Losing was never an option for Penn State and Joe Paterno’s 1986 national championship team. Finishing the season with an unblemished 12-0 record after defeating No. 1 Miami en route to their second national championship in four years, the “Duel in the Desert” was one for the ages. Most of the talk leading up to the battle in Arizona was about a Vinny Testaverde-led Miami team and an explosive offense. It was labeled by the media as David versus Goliath. Good versus evil. According to Pennlive.com, “They had Testaverde. They had [Bennie] Blades. They had [Alonzo] Highsmith,” Penn State starting nose tackle Mike Russo said. “They had all these big name players. We certainly had our share of very reputable names, but at the end of the day, it was the chemistry and the camaraderie that gelled us together as a unit. Instead of having a team of individuals, we had a true team.” The Nittany Lions picked off Miami’s Vinny Testaverde five tim...
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