In fact, Brooks has Linderbaum as his second highest-rated interior blocker. According to Brooks, Texas A&M offensive lineman Kenyon Green is the top interior blocker in this class. After Linderbaum, Brooks ranked Boston College guard Zion Johnson No. 3, Georgia offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer No. 4 and Nebraska center Cam Jurgens No. 5.
Here’s what Brooks wrote about these interior blockers in this 2022 NFL draft class.
The class of interior blockers includes technicians with enough power and pop to play bully ball at the line of scrimmage. Green is an athletic phone-booth controller with the strength, power and explosiveness to blow defenders off the ball in the running game. The former Texas A&M standout excels in a pin-and-pull scheme, but he displays enough athleticism to thrive in zone-based or man-blocking systems, as well. Linderbaum is an athletic pivot with polished skills and a nasty finishing move. The Iowa product is a rare find as a scrappy player with a versatile game. – Brooks, NFL.com.
Linderbaum actually fell one spot in Brooks’ rankings of interior blockers. In Brooks’ first top five 2022 NFL draft prospects by position on Feb. 16, Linderbaum was the No. 1 interior blocker according to Brooks. Now, he’s swapped Green for Linderbaum at the top.
Either way, it’s clear that Linderbaum is considered one of the elite interior offensive line talents in this draft class. Linderbaum started all 35 games at center for Iowa over the past three seasons after making the transition from the defensive line to the offensive side of the football.
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Clemson will begin spring practice Wednesday, but the Tigers aren’t the only ones in the ACC taking the field over the next couple of months. With early preparations for the 2022 season on the horizon for teams throughout the conference, The Clemson …
Clemson will begin spring practice Wednesday, but the Tigers aren’t the only ones in the ACC taking the field over the next couple of months.
With early preparations for the 2022 season on the horizon for teams throughout the conference, The Clemson Insider is going around the league to take a look at where other teams stand going into the spring starting with the eight teams on the Tigers’ schedule. Next up is Boston College.
Head coach: Jeff Hafley (third year)
2021 record: 6-6, 2-6 ACC
Key personnel losses: QB Dennis Grosel, TE Trae Barry, OL Zion Johnson, OL Alec Lindstrom, DB Brandon Sebastian
Key returners/additions: QB Phil Jurkovec, RB Patrick Garwo, WR Zay Flowers, WR Dino Tomlin, OL Christian Mahogany, DE Marcus Valdez, LB Kam Arnold, DB Jaiden Woodbey
Spring gleaning: The Eagles attained bowl eligibility last season despite dealing with injuries at quarterback. Grosel has exhausted his eligibility, but Boston College has its top four tacklers returning to a defense that finished third in the ACC in points allowed (22.2 per game). The Eagles also have their sack leader returning (Valdez).
But the biggest news for Boston College during the offseason was Jurkovec’s decision to return for a fifth season. Now the emphasis has to be on keeping him healthy. A surefire NFL prospect, Jurkovec might be already training for the next level if not for a wrist injury that limited him to just six games a season ago. He’s got his top target back (Flowers) and a Maryland transfer that should give the Eagles more help out wide (Tomlin). There’s also a 1,000-yard rusher in the backfield (Garwo), but the Eagles are losing four starters along the offensive line, something they will have to start addressing this spring. Boston College will host Clemson on Oct. 8.
Spring game: April 9 at Alumni Stadium
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Boston College kicks of their quest for a second straight NCAA title, led by the electric Charlotte North.
When the 2022 women’s lacrosse season gets underway on Saturday, all eyes will be on one person. Charlotte North, a graduate student at Boston College, will take the field for her final season as the No. 1 Eagles open their title campaign with a matchup against No. 4 Northwestern. She’s already accomplished just about everything you possibly can as a college athlete. In 2021, North led BC to the program’s first National Championship, set a new single-season goals record for the NCAA and won the Tewaraaton Award, which goes to the best player each year.
She has dominated in every aspect of the game, but with an extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic’s cancellation of the 2020 season, North has returned for one more season.
“It wasn’t a tough decision,” North said in an interview via Zoom with FTW. “I’m surrounded by so many incredible people here at BC, especially my teammates and coaches. I mean, it was really them that made the decision really easy. That year that got cut short, we felt like we had so much more in us. We felt like we lost a lot of time together at the end of the day.”
