The last time Penn State played Oregon — Jan. 1, 1995 — brought the Nittany Lions’ first Rose Bowl victory and started with maybe the most famous run in school history.

On the very first play, Ki-Jana Carter busted an 83-yard touchdown, the signature moment of the Lions’ 38-20 win.

Keith Conlin was one of the offensive linemen who opened the hole, although he’s not sure of that.

Conlin loves to tell the story of how “nobody blocked who they were supposed to.”

Even though “we had practiced the play all week, we were all nervous,” Conlin said.

Guard Jeff Hartings pulled, fullback Brian Milne chipped the linebacker, and Conlin “called” to tight end Kyle Brady to “block down.”

Carter ran over the Ducks’ safety, and as he’s watched the replay many times, Conlin can hear Keith Jackson saying, “He’s gone, goodbye.”

Offensive line coach Craig Cirbus greeted the group as they came off the field.

“Cirbus asked us what happened,” Conlin recalled this week as the Lions prepared for the Big Ten championship game with Oregon. “I said, ‘I pulled.’ We all missed our cutoffs. Cirbus said, ‘So you’re telling me we didn’t block anybody we were supposed to block?”’

Conlin told him that was correct.

“He (Cirbus) said, ‘Well, we must be pretty good.”’

There’s no doubt about that.

And yet, the Lions and their decorated offense only led 14-7 at halftime.

Carter’s play, Conlin said, “was probably the worst thing that could have happened because we relaxed. Our mindset was to show everybody we were the greatest and score 100 points. We really didn’t play well until about the third quarter.”

Penn State blew the game open in the second half, expanding its lead to 38-14, but Oregon ended up outgaining the Lions’ offense, 501-430, including 456 through the air as the Ducks threw 61 times.

“I have to give Oregon credit,” Conlin said. “They smacked us around. They were stacking the box and blitzing every play. They weren’t going to let us run the ball, and Joe (Paterno) was intent on running the ball.”

Tom Bradley was the Nits’ linebackers coach.

“It was not a dominating defensive effort,” he said this week. “They had more yards than we did.”

The 1994 defense was used to being overshadowed by an offensive unit that scored 63 against Ohio State, 61 against Iowa, 56 at Minnesota and 59 at Michigan State.

Bradley had a unique perspective, noting the Lions twice allowed 31 points (vs. Illinois and MSU) and “still won. How often do you give up 31 and still win? We did it twice that year.”

The team finished No. 2 in the country — unfortunately, it wasn’t able to play No. 1 Nebraska, which most figured it would have beaten.

“That still hurts,” Conlin said. “You wish we’d have had the opportunity these guys are going to have.”

A total of 15 offensive players from that team played in the NFL, including some who are among the greatest at their positions in PSU history (Carter, QB Kerry Collins, TE Kyle Brady, Gs Jeff Hartings and Marco Rivera, WR Bobby Engram).

NBC broadcaster Todd Blackledge, who quarterbacked the Lions to the 1982 national championship, said, “We had a really, really good offense in 1982. (But) The offense in 1994 was the best Penn State ever had. That was a loaded offense.”

This year’s team is more balanced, relying on a stingy defense that features Big Ten player of the year Abdul Carter and a capable offense led by quarterback Drew Allar and tight end Tyler Warren.

“The fact that it’s 2024, and we’re finally getting to a 12-team playoff is ridiculous,” Conlin, who does a radio/internet show in State College, said. “But we’re happy for the boys. I think they’re similar to the Rose Bowl team we had a couple years ago (defeated Utah to finish 11-2). They’re very well led and well coached.”

And one win from their second Big Ten championship.

Neil Rudel can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.