We Are. Penn State.

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We Are. Penn State.
Game: NCAA Football 2011
Console: PS3
Difficulty: All-American
Rosters: TBD
Quarter Length: 8-9 min.

2011 Create A Recruits

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Nittany Lions Hold Off LSU 19-17 In Capital One Bowl To Finish 2009 Season



ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Dampened by rain, slowed by mud and trailing late in the fourth quarter, Daryll Clark was determined to get Penn State some points.

The No. 11 Nittany Lions and their star quarterback emerged from the muck for a thrilling 19-17 win over No. 13 LSU at the Capital One Bowl.

The late-game drive led by Clark helped set up Collin Wagner's 21-yard field goal with 57 seconds left, and Penn State staved off a last-ditch effort by the Tigers to preserve the victory.

"No matter what .. whatever it takes, we have to keep these chains rolling," the senior said in recounting a talk with the offense before the drive. "All we need is a couple points."

Penn State coach Joe Paterno got his record 24th bowl win and handed Les Miles his first loss in five bowls as LSU coach. It was just the second game ever between two popular college football programs.

But the drama extended well beyond the high-profile coaches.

A driving rainstorm turned the field into a mosh pit in some places. LSU rallied from a 13-point deficit late in the second half to take a 17-16 lead on Stevan Ridley's 1-yard touchdown run with 12:49 left.

And LSU had one final chance after Wagner's game-winner. The junior kicker said it was the first time he had ever hit four field goals in a game.

The Tigers got to midfield but right guard Lyle Hitt was whistled for a disputed personal foul penalty that pushed them back to their own 40. Quarterback Jordan Jefferson hit Rueben Randle for a 25-yard gain on the game's last play to the Penn State 35 but Randle fumbled as time expired.

LSU was still fuming after the game.

"So the opportunity to go down there and have a chance at a field goal late in the game certainly would have been what we planned," Miles said. "It didn't work out that way."

This game will be remembered as much for the messy beginning as the dramatic finish.

Bad footing and dropped passes were normal in the first half, and Clark fumbled the snap exchange twice--though both were recovered by Penn State.

Nevertheless, Clark had a good time in the mud.

"It was a lot of fun," he said. "We couldn't use that as an excuse, because they had to play on it, too."

The Tigers weren't as happy afterward.

"That was by far the worst field conditions I've ever seen in my life. For them to say this is the best bowl outside the BCS, I would expect to play on the best field outside the BCS," said LSU receiver Brandon LaFell.

Clark, nagged by questions of whether he can win a big game, ended his college career on a high note. Similarly, critics noted Penn State hadn't beaten a ranked team all season despite its gaudy record.

JoePa has something to smile about in wrapping up his 44th season on the sideline.

"That thing about not beating a ranked team, I mean, between you and me, that's a lot of hooey (sic), OK, to be honest with you," Paterno said at a post-game news conference. "I think you guys have to write about something, so you pick out something."

Clark finished 18-of-35 for 216 yards and 37-yard touchdown pass to Derek Moye in the first quarter. He also threw one interception--though he could have had a couple more if LSU had held on to the wet ball.

The Nittany Lions emerged at halftime with a 13-3 lead, but LSU gained traction after rain subsided in the second half.

LaFell's 24-yard touchdown pass from Jefferson with 13 seconds left in the third quarter drew the Tigers within 16-10 to awaken the slumbering LSU crowd.

Jefferson was 13-of-24 for 202 yards with the TD and one interception, while LaFell finished with five catches for 87 yards.

Penn State stalled on its next drive, and Trindon Holliday--the reigning NCAA 100-meter dash champion--returned a punt 37 yards to the LSU 49 to help set up Ridley's TD run.

The teams exchanged stalled drives before Penn State took over for its game-winning drive with 6:54 left. Clark hit a Graham Zug one third-and-4 from the LSU 42 for a key conversion to keep the chains moving.

The field took another pounding after poor conditions hampered the Champs Sports Bowl earlier in the week on the same turf. Eight state high school championship games were also played at the stadium in recent weeks.

The grounds crew worked frantically all week in an attempt to get the field in shape for Friday's game.

Rain started falling about a couple hours before game time, and the field took a pounding during pregame warmups. Routines by the marching bands didn't help either.

"When you would try to make a play, you'd be slipping and stumbling all over the place," said Penn State tailback Evan Royster. "I didn't think the field was going to have puddles like that on it."

