Ranking Sports Illustrated's iconic Penn State football covers with SI's future in flux
Penn State football has been featured on nearly 20 Sports Illustrated covers through the decades.
Making the magazine cover became an iconic achievement — whether viewed through a lens of ultimate excellence or, by some, as a jinx.
No matter, people have paid attention for nearly 70 years to a long standard-bearer of sports journalism and photography.
But will it continue on?
The magazine is expected to undergo a massive staff layoff after a licensing deal fell through, SI's publisher said on Friday.
"There still is a website and a magazine," senior SI writer Pat Forde said on social media. "That said: Ugly, brutal day ...."
A fitting time to remember Penn State's place on those covers through the years.
Here's our five most memorable:
5. Penn State football and LaVar Arrington, 1999
What else could LaVar Arrington possibly do for Penn State?
He had already earned All-America honors and had produced one of the most memorable plays of the previous season, "The LaVar Leap."
SI played upon Arrington's dominating, larger-than-life image in its college football preview issue leading into the 1999 season.
4. Penn State, a year after the Jerry Sandusky scandal, 2012
Penn State made this Nov. 2012 cover for an examination of the university and football program a year after the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
Football certainly did not fall apart, as many expected, or lessen its grip on its following in the aftermath of the scandal, Joe Paterno's firing and death, and NCAA sanctions.
How was the program, and the university, forever changed?
3. Joe Paterno, sportsman of the year, 1986
Joe Paterno was on the verge of winning his second national championship in four years.
The week before, this cover celebrated him as SI's "sportsman of the year" (No jinx in place). Paterno was just the second coach and second college football personality to be honored with the award.
Despite one more undefeated season (and a couple of other near misses) Paterno's Lions would never play for a national title again.
2. Alabama stops Penn State for national title, 1979
Penn State famously lost its shot at its first outright national title because it couldn't get a yard.
Of course, Bear Bryant's rollicking defense certainly earned that goal-line stand to preserve the championship in the 1979 Sugar Bowl.
The photo perfectly captures Penn State running back Mike Guman being stoned a foot from the goal line — on fourth down — by Alabama All-American linebacker Barry Krauss.
The late-game tackle, and the stunning overall defensive effort, locked up Penn State's 14-7 defeat that may have cut Joe Paterno deeper than any other in his career.
Penn State football: No. 1 at last, 1983
Everyone seemed to know, from the fans in the Superdome to the Penn State cheerleaders — to receiver Gregg Garrity, himself.
Penn State was going to win its first national championship.
Garrity's diving touchdown catch in the 1983 Sugar Bowl — and his impromptu celebration captured by an SI photographer — illustrated not only the euphoria of winning but also, in a way, the great exhaling of relief.
Penn State, so close in so many years before, had finally made the play to win the biggest game at the end.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Ranking top 5 Penn State football Sports Illustrated covers
