Navy to play at Penn State

So I just got on the computer and read this email I got yesterday issued by the Navy Sports Department...

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For: Immediate Release
Sent: July 21, 2010
Contact: Scott Strasemeier (410) 293-8775

Navy Football Team To Play At Penn State In 2012

ANNAPOLIS, Md.—Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk and Penn State Director of Athletics Tim Curley announced Wednesday that Navy will travel to Happy Valley on Sept. 15, 2012, to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions. It will mark the 38th meeting between the two schools and the first since 1974 when Navy went to State College and stunned Penn State, 7-6. The Nittany Lions would finish that year with a 10-2 record.

“Playing Penn State again will bring back many memories for our alumni and friends of Navy Football,” said Gladchuk. “The opportunity to visit one of the most impressive stadiums in all of college football and take on the challenge of this storied program will be very inspiring to our coaches and student-athletes. This experience will be very special for everyone wearing the Blue and Gold that day.”

"We are excited to have Navy returning to the Penn State football schedule," said Curley. "Navy was our season opening opponent a number of times in the 1960's and '70's and we've had many memorable games against the Midshipmen. Navy has a great football tradition and has returned to being one of the top programs in the nation during the past decade. We're looking forward to having Navy playing again in Beaver Stadium."

Penn State leads the all-time series, 18-17-2, and is 7-3 against the Midshipmen in State College.

Navy will open up the 2012 campaign on Sept. 1 against Notre Dame in Dublin, Ireland.

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Looks like Smooth Pancakes is making a trip to Happy Valley in 2012. :) Now to just hope what I would witness is a win, unlike last year when I went to the Navy-Ohio State game, though that game does still remain my all-time best trip ever to a football game.

Did they stop playing because they beat PSU? I'm always surprised by series where the teams played quite routinely before being suddenly dropped.

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Originally Posted by SmoothPancakes

Now to just hope what I would witness is a win

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Not so fast, my friend!

/Corso

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Originally Posted by cdj

Did they stop playing because they beat PSU? I'm always surprised by series where the teams played quite routinely before being suddenly dropped.

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That's a good question, I'm not sure. You've really got me curious now. I think I'm gonna have to do some research into that and find out because that was a really good series back in those days and some great games between the two.

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Originally Posted by steelerfan

Not so fast, my friend!

/Corso

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Well, we'll see. Navy almost ruined Ohio State's season on day 1, and they had the entire summer to prepare. Penn State has an opponent to be announce in week 1 and Virginia in week 2 before they get a crack at Navy. That certainly won't make it easy on them to prepare for Navy.

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Originally Posted by cdj

Did they stop playing because they beat PSU? I'm always surprised by series where the teams played quite routinely before being suddenly dropped.

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Pretty sure that's the reason why Penn State stopped playing WVU (and refuses to play them again). Joe Pa has specifically said of the Penn State - WVU rivalry that it will never be played again between the two schools as long as he lives.

Well, I shot off an email to Scott Strasemeier at Navy just to see if he knew of any reason why the series was abruptly stopped after the 1974 game, but he just sent back a response saying that he doesn't know of any special reasons why it wasn't continued. And my search of the internet for the past couple hours hasn't turned up anything, as well there has been nothing mentioned on The Birddog as to any reasons.

So officially, it's anyone's guess as to why it was dropped. Unofficially, it could be a number of reasons, the biggest very well potentially being that Navy beat Penn State that year, a year that Penn State finished 10-2. Maybe that loss ruined what was supposed to have been a huge year for Penn State or something.

Also, on the topic of future Navy schedules, I am really looking forward to some of the games Navy has in the future. Chet Gladchuk has done a great job of scheduling some great games outside of the forever scheduled games with Notre Dame, Air Force and Army. Through 2020, some good games Navy currently has on their schedule:

Baylor (2015, 2016)
Central Michigan (2010, 2012)
East Carolina (2010, 2011, 2012)
Indiana (2012, 2013)
Iowa State (2018, 2019)
Maryland (2010)
Minnesota (2019, 2020)
Ohio State (2014)
Penn State (2012)
Pittsburgh (2013)
SMU (2010, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
South Carolina (2011)
Syracuse (2015, 2017)
TCU (2011)
Toledo (2013)
UAB (2016, 2017)

Plus then you throw in some guaranteed wins for Navy, such as Arkansas State, Troy, Western Kentucky, Florida Atlantic, South Alabama, the mighty San Jose State, etc. :P

Gonna be a great decade to watch some Navy football. :)

Aghhhh at last what to do when your two teams play one another. But that is why you must have a favorite team which for me being from the great Annapolis, MD home to the Naval Academy is ............. Penn State University. I will be attending but rooting for the Nits!

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Originally Posted by jschwa17

Aghhhh at last what to do when your two teams play one another. But that is why you must have a favorite team which for me being from the great Annapolis, MD home to the Naval Academy is ............. Penn State University. I will be attending but rooting for the Nits!

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Ha! I was combing the net last night for stats and so forth to do a preseason write up for PSU in the TGT OD and I saw a headline about this game being announced. I immediately thought of you, buddy.

We are!!!

Penn State!!!

I dont dislike Navy. but as romantic as some of you are making it sound. I'm sure Penn State will just deliver a routine pounding and move on to the next week. LOL at Notre Dame ha-ha-ha-ha