Conditions were so bad for both offenses early on that the teams combined for 15 punts--shattering the bowl record of 10 set Miami, Ohio and Florida in 1973.

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2010 Penn State Signees

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2010 Schedule

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Miami Selects Jared Odrick in First Round of NFL Draft



UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Miami Dolphins selected Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick (Lebanon) Thursday night in the first round of the National Football League Draft.

One of two Big Ten Conference players invited to the attend the NFL Draft, Odrick was the No. 28 overall selection.

A 2009 first team All-American, the 6-5, 304-pound Odrick is the 36th Nittany Lion to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, 33 of whom have played for Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno. Odrick is the eighth Nittany Lion to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft over the past seven years. Defensive end Aaron Maybin was the No. 11 overall selection by the Buffalo Bills in the 2009 draft and tackle Levi Brown was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2007 draft.

With Odrick's selection, 240 Nittany Lions have been drafted under Paterno and more than 350 of his players have signed NFL contracts.

Odrick will join former Nittany Lion linebacker Cameron Wake on the Dolphins' roster.

Odrick earned 2009 first team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), becoming the 80th Penn Stater to be named a first-team All-American a total of 94 times and the 77th player so honored under Paterno. Odrick also received All-America honors from the Associated Press, Sporting News, CBSsports.com and Rivals.com. He was the sixth Penn State defensive lineman to earn first-team All-America accolades since 1999.

The Big Ten coaches selected Odrick the 2009 Defensive Player-of-the-Year and Defensive Lineman-of-the-Year. He became the first interior defensive lineman selected for the Big Ten's top defensive honor since Ohio State's Dan Wilkinson in 1993. Odrick garnered first-team all-conference honors for the second consecutive year.

The former U.S. Army All-American at Lebanon High School was ranked No. 7 in the Big Ten with 7.0 sacks. He was fifth on the team with 43 tackles and had 11.0 tackles for loss (minus-72), a big blocked field goal and a pass breakup. Odrick also played a significant role in helping Penn State rank in the Top 10 nationally in five of the six primary defensive statistical categories. Penn State has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in the last 16 games, the nation's third-longest streak.

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Dallas Selects Lee in Second Round of NFL Draft; Bowman Goes to San Francisco in Third



UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Dallas Cowboys selected Penn State linebacker Sean Lee (Pittsburgh) Friday night in the second round of the National Football League Draft. Nittany Lion linebacker Navorro Bowman (District Heights, Md.) was chosen by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round.

Lee was the No. 55 overall selection in the draft, as Dallas traded its second and fourth round picks to Philadelphia in order to select him.

Lee and Bowman join defensive tackle Jared Odrick as Nittany Lions selected in the 2010 NFL Draft. Odrick was a first round selection by the Miami Dolphins. "Linebacker U." was the first Big Ten team with multiple choices in this year's draft.

Lee and Bowman become the third and fourth Penn State linebackers selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft since 2007.

With their selections, 242 Nittany Lions have been drafted under Hall of Fame Coach Joe Paterno and more than 350 of his players have signed NFL contracts.

A 2009 co-captain, Lee becomes the first former Nittany Lion on the Cowboys' roster.

"Sean is real instinctive with good coverage ability," Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones told ESPN. "His profile...when he was on the phone with Wade Phillips, he said, "Let's go win a championship."

Having missed the 2008 season with a torn ACL, Lee returned to the form this past season that helped him be selected the 2007 Alamo Bowl Defensive MVP and a Pro Football Weekly All-American. After spraining his left knee against Temple, Lee did not play in the next three games and saw limited duty in the wins over Minnesota and Michigan. The final month of the season, though, the former Upper St. Clair High School all-stater again was playing like one of the premier linebackers in the nation, leading Penn State's Top 10 defense. A semifinalist for the 2009 Butkus Award, Lee was selected second-team All-Big Ten for his second career all-conference honor.

A two-time All-Big Ten selection, the 6-2, 235-pound Lee ranks No. 4 in Penn State career tackles with 325 hits. Lee was third on the team and No. 6 in the Big Ten at 8.6 tackles per game this season. He recorded 86 stops, with 11 tackles for loss (minus-41), two sacks, one interception and seven pass breakups, the second-highest total on the team. At the team's Senior Banquet, Lee was the recipient of the Ridge Riley Award, presented to a senior for "sportsmanship, scholarship, leadership and friendship."

