Sports Illustrated has had its share of memorable college football covers over the years. What the magazine opted for with its July 30 issue is sure to join those ranks.
With the NCAA bringing down the hammer on Penn State football Monday morning, SI went with the cover headline “We Were Penn State” — a disheartening twist on the rallying cry, “We Are Penn State,” that has united Nittany Lions fans for over 60 years.
A battle-worn Penn State helmet sits below the headline on a shrouded field, no doubt symbolizing the beating that the program has taken since November.
The response on Twitter conveys one emotion: “Wow.”
This is quite a Sports Illustrated cover: twitter.com/RalphieReport/…
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) July 23, 2012
“We Were Penn State” A Powerful cover from Sports Illustrated bit.ly/LJRNuV — Jim Dunaway (@jimdunaway) July 24, 2012
This week’s Sports Illustrated cover: “We WERE Penn State” (via @si_vault) twitpic.com/ab9ihb
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 24, 2012
With all due respect to the legendary 1995 cover calling for the end of Miami (FL) football, this might be SI’s greatest college football cover ever.