North’s admiration for her teammates and coaches was evident as she frequently deflected attention to them and credited others for her success on the field. It certainly hasn’t been a one-woman show in Chestnut Hill, even if North has emerged as the name in lights. Jenn Medjid (61 goals), Belle Smith (47 goals), Hollie Schleicher (92 draw controls, 33 ground balls, 16 caused turnovers) and fellow Texan Rachel Hall (143 saves) are all superstars in their own right heading into this season. Temple transfer Courtney Taylor is expected to beef up an already strong defense.
The Eagles have become a lacrosse powerhouse under head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein, who took over the program before the 2013 season. Boston College has made the tournament every season under Walker-Weinstein, including NCAA championship game appearances in 2017, 2018 and 2019 before winning it all in 2021. Prior to her arrival? Just one NCAA tournament appearance in 2011.
Before North & Co. propelled the Eagles to their first title, players like All-Americans Sam Apuzzo, Dempsey Arsenault and Kenzie Kent set the foundation. Apuzzo, who won the Tewaaraton in 2018, has served on Walker-Weinstein’s staff as an assistant coach since graduating and has been instrumental in North’s development as a player.
“I’ve learned so much from [Apuzzo] in my time here and same with Kayla Traenor, who is now the head coach at Syracuse,” North explained. “I got to learn from them for two years. I wouldn’t even be a sixth or an eighth of the player that I am without learning from them. They’ve taught me everything that I know, and they’re such great mentors for so many people in the game.”
Weinstein-Walker was effusive with praise for her star player, complimenting her drive to win, infectious personality and focus on constant improvement.
“She’s working on things that stopped her last year, and she’s not not too afraid, and she’s not content, and she’s just, she’s getting better and better and better,” Weinstein-Walker said. “It reminds me of Tom Brady. He’s never content. If there’s a diet that he can do that makes him stronger, he’s gonna do it like Charlotte will do anything that it takes, and I think it’s very unique to her.”
When you think of lacrosse hotspots, Dallas, Texas is probably not one of the first that comes to mind. But the Lone Star State has quickly produced some high-level lax stars as high school and club programs have grown. North played for Episcopal School of Dallas (ESD) and Grit Lacrosse under the tutelage of Maggie Koch and Molly Ford.
Charlotte is a natural athlete, but her lacrosse career didn’t start until seventh grade. She played field hockey and basketball, leaving her spring open. “I went out [for lacrosse] and I was really small. I wasn’t talented by any means, but I did love the nature of the sport. I loved you know how fast it was. I loved just everything about it.”
North eventually dropped basketball after her freshman year of high school, focusing on lacrosse. She quickly fell in love with the sport and started turning the heads of coaches around the country. In a 2021 interview with USA Lacrosse Magazine, Koch — who worked with Charlotte at both ESD and Grit — described North’s love for lacrosse in a wonderful way.
“If you’re on the highway and you see a dog with its head out the window and its tongue flapping in the wind, I look at that dog and I think, ‘I hope I’m that happy at some point today.’ That is Charlotte with a lacrosse stick in her hand.”
North’s college career didn’t start with Boston College. The 5’7 attacker committed to Duke out of high school. She played two seasons in Durham, leading the Blue Devils in goals both seasons as she scored 59 her freshman season and 82 as a sophomore.
Weinstein-Walker knew she had to make a move when Charlotte decided to enter the transfer portal after the 2019 season, but she attributes the success of the merger to the makeup of her team. “I give all the credit to the girls on the team and the leaders who just understood Charlotte and really, really understood that she just had a passion for lacrosse and [that] she was in love with the sport and she was unselfish and humble, despite her celebrations and despite her bold play,” Weinstein Walker stated. “I think that allowed Charlotte to step into the spotlight really easily, and I give all the credit to the girls on the team who helped her with that.”
North plays with intensity, always putting eye black on in pre-game as she listens to an undisclosed playlist (although she shared she’s a huge Justin Bieber fan). Her goal celebrations — which she’s done a lot of — are enthusiastic, but she’s always careful with her stick.
In her first full season as an Eagle, North scored an NCAA record 102 goals. Her 31 goals in the postseason set a new NCAA tournament record, and she amassed 174 draw controls over the course of the season, second most in BC history. She earned a spot on just about every list, culminating in becoming BC’s second Tewaaraton Award winner.
Women’s lacrosse has evolved dramatically over the the last two decades — hard sidelines weren’t even introduced until 2006 — and the game has become more fast-paced and exciting. Improved sticks have allowed players to get more creative with their shots and skills, and North is the latest in a short line of players that are earning national attention and changing the game.