Bowman will join former Nittany Lion, Michael Robinson, the 2005 Big Ten Silver Football recipient, on the 49ers roster.

Bowman distinguished himself as one of only two players to receive the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Week more than once during the 2009 season. His play over the last two months of the season, after missing nearly three games with an injury, lifted the vastly talented and athletic Bowman to first-team All-Big Ten for the second consecutive year. He was selected a 2009 second-team All-American by Sporting News, CBSsports.com, SI.com, Rivals.com and Phil Steele's College Football and was a third team All-America choice by the Associated Press and collegefootballnews.com.

A semifinalist for the 2009 Bednarik Award, Bowman ended the regular-season in spectacular fashion, recording 10 tackles (seven solo), with 3.5 TFL (minus-17), a sack and a pass breakup in the 42-14 win at Michigan State. The former Suitland High School standout was first nationally among all linebackers in TFL with a 1.55 average and was No. 7 nationally overall in minus-yardage hits. Bowman led the team with 17.0 TFL (minus-60) despite missing 2 ¾ games when he re-aggravated a pulled groin in the first quarter of the Akron game. He was second on the team with 93 hits, good for No. 7 in the Big Ten in tackles per game (8.5 avg). Bowman had three sacks, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and three pass breakups.

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Green Bay Packers Select Quarless in Fifth Round of NFL Draft



UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Green Bay Packers today selected Penn State tight end Andrew Quarless (Uniondale, N.Y.) in the fourth round of the National Football League Draft.

Quarless joins defensive tackle Jared Odrick (1st, Miami), linebacker Sean Lee (2nd, Dallas) and linebacker Navorro Bowman (3rd, San Francisco) as Nittany Lions selected thus far in the 2010 NFL Draft. "Linebacker U." was the first Big Ten team with multiple choices in this year's draft.

With Quarless' selection, 243 Nittany Lions have been drafted under Hall of Fame Coach Joe Paterno and more than 350 of his players have signed NFL contracts.

Quarless capped his superb senior season in the big Capital One Bowl win over LSU by making a career-best and Penn State bowl record eight receptions for 88 yards. The eight grabs gave him 41 for the season, breaking the school record for catches in a season by a tight end, which had been 38 by Tony Stewart in 2000. The former Uniondale High School standout was third on the team with 41 receptions for 536 yards (13.1) and three touchdowns, including a career-long 60-yard score in the win at Michigan.

Quarless started every game this past season and made 31 career starts. He made 87 career catches for 1,146 yards and eight touchdowns. Bowman, Lee and Quarless earned their degrees last December.

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Freshmen Connect on Two Touchdown Passes to Lift Blue Over White



UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- A pair of freshmen connected on two touchdown passes to lead the Blue to a 17-3 win in the Blue-White Game presented by AAA. The contest aired live on ESPN2, as Penn State became the first Big Ten school to have its spring football game air on the ESPN family of networks.

True freshman quarterback Paul Jones (McKees Rocks) connected with redshirt freshman wide out Shawney Kersey (Woodbury, N.J.) on a pair of 18-yard touchdown passes for the Blue, one in the second quarter and the other in the fourth. Jones was 5 of 8 for 67 yards and Kersey had two catches for 36 yards. A crowd of 55,000 filed into Beaver Stadium for the autograph session with the players and the game, which culminates spring practice. More than 40,000 fans have attended the Blue-White Game in 12 of the past 15 years, with rainy conditions during the other three contests. Today started out sunny in Happy Valley, but the skies became overcast and cool around noon. Five Nittany Lion players were recognized for their efforts during halftime of the game. Senior linebacker Bani Gbadyu (Gaithersburg, Md.) was presented the Jim O'Hora Award. Junior tackle Quinn Barham (Durham, N.C.) and senior wide receiver Brett Brackett (Lawrenceville, N.J.) were co-recipients of the Red Worrell Award. The Nittany Lion coaching staff singled out Barham, Brackett and Gbadyu as the players who have best demonstrated exemplary conduct, loyalty, interest, attitude and improvement during spring practice.

Junior linebacker Chris Colasanti (Leonard, Mich.) and junior tight end Andrew Szczerba (Wilmington, Del.) were recognized as co-recipients of the Frank Patrick Total Commitment Memorial Award. Brackett won the 2009 Patrick Award. Sophomore quarterback Matt McGloin (Scranton) and freshman Kevin Newsome (Portsmouth, Va.) played for the Blue and White. McGloin was 10 of 23 for 110 yards, with two touchdowns and a long completion of 23 yards to running back Curtis Dukes (Evans Mills, N.Y.) Newsome was 5 of 12 for 50 yards, with no interceptions. His longest completion was 17 yards to tight end Garry Gilliam (Carlisle).

