Statement Games—

“Statement Games” are games where a team “Lays down the Law”, in a manner of speaking, on another team… It could be a surprise, a once-and-done moment, or the beginning of a new trend… This game, however, would not so much be a statement directly to Yale, but rather one to all of college football… Penn State football was demanding its fair share of attention, and it would get it…

1906 at Yale—We Lost this one… or did we?

October 20, 1906, Penn State (3-0-1 on the season after having not allowed a single point) is making what will be its 7th and final appearance at Yale Field… State has never beaten “Old Eli” and doesn’t figure to do so this time either having rolled into New Haven following a scoreless tie at home with Gettysburg (not a wildly impressive offensive performance)… State’s lone win of note was a 4-0 shutout of the Carlisle Indians at neutral Williamsport (it was State’s only win ever in 6 tries vs. Carlisle—see note at bottom)… The Yale Bulldogs are a machine riding 4 straight shutout victories at home en route to the 1906 National Championship (per 3 of the selectors of the era)… Five of Walter Camp’s 11 first team All-Americans for this season will play in this game—Four hail from Yale…

In the end, Penn State would never score a single point against Yale… They would lose this one, 10-0… But they should have scored, and did in fact, outplay Yale in many facets of the game… Penn State earned respect in defeat and laid the groundwork for some well-deserved national attention for itself and for Senior Center William “Mother” Dunn who would become States’s first Walter Camp 1st Team All-American (see 1906 Real Photo Postcard image above—Dunn is front row center)… This is THE game that set the table for Penn State to win a share of its first two mythical National Championships in 1911 & 1912…

The game was played in rain on a soggy field… There was mud and some controversy and a good deal of confusion… In fact, not all accounts of the game agree on all of the facts… The Boston Globe’s game summary seems to be reasonably accurate and is relied upon here along with accounts from the Philadelphia North American (via the State Collegian) and Lou Prato’s book “Penn State Football Vault” (pages 18-20)… The Globe reported that Penn State was unhappy that both teams were wearing dark blue jerseys, but Yale had worn that color for longer than State had, and frankly, this wasn’t Penn State’s first dance in New Haven (and the concept of wearing different colors and other identifying uniform features was still years away)… The poor weather played a role in two reported Penn State fumbles, the game’s lone touchdown, and 3 or 4 missed field goals depending on which account you prefer…

Penn State also had its starting quarterback thrown out of the game for “slugging” an opponent who was also ejected… State Senior Hi Henry was thrown out after a fight broke out following a first half punt return of his (The Globe suggested that the Yale player was the “aggressor”)… Freshman quarterback Larry Vorhis was then forced to step in against the defending 1905 National Champs which was no easy task…

Pittsburgh-area native Bill Knox (Yale Sr. Halfback/Punter/Kicker) helped get the scoring underway about 4 minutes into the game… His punt of a “slippery ball” was apparently mishandled at about the Penn State 40-yard line… All-American Junior Right Tackle Ray Biglow (sometimes spelled Bigelow) grabbed the ball and ran it (35 or 40 yards) for the TD and a quick 6-0 Yale lead (Knox’s kick for the point after was good)… Later in the first half, Knox kicked a then 4-point field goal from placement (20 or 25 yards out) for the 10-0 Yale lead at the break… The second half would see Knox miss an early field goal try, and it would give us Penn State’s best chances to reach the endzone…

The Bulldogs were still leading 10-0 in the second half, when a holding penalty backed them up to their 35 and forced a Knox punt… Mother Dunn breaks through and, per Prato, blocks the punt (1 of his 2 reported punt blocks on the day)… Penn State Right Guard Ed Cyphers recovers the ball, and here’s where the stories vary…. Prato’s “Vault” says Cyphers ran the wrong way and it “eventually led to a Yale field goal” (the PSU Media Guide also makes a similar claim with no added details)… But the Globe account states that Cyphers gets the ball “in the clear” and runs to the Yale 10-yard line where he stops to determine if he is running in the right direction, and he is immediately tackled… Did the uniform color confusion play a role here? Maybe… Penn State will end up attempting a field goal, but Freshman Halfback Bull McCleary’s drop kick is blocked giving Yale the ball at its 35 (this does not lead to any further Yale scoring contrary to the Vault story)…

Penn State’s defense would continue to control the Bulldogs offense, and State had another shot at scoring… They drive to the Yale 10 where McCleary’s drop kick hits the upright and is no good… The refs “call that play back” and McCleary has a second chance from a “difficult angle”, and the drop kick falls short of the crossbar… McCleary would get one more try later after State reached the Yale 30, but his drop kick is blocked for a second time… Penn State’s valiant effort ends in a 10-0 loss but, critically, leaves the New York/New England newspaper writers impressed….

The 10 points scored by Yale were the only ones given up by State all season… The soon-to-be Nittany Lions (beginning in 1907) would finish the year 8-1-1 with 8 shutout victories (9 shutouts overall)… And Mother Dunn would outplay Yale’s All-American Center Bill Hockenberger and would break the so-called “Harvard-Yale-Princeton stranglehold” on the Walter Camp All-America Eleven…

Note: Penn State’s 8-1-1 record in 1906 could have actually been even better—Two opponents (Villanova & Westminster) cancelled their games against State

For Other Message & Statement Game Stories—CLICK HERE

2023 vs. Iowa—The Whiteout Shutout

1995 at Iowa—Hawkeyes on the menu

1975 at Pitt—Not here, not now

1911 at UPenn—Our first true upset victory