“Charlotte North is an electric player, and it’s not just her scoring that impresses me but it’s how she does everything on and off the field,” ESPN analyst and former Virginia lacrosse star Dana Boyle said of North’s game. “Her game is unique, her creativity is next level and she’s changing the game for the better and bringing eyes to the women’s game that might have passed our sport by.”
Her impact goes beyond the women’s game, however. Inside Lacrosse named her the No. 1 player in the country — men’s or women’s — and some of the biggest names in the men’s game are paying close attention. Paul Rabil, a former college/pro star and founder of Premier Lacrosse League, is one of North’s biggest supporters.
“Charlotte’s elevating lacrosse at-large. Not just women’s lacrosse…the sport,” Rabil told FTW via email. “She’s an incredibly gifted athlete with charisma and kindness. A rare combination that you only see once in a generation of players. I’m hopeful that she takes on the assignment of full-time pro lacrosse player when she graduates, joining the wave of attention and growth that the game has shown the last few years. I’m a big fan and in her corner to support.”
Now with name, image and likeness rules changing, North has been able to capitalize on some of her growing popularity. If you visit her website, you can purchase officially licensed tee shirts and jerseys, grab a pair of branded sandals, or follow the link to her Cameo page where she can record you a personalized message. She’s even become a popular Halloween costume for young players:
“The goal is to win a national championship with this year’s team and an ACC championship,” North said definitively. “This year is a new team, and we’ve been working since the fall on building up our identity as our team this year and building that chemistry on the field.”
The men’s and women’s lax seasons look to be full of amazing action in 2022.
The men’s NCAA lacrosse season gets underway in earnest this weekend with No. 3 Duke hosting Robert Morris on February 4 at 5 p.m. ET in a game that will be broadcast by the ACC Network. Mercer picked up the first win of the 2022 season with a victory over Bellarmine on January 29. Thirteen games wait for us on Saturday, including the season-opener for two-time reigning champion Virginia.
The Cavaliers won the title in 2019 — the first for head coach Lars Tiffany — and repeated in 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 season. Virginia enters 2022 as the No. 1 team in the nation with returning stars Connor Shellenberger, Matt Moore, Petey LaSalla, and Cade Saustad.
Squads like Maryland, Duke, North Carolina, Notre Dame, and Georgetown will be looking to unseat the Cavaliers, and that means fans are in for an incredible ride this season.
On the women’s side, game action doesn’t start until February 11. Boston College finally won the program’s first National Championship last season season after making the title game in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Superstar Charlotte North returns after winning the Tewaaraton Award last season and setting a new NCAA record with 102 goals.
Boston College is one of six ACC teams ranked heading into the season, unsurprisingly opening at No. 1. North Carolina and Syracuse take the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, respectively, so it looks like potentially another ACC-dominated season. Big Ten squads Northwestern (No. 4) and Maryland (No. 9) look to change that.
Let’s take a look at some of the must-see games for this 2022 season!
Clemson’s 2022 football schedule was unveiled Monday, which includes a Labor Day matchup with Georgia Tech to get it started, three straight home games to end it and an open date before the Tigers’ highly anticipated trip to Notre Dame. Which games …
Clemson’s 2022 football schedule was unveiled Monday, which includes a Labor Day matchup with Georgia Tech to get it started, three straight home games to end it and an open date before the Tigers’ highly anticipated trip to Notre Dame.
Which games will be the toughest for the Tigers in their quest to not only get back to the ACC championship game but also return to the College Football Playoff?
The Clemson Insider has ranked the most difficult games on the Tigers’ schedule based on the where each game is being played, the caliber of opponent and each team’s personnel as of early February.
Notre Dame
When: Saturday, Nov. 5
Where: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana
Why: The Fighting Irish have a new coach following Brian Kelly’s departure for LSU, though there’s some familiarity still in place with former defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman’s promotion. And Kelly didn’t exactly leave the cupboard bare. Notre Dame does have to find a new starting quarterback, but there’s still plenty of talent (including the entire starting offensive line) returning from a team that finished No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings this past season. When both teams made the playoff in 2020, Notre Dame beat Clemson at home in a double-overtime thriller. The Tigers will be looking to avenge that loss, but it won’t be easy in a game that could have playoff implications depending on the seasons these teams are having when they meet.