Sophomore wideout Justin Brown (Wilmington, Del.) made a game-high four receptions for 35 yards for the Blue. Gilliam made two catches for 23 yards and junior Derek Moye (Rochester) made two grabs for 19 yards for the Blue. Redshirt freshman Brandon Moseby-Felder (Fort Washington, Md.) led the White squad with three catches for 31 yards. Brackett and Dukes each had two grabs for 29 yards.

Redshirt sophomore Hykeem Brodie was the leading rusher with 34 yards on seven carries, including a 16-yarder, for the Blue. Brodie transferred to Penn State from Old Dominion and played with Newsome at Western Branch High School in the Tidewater region. True freshman Silas Redd (Stamford, Conn.) gained 16 yards on four carries and junior Stephfon Green (Bronx, N.Y.) gained 10 yards on four attempts for the Blue. Dukes led the White squad with 31 yards on nine attempts.

Sophomore linebacker Nate Stupar (State College) made a game-high six solo tackles (seven overall), including a tackle for loss, and grabbed an interception for the White team. Sophomore linebacker Mike Yancich (Washington) tied for game-high honors with seven tackles for the Blue, including a half sack for minus-three yards.

Sophomore defensive tackle James Terry (New Castle, Del.) made five solo tackles for the Blue, sophomore linebacker James Van Fleet made four stops and grabbed an interception and sophomore defensive end Cody Castor (Uniontown) made two hits and had an interception to set-up the game's first touchdown.

Senior placekicker Collin Wagner (State College) opened the scoring with a 46-yard field goal with 3:33 left in the first quarter. Sophomore David Soldner (Lititz) connected on a 38-yard field goal on the final play of the first half to draw the White within 10-3 at the break.

Among the former Nittany Lions in attendance was 2009 first-team All-American Jared Odrick, selected Thursday by the Miami Dophins in the first round of the NFL Draft. Other former Nittany Lions in attendance were: Trey Bauer, Levi Brown, Ki-Jana Carter, Chris Ganter, Jason Ganter, Bryant Johnson, Justin Kurpeikis, Tyler Lenda, Scott Radecic, A.Q. Shipley, Brandon Short, Derrick Williams.

The Worrell Award is presented to the offensive player whose spring contribution is most worthy of special tribute. The prize was first presented in 1958 and is named in the honor of the late Red Worrell, a high school All-American from Centerville HS who was tragically electrocuted in an accident after an exceptional season on the 1957 Nittany Lion freshman team. Past Worrell Award winners include former assistant coach Fran Ganter, Lydell Mitchell, Kyle Brady, Bryant Johnson and last year's winner wideout Graham Zug (Manheim).

The defensive award is named in honor of Jim O'Hora, a long-time Penn State assistant coach who was a member of the coaching staff for 31 years. Loyalty and attitude especially characterized Jim O'Hora and has typified many of the previous winners, including Walker Lee Ashley, Andre Collins, Michael Haynes, Anthony Adams and last year's winner, linebacker Mike Mauti (Mandeville, La). The O'Hora Award was first presented in 1977.

The Frank Patrick Memorial "Total Commitment" Award goes to junior class squad members who consistently follow through with their responsibilities in all facets of the football program and do so in exemplary manner. This includes academic pursuits, off-season preparation, in-season commitment, demeanor and community service. Patrick was a member of the Lions' coaching staff from 1949-73.

The Blue-White game will re-air on the Big Ten Network Sunday at 11:00 a.m., Monday at 10:00 p.m., Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. and Friday at 6:00 a.m. this week.

Penn State is 51-13 (79.7) since the start of the 2005 season, tied for the nation's No. 7 winning percentage over that span. The Nittany Lions earned their second consecutive 11-2 record last season, capped by a win over LSU in the Capital One Bowl, Penn State's fourth bowl victory in the past five seasons. Penn State posted its 23rd final Top 10 ranking under Coach Joe Paterno. The Nittany Lions return 37 letterwinners for the 2010 season, including 13 starters (7 offense, 5 defense, 1 specialist), as well as 11 players that have starting experience. Penn State opens the season Sept. 4 vs. Youngstown State in Beaver Stadium and visits 2009 national champion Alabama on Sept. 11.

