story follows below)
Too bad the Alabama-Auburn rivalry could never be this way. All because of Auburn and it’s fans little-man syndrome.
If we played them every year it WOULD be no different than the hate between USC-Notre Dame. If they were in our conference the hate would be equal to us and Auburn. Tennessee or LSU. Just as Texas hates OU and as PSU hates Michigan, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Pitt. Everybody quit trying to sugar coat this damn game! It is a special game, but neither the fans nor the paticipants are Saints. RTR!
You are right. But since we don’t play them but every now and then, it is easier to have mutual respect, like Oklahoma. Their fans were some of the best that I have been around. I think we can respect Penn St. for what they have done, and still beat the hell out of them. I’m looking forward to next years game with them too. I would rather play more of these type of games than the cupcake games.