Wake Forest
When: Saturday, Sept. 24
Where: Truist Field, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Why: The Demon Deacons are the defending Atlantic Division champions and have quarterback Sam Hartman (and record-setting receiver A.T. Perry) back to lead what was one of the ACC’s most potent offenses this past season. Now Wake gets its shot at Clemson at home after the Tigers handled the Demon Deacons with ease a few months back at Memorial Stadium. Wake has questions on defense, but Clemson’s offense, particularly at quarterback, has its share, too. This starts a crucial stretch of division games for the Tigers, and it’s hard to envision this one not being more competitive this time around.
North Carolina State
When: Saturday, Oct. 1
Where: Memorial Stadium
Why: N.C. State handed Clemson one of its three losses this past season as part of its runner-up finish in the Atlantic Division, and the Wolfpack have some significant contributors returning from that team. None is more important than quarterback Devin O’Leary, who threw for four touchdowns in that overtime win. N.C. State is losing some key pieces, too, namely star offensive tackle Ikem Ekownu, leading receiver Emeka Emezie and leading rusher Zonovan Knight. But the Wolfpack should still a contender in the division, so getting this game at home, where Clemson has won 34 straight games, certainly helps the Tigers.
Miami
When: Saturday, Nov. 19
Where: Memorial Stadium
Why: Miami rotates back on Clemson’s schedule as a cross-divisional opponent at a time when the Hurricanes may be figuring some things out. They’ve also got a new coach in Mario Cristobal, who turned Oregon into one of the Pac-12’s top programs during his five-year tenure in Eugene and now takes over a Miami program that won five of its final six games this past season. The most significant development on the field was the emergence of Tyler Van Dyke, who stepped in for an injured D’Eriq King and became one of the ACC’s best quarterbacks in the second half of the season. Van Dyke, who threw for 2,194 yards, 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions in the last six games, should make Miami a contender in the Coastal Division this fall. This game could very well turn into a matchup of division title hopefuls come mid-November.
Why: Florida State has still yet to make a bowl game under Mike Norvell, but the Seminoles showed some progress in Year 2 of his tenure, increasing their win total by two. And FSU gave Clemson as much of a scare as anybody last season at Memorial Stadium before a late touchdown drive helped the Tigers escape. Now Clemson will make the trip to Tallahassee, which isn’t an easy place for anyone to play. The Tigers are just 2-4 in their last six games at Doak Campbell, though the two wins came in their most recent trips in 2016 and 2018. FSU has its quarterback back, too, in Jordan Travis, who completed nearly 64% of his passes and threw two scores against Clemson this past season.
Boston College
When: Saturday, Oct. 8
Where: Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Why: To say Clemson has dominated this series in recent years would be an understatement. The Tigers have won 11 straight games over Boston College and 13 of 14 dating back to 2008. But the last two meetings, decided by a total of 12 points, haven’t been easy wins for Clemson, and Boston College gave the Tigers a scare last season without quarterback Phil Jurkovec, who’s returning for another season after an injury sidelined him for much of 2021. And that makes Boston College a major wild card in the Atlantic Division. Clemson still holds an overall talent advantage over the Eagles, but Jurkovec is a next-level signal caller. If the 6-foot-5, 225-pounder returns to his pre-injury form, this could be a tricky game for the Tigers on the road.
South Carolina
When: Saturday, Nov. 26
Where: Memorial Stadium
Why: This is another series Clemson has dominated of late with seven straight wins over its in-state rival. The Tigers most recently pitched a shutout on the Gamecocks’ home field. Yet South Carolina surpassed expectations in Year 1 under Shane Beamer, who got the Gamecocks to a bowl game following a 2-8 season in 2020. The optimism in Columbia has only grown with some of the talent Beamer has brought in this offseason, including transfer Spencer Rattler. The former Oklahoma quarterback was a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2020 and a preseason Heisman Trophy favorite before getting benched in favor of Caleb Williams midway through this past season and ultimately transferring. If Rattler stays healthy and returns to some semblance of his 2020 form, this could turn out to be the most interesting Clemson-Carolina matchup in years.
Georgia Tech
When: Monday, Sept. 5
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Why: The Geoff Collins era hasn’t gone well so far for Tech, which has yet to win more than three games each of the last three seasons. Losing star running back Jahmyr Gibbs (transfer to Alabama) doesn’t make things any easier heading into the fourth year of Collins’ tenure. But opening games on the road can always be tricky as teams try to work out the kinks. On paper, it’s a game Clemson should win rather comfortably, but if the quarterback play isn’t better, it could make for another interesting game against Tech, which gave Clemson all it wanted last season in a six-point loss.