Penn State Football will hold its 36th annual summer camps in June. The camps feature two offense / defense skills and fundamentals camps for athletes entering 8th-12th grade in the fall, to be held June 20-23 and June 27-30. A "seniors only" camp will be held June 25-26, Penn State's popular 7-on-7 team passing camp will be held June 18-19 and a placekicking camp is June 4-5.

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Three Penn State QB Candidates... But Are Any of Them Ready?



UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- With Joe Paterno unavailable, Penn State shipped in three replacements to perform for the fan base Thursday night in Hershey. Assistant coaches Mike McQueary, Ron Vanderlinden and Galen Hall worked the meet and greet.

But it wasn't the same without Joe.

One absent leader. Three replacements. Remember that scenario. Because it won't be the same without Daryll in the fall.

The Nittany Lions won 22 games in 2008 and 2009 and, despite a more challenging schedule, another 10 or 11-win season is anticipated.

It's not going to happen.

PSU doesn't have a quarterback ready to replace Daryll Clark, the starter the last two years. Clark was a good, not great, college quarterback. He could make some plays with his arm or his legs. He also knew that in most games his offensive line could consistently give him time to find the open man.

The Lions' two biggest problem areas coming out of spring are quarterback and offensive line. Those problems all but guarantee losses at defensive-minded Alabama, Iowa and Ohio State and could lead to trouble at Minnesota and possibly at home against Northwestern and Michigan State.

Paterno hasn't named a starter. He'll choose among sophomores Kevin Newsome and Matt McGloin and true freshman Paul Jones.

Had Pat Devlin stuck around – he transferred to Delaware after the the 2008 season – Paterno's decision would have been easy. Devlin, who threw for 2,664 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Blue Hens in 2009, would have been the guy.

Newsome and McGloin struggled in the Blue-White game, creating an opportunity for Jones, who responded with a pair of touchdown passes.

Hall said last Thursday he is confident that the winner of the PSU QB derby will perform at a high level. But maybe Hall has forgotten how badly Clark struggled in Penn State's home losses to Iowa and Ohio State last season.

This offensive line doesn't figure to be as good. The Lions are replacing their two tackles, one of them (Dennis Landolt) a first-team All-Big Ten pick.

With Alabama on tap for Sept. 11 and PSU opening their Big Ten season in Iowa City on the first Saturday in October, a mobile quarterback might be the best option for an offense lacking something up front.

Newsome might not be the best quarterback on the Penn State roster when the season begins Sept. 4 against Youngstown State.

But he is clearly the best runner.

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Penn State-Alabama Clash Set For Primetime on ESPN



UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The highly-anticipated renewal of the Penn State-Alabama rivalry is set for a primetime kick and a national television audience.

The first game between the traditional powers in 20 years will played Sept. 11 in Tuscaloosa and kick at 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT in Bryant-Denny Stadium. ESPN will televise the clash to a national audience.

The contest is the Nittany Lions' sixth announced start time for the upcoming season, with at least four of the games set to air on ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC. Penn State will play three night games during the 2010 season.

Alabama will travel to Beaver Stadium on Sept. 10, 2011 for its first visit to Happy Valley since 1989. The Crimson Tide won the 2009 BCS national championship with a 14-0 record and will likely be ranked No. 1 in the pre-season polls.

The upcoming Penn State-Alabama games were originally scheduled to be played in 2004 and '05, but were postponed at Alabama's request in 2003.

Alabama and Penn State rank sixth and seventh in the nation in all-time victories, with 813 and 811, respectively.

The Nittany Lions and Crimson Tide have met 13 times, with the first three contests coming in bowl games and the last 10 in a compelling series from 1981-90. Alabama leads the series, 8-5, but Penn State won the last meeting, 9-0, in Tuscaloosa in 1990. The Nittany Lions have a 2-1 record in Bryant-Denny Stadium, and are 0-2 vs. the Crimson Tide in Birmingham and 2-3 in Beaver Stadium.

Penn State won the first meeting with Alabama, 7-0, in the 1959 Liberty Bowl in Phladelphia. The Crimson Tide won 13-6 on Dec. 31, 1975 in the first Sugar Bowl played in the Louisiana Superdome. Alabama also captured a 14-7 win in the epic 1979 Sugar Bowl for the national championship on New Year's Day.

