The 1982 Boston College Eagles entered their game against No. 8 Penn State with free-flowing optimism. The Nittany Lions were a national championship contender, but Jack Bicknell's second season opened the door to endless possibilities. Sophomore sensation Doug Flutie pushed BC into the national rankings after a 3-0-1 start earlier in the season, and not even a rankings-dropping loss to No. 16 West Virginia could quell the enthusiasm of an upset-minded underdog.
That enthusiasm was ultimately unfounded, and the headlines the next day in the Boston Globe screamed about how Penn State "destroyed" BC, 52-17.