Louisville
When: Saturday, Nov. 6
Where: Memorial Stadium
Why: Clemson has never lost to Louisville, which has yet to have a winning record under third-year coach Scott Satterfield. But like most teams on the Tigers’ schedule, Louisville is getting its quarterback back for another season, which, as Clemson found out last season, makes the Cardinals dangerous. Malik Cunningham passed for more than 2,700 yards and ran for more than 970 a season ago. Louisville’s dual-threat signal caller torched Clemson’s normally stout run defense for 134 rushing yards and two scores on the ground, most of that coming in the first three quarters before he was injured in a narrow victory for Clemson that required a late goal-line stand. If the Tigers weren’t playing this game at home, it might be higher on the list.
Syracuse
When: Saturday, Oct. 22
Where: Memorial Stadium
Why: Syracuse has its quarterback (Garrett Shrader) and the ACC’s leading rusher (Sean Tucker) returning next season, but there just isn’t much more there from a talent standpoint for a program that’s won just 11 games the last three seasons. And Shrader, who completed a league-low 52% of his passes last season, is primarily a runner in an offense that’s largely one-dimensional, which, as the Orange found out this past season, doesn’t really work against a defense as talented as Clemson’s. That will need to change under new offensive coordinator Robert Anae, who directed the conference’s top passing offense at Virginia last season, if Syracuse hopes to be more competitive this time around at Memorial Stadium, where the Orange have lost by an average of 23.5 points in their last four trips.
Louisiana Tech
When: Saturday, Sept. 17
Where: Memorial Stadium
Why: Louisiana Tech is starting over under first-year coach (and former Texas Texas offensive coordinator) Sonny Cumbie, so perhaps the Bulldogs will be better than some expect next season. But it’s been a major struggle the last two seasons in Conference USA for Tech, which won just three games this past season and is 8-14 in its last 22 games. The talent discrepancy between these two programs is a wide one.
Furman
When: Saturday, Sept. 10
Where: Memorial Stadium
Why: This is Dabo Swinney’s annual nod to an in-state opponent from the Football Championship Subdivision, which gets a sizable payday in exchange for the Tigers getting to name their score. If Clemson isn’t able to do that against the Paladins, who went 6-5 this past season, something went terribly wrong.
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Clemson missed out on the College Football Playoff this season for the first time since 2014, making one of the most intriguing questions for the Tigers’ program for 2022 an obvious one: Can Clemson get back there next season? In what was considered …
Clemson missed out on the College Football Playoff this season for the first time since 2014, making one of the most intriguing questions for the Tigers’ program for 2022 an obvious one: Can Clemson get back there next season?
In what was considered a down year for the Tigers, they still finished with 10 wins and a No. 19 ranking in CFP’s final top 25. Clemson isn’t without its question marks heading into the spring, particularly along the offensive line as well as linebacker and even quarterback, but there’s still more than enough talent around to win games next fall.
And if the Tigers happen to win all of them – or something close to it – it will pose a more familiar question: Is Clemson’s schedule strong enough to get the Tigers in?
That always seems to be a talking point when the ACC is involved. And – at least to some extent – for good reason.
Since the CFP’s inception in 2014, only twice has the 14-team ACC had more than four teams finish the season in the CFP rankings. One of those years was 2020 when the league had a fifth ranked team thanks to Notre Dame, which played as a temporary member that season in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
That’s the most the ACC has ever had come season’s end in the CFP era. Clemson has been one of them each time, including six straight top-4 finishes before that streak came to an end this season.
This season’s ACC champ, Pittsburgh, didn’t come close to sniffing the top 4, coming in at No. 12 in the final CFP rankings. But the Panthers had two losses, more than Clemson had in any of those seasons heading into the playoff.
Clemson also won the ACC championship in all six of its playoff seasons, and the Tigers’ resume wasn’t exactly void of quality wins despite the league’s relative shortage of ranked teams. Clemson supplemented its league slate with some strong non-conference opponents, which helped the Tigers notch at least two ranked wins during all but one of its playoff seasons.
The most ranked wins the Tigers accumulated during one of those seasons going into the playoff was five in 2016 when they won their first of two national championships under Dabo Swinney. Clemson had just one ranked win in 2019 – a season in which the Tigers had their lowest top-4 finish (No. 3) – but still advanced to the CFP championship game.
So how might Clemson’s schedule stack up next season?
Clemson will have two teams on its conference slate that ended this season ranked. Wake Forest finished at No. 17 after winning the Atlantic Division while North Carolina State came in at No. 18. Both teams have their quarterbacks returning next season (Sam Hartman at Wake Forest and Devin O’Leary at N.C. State), so there’s a good chance each will remain a division contender next season.
Pitt rotating off the schedule isn’t the best news for Clemson, though the Panthers are losing quarterback Kenny Pickett, the ACC’s Player of the Year. So whether or not Pitt remains a top-25 team by the end of next season remains to be seen.
Replacing Pitt on the schedule is Miami, a cross-division opponent that could end next season in the rankings if it doesn’t start there. Tyler Van Dyke took over the controls of the Hurricanes’ offense midway through this season for an injured D’Eriq King and will return as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks after finishing this season 14th in the FBS in passing yards.
Van Dyke also had 25 touchdown passes with just six interceptions, and he’s far from the only significant contributor returning for Miami, which finished runner-up in the Coastal Division this season. Boston College, which is set to return one of the ACC’s top quarterback-receiver tandems in Phil Jurkovec and Zay Flowers, is another candidate to join the top 25 after finishing 6-6 this season without Jurkovec for most of it.
But even if next season turns out to be a weaker one for the league in terms of ranked teams, Clemson will get a chance to strengthen its resume in the non-conference against Notre Dame, which finished No. 5 in CFP rankings following its fifth consecutive double-digit win season.
Marcus Freeman is stepping in as the Irish’s head coach following Brian Kelly’s departure for LSU, and Notre Dame will need a new quarterback with graduate transfer Jack Coan out of eligibility. But the Irish, which will host Clemson next season to start a home-and-home series, are returning some NFL-caliber talent, including offensive tackle Josh Lugg and defensive ends Jayson Ademilola and Isaiah Foskey, and have enough other pieces that should keep them among college football’s top 25 teams.
Clemson’s other non-conference opponents — Louisiana Tech, South Carolina and FCS member Furman — combined to go 16-20 this season.
Of course, there could always be surprises. Some teams may not end up meeting expectations and vice-versa. But, for now, it’s trending toward there being enough meat on the bone for Clemson if the Tigers take care of their business next season.
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Here is the final score of every bowl game played by Penn State in program history.
After opting to stay home from the college football bowl season in an odd 2020 season, Penn State is heading back to a bowl game to wrap up the 2021 season. The Nittany Lions will play in the Outback Bowl, where they will face the Arkansas Razorbacks in the first meeting between the two schools on January 1, 2022. Penn State will also be looking to win their second consecutive bowl game and snap a three-game losing streak in bowl games to SEC teams.
The 2022 Outback Bowl will be the 51st bowl game in Penn State program history, and it will be the fifth time the Nittany Lions have appeared in the Outback Bowl. Penn State is 3-1 all-time in the Outback Bowl and is 30-18-2 all-time in postseason bowl games. The highlights of those bowl victories are two national championship victories in the 1983 Sugar Bowl against Georgia and the 1987 Fiesta Bowl against heavily-favored Miami.
Here is a complete list of every Penn State bowl game in program history including the 2022 Outback Bowl against Arkansas.
January 1, 1948, Cotton Bowl: Penn State 13, SMU 13
December 19, 1959, Liberty Bowl: Penn State 7, Alabama 0
December 17, 1960, Liberty Bowl: Penn State 41, Oregon 12
December 30, 1961, Gator Bowl: Penn State 30, Georgia Tech 15
December 29, 1962, Gator Bowl: Florida 17, Penn State 7
December 30, 1967, Gator Bowl: Penn State 17, Florida State 17
January 1, 1969, Orange Bowl: Penn State 15, Kansas 14
January 1, 1970, Orange Bowl: Penn State 10, Missouri 3
January 1, 1972, Cotton Bowl: Penn State 30, Texas 6
December 31, 1972, Sugar Bowl: Oklahoma 14, Penn State 0
January 1, 1974, Orange Bowl: Penn State 16, LSU 0
January 1, 1975, Cotton Bowl: Penn State 41, Baylor 20
December 31, 1975, Sugar Bowl: Alabama 13, Penn State 6
December 27, 1976, Gator Bowl: Notre Dame 20, Penn State 9
December 25, 1977, Fiesta Bowl: Penn State 42, Arizona State 30
January 1, 1979, Sugar Bowl: Alabama 14, Penn State 7
December 22, 1979, Liberty Bowl: Penn State 9, Tulane 6
December 26, 1980, Fiesta Bowl: Penn State 31, Ohio State 19
January 1, 1982, Fiesta Bowl: Penn State 26, USC 10
Jan 1, 1983, New Orleans, LA, USA; FILE PHOTO; The video board at the Superdome after the 1983 Sugar Bowl where the Penn State Nittany Lions defeated the Georgia Bulldogs. Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
January 1, 1983, Sugar Bowl: Penn State 27, Georgia 23
December 26, 1983, Aloha Bowl: Penn State 13, Washignton 10
January 1, 1986, Orange Bowl: Oklahoma 25, Penn State 10
Jan 2, 1987; Tempe, AZ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback John Shaffer (14) hands the ball off to running back D.J. Dozier (42) during the 1987 Fiesta Bowl against the Miami Hurricanes. Photo: USA TODAY Sports
January 2, 1987, Fiesta Bowl: Penn State 14, Miami 10
January 1, 1988, Citrus Bowl: Clemson 35, Penn State 10
December 29, 1989, Holiday Bowl: Penn State 50, BYU 39
December 28, 1990, Blockbuster Bowl: Florida State 24, Penn State 17
January 1, 1992, Fiesta Bowl: Penn State 42, Tennessee 17
January 1, 1993, Blockbuster Bowl: Stanford 24, Penn State 3
January 1, 1994, Citrus Bowl: Penn State 31, Tennessee 13
Penn State’s Ki-Jana Carter (32) is chased by Oregon’s Alex Molden (1) as he heads for the end zone on the Nittany Lions’ first possession of the 81st Rose Bowl against Oregon. AP Photo/Reed Saxon
January 2, 1995, Rose Bowl: Penn State 38, Oregon 20
January 1, 1996, Outback Bowl: Penn State 43, Auburn 14
January 1, 1997, Fiesta Bowl: Penn State 38, Texas 15
January 1, 1998, Citrus Bowl: Florida 21, Penn State 6
January 1, 1999, Outback Bowl: Penn State 26, Kentucky 14
December 28, 1999, Alamo Bowl: Penn State 24, Texas A&M 0
January 1, 2003, Capital One Bowl: Auburn 13, Penn State 9
MIAMI GARDENS, FL – JANUARY 3: Quarterback Michael Robinson #12 hands off the ball to Austin Scott #33 of the Penn State Nittany Lions during the FedEx Orange Bowl against the Florida State Seminoles at Dolphins Stadium on January 3, 2005 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images.
January 3, 2006, Orange Bowl: Penn State 26, Florida State 23
January 1, 2007, Outback Bowl: Penn State 20, Tennessee 10
December 29, 2007, Alamo Bowl: Penn State 24, Texas A&M 17
January 1, 2009, Rose Bowl: USC 38, Penn State 24
January 1, 2010, Capital One Bowl: Penn State 19, LSU 17
January 1, 2011, Outback Bowl: Florida 37, Penn State 24
January 2, 2012, Ticket City Bowl: Houston 30, Penn State 14
Dec 27, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton (5) makes a catch in front of Boston College Eagles defensive back Ty-Meer Brown (5) for a touchdown during the fourth quarter in the 2014 Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
December 27, 2014, Pinstripe Bowl: Penn State 31, Boston College 30
January 2, 2016, TaxSlayer Bowl: Georgia 24, Penn State 17
January 2, 2017, Rose Bowl: USC 52, Penn State 49
December 30, 2017, Fiesta Bowl: Penn State 35, Washington 28
January 1, 2019, Citrus Bowl: Kentucky 27, Penn State 24
December 28, 2019, Cotton Bowl: Penn State 53, Memphis 39
Dec 28, 2019; Arlington, Texas, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Journey Brown (4) celebrates scoring a touchdown in the first quarter against the Memphis Tigers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
January 1, 2022, Outback Bowl: Penn State vs. Arkansas
Former NFL coach Tom Coughlin writes essay about an illness his wife Judy is battling
Former Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin wrote a moving essay in The New York Times on Tuesday, explaining his wife, Judy, is battling a brain disorder.
Coughlin opened the piece by explaining people had been wondering why Judy had not been in photos recently at events for the Jay Fund, which was created in memory of his son who died after a battle with leukemia while a member of Coach Coughlin’s team at Boston College.
After several years of doctors trying to pinpoint the disease that has been slowly taking her from us, Judy was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy in 2020. It is a brain disorder that erodes an individual’s ability to walk, speak, think and control body movements. It steals memories and the ability to express emotions and, sadly, is incurable.
Coughlin has become the caregiver for his wife.
Judy’s decline has been nothing but gut-wrenching and has placed me in a club with the tens of millions of other Americans who serve as a primary caregiver for a loved one. Admittedly, transitioning from being with an N.F.L. franchise to full-time caregiver wasn’t easy. It’s still not easy. The playbook is either changing by the minute or so numbingly repetitious, you lose track of time and self.
I’ve learned firsthand caregiving is all-consuming. It is mentally and physically exhausting. Sometimes you just need a break. When Judy is having a good day, then my day is good. But then there are dark days — those days that are so full of frustration and anger, they have me feeling like a failure and pondering the unfairness of the disease. I’ve spent my entire life preparing for some of the biggest games a person could play, but nothing can prepare you to be a caregiver who has to watch a loved one slip away.
Wishing the best and sending prayers to Judy Coughlin and the extended family of Coach Coughlin.
Clemson continues to be the one that got away for Jeff Hafley and his Boston College team. Following a close game last season, where the Eagles led for more than half of the contest, but ultimately came up short, Hafley is ready for his team to have …
Clemson continues to be the one that got away for Jeff Hafley and his Boston College team.
Following a close game last season, where the Eagles led for more than half of the contest, but ultimately came up short, Hafley is ready for his team to have another go at the Tigers.
Despite the disappointing loss in 2020, the second-year ACC head coach hopes to change the narrative this time around when they make the trip to Death Valley for the second year in a row this fall.
“We were 35-point underdogs going into that game,” Hafley said. “I think they [Boston College] lost by 50-something points two years back-to-back. I just want my guys to go down and play as hard as they can and compete as hard as they can and not worry about the scoreboard and just be confident.”
“Kids from Georgia turned the game on, kids from the Carolinas turned the game on and it opened up a lot of new doors,” he added. “But we lost, right, we still lost. I’m still pissed about it.”
While the loss to Clemson still hurts, the Eagles’ head coach couldn’t help but but praise the performance freshman quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei put on when he was called upon late in the week to be the starter at quarterback for the Tigers.
“What impressed me so much about D.J. was that he didn’t look like a freshman,” Hafley said. “He made some really big throws, one on third and 17. The timing, the rhythm, the processing, the way he stood in the pocket, he’s faster than I thought he was, not that I thought he was slow, he’s just a big guy.”
Now with one season at Boston College under his belt, Hafley is ready for his second go at Clemson and while playing at Memorial Stadium two years in a row would be frustrating for most, Hafley and his team are more than ready for the challenge.
“It is what it is, right. They put the schedule down and we go play. I haven’t made a big deal [about it]. It’s just, they gave us the schedule, we’re gonna go play it, we’re not going to make excuses, we’re not going to say, ‘Oh, why are we…’ No, like it’s fine,” Hafley said. “Whoever they want us to play, wherever they want us to play them, we are gonna go compete to the best that we can and see what happens.”
The Tigers play host to the Eagles once again on October 2 in Clemson.
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Penn State has a long and storied history with a number of teams from the ACC, although the vast majority of that history took place before many of those schools ever joined the conference. Realignment changes over the years have given Penn State …
Penn State has a long and storied history with a number of teams from the ACC, although the vast majority of that history took place before many of those schools ever joined the conference. Realignment changes over the years have given Penn State quite a history against the ACC’s membership without having too many experiences against the conference itself.
The ACC is home to many of Penn State’s longtime regional rivals such as Pittsburgh and Syracuse. It is also home to one of the teams that was the victim of Penn State’s second national championship, the Miami Hurricanes. Penn State and Boston College also have a little bit of history. With the ACC gobbling up many of the teams from the Big East, it seems fitting that Penn State would have the most history against the ACC today. Some Penn State fans would even prefer the Nittany Lions to be an ACC member instead of the Big Ten, but don’t hold your breath on Penn State leaving behind the Big Ten for a chance to join the ACC.
Here is a look at Penn State’s all-time records against each current member of the ACC. That includes schools like Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Boston College, and Miami despite the majority of games played against those schools were played prior to their joining the ACC. Games played against longtime ACC member Maryland have been included in Penn State’s records vs. current Big Ten members.
All data referenced is credited to College Football Reference. Rankings referenced are AP Top 25 where available.
If you want more, check out Penn State’s all-time records against current members of the Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC.
Note: Penn State has never faced Duke or Virginia Tech.