Three additional Penn State games this season are set to air on ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC:

Sept. 18 vs. Kent State, 12:00 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2
Oct. 2 at Iowa, 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT on ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC
Oct. 30 vs. Michigan, 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC

Penn State will host Youngstown State in its Sept. 4 season opener prior to the clash with Alabama. The YSU game will kick at 12:00 p.m. ET in Beaver Stadium and be televised by the Big Ten Network.

The Nittany Lions' 91st Homecoming Game, Oct. 9 vs. Illinois, will kick at 12:00 p.m. ET and air on Big Ten Network, ESPN or ESPN2.

The Big Ten Network is available in 75 million homes in the United States and Canada on DirecTV, Dish Network and Verizon FiOS and 300 cable providers, including Atlantic Broadband, Cablevision, CATV Service, Comcast, Nittany Media, RCN, Service Electric and Time-Warner in Pennsylvania. The network is available in 46 states and 19 of the nation's top 20 markets.

Armstrong, Blue Ridge, MetroCast and Adams Cable, though, do not carry the Big Ten Network in Pennsylvania. More than 35,000 Penn State alumni live in the communities served by the four cable providers in Pennsylvania and the Youngstown, Ohio area.

Future Penn State contests may be selected by the networks under the six and 12-day provisions of their contracts with the Big Ten Conference.

Penn State is 51-13 (79.7) since the start of the 2005 season, tied for the nation's No. 7 winning percentage over that span. The Nittany Lions earned their second consecutive 11-2 record last season, capped by a win over LSU in the Capital One Bowl, Penn State's fourth bowl victory in the past five seasons. Penn State posted its 23rd final Top 10 ranking under Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno.

The Nittany Lions return 36 letterwinners for the 2010 season, including 13 starters (7 offense, 5 defense, 1 specialist), as well as 10 players that have starting experience.

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Classic Joe Paterno Moment #10: PSU Defeats Bowling Green For Paterno's 300th Win



UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- No suspense. Little reason for on-field concern.

Penn State won eight regular-season games during the 1998 season, then hammered Tim Couch and Kentucky in a 26-14 Outback Bowl triumph.

None of the victories would be easier than a 45-point pasting of MAC foe Bowling Green in Week 2.

But this was one of the special days in Paterno's career.

The victory entered him into the exclusive 300-victory club. You might recognize the last names of some of the other members. Stagg. Warner. Robinson. Bryant. Bowden.

For the record, no college coach was faster to reach 300 wins. Paterno needed just 380 games to do it.

Bowling Green, who was also Paterno's 200th victim, surrendered a 77-yard touchdown run to PSU tailback Cordell Mitchell on the game's first play.

Shortly thereafter, Lions punt returner Bruce Branch sped 73 yards for the team's second score. By the second quarter, the game had unraveled.

Paterno showed little emotion on the sideline until the very end. He seemed determined not to let his personal achievement overshadow his team's performance.

But eventually, the head coach cracked. Afterward, the Lions' players and assistant coaches caught a rare glimpse of Paterno's emotion in the locker room.

"Joe is like the ultimate father figure to all of us," said Lions linebacker LaVar Arrington, the team's super sophomore.

"I didn't expect to see him break down and cry. But it was great."

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Classic Joe Paterno Moment #9: Cotton Bowl Victory Over Texas In 1972



UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Darrell Royal's Longhorns had the reputation and were, for all intent and purpose, playing a home game.

Penn State had an Austin-sized chip on its shoulder and a long memory.

The result was one of the Lions' stellar bowl performances.

PSU tailback Lydell Mitchell shook loose for 146 yards and a touchdown and the Lions' defense, led by end Bruce Bannon, had UT's vaunted wishbone wraps for the final three quarters.

The Longhorns finished with just 242 total yards and did not find the end zone for the first time in 80 games.

After a dull start, Penn State scored 27 unanswered points on Texas. After a 1-yard run by Mitchell put the Lions ahead to stay at 10-6, quarterback John Hufnagel and end Scott Skarzynski teamed up for the backbreaker: a 65-yard catch-and-run TD.

Trailing 17-6, the Longhorns were finished. Unable and unwilling to pass, PSU continued to clamp down on the UT run game, producing lots of short possessions.

By the fourth quarter, the Longhorns' defense was exhausted, and the Lions held the ball for 13 minutes.

It was a sweet victory over a Texas side that, two years earlier, was declared No. 1 over unbeaten PSU by President Richard Nixon at season's end.

"It is one of the greatest victories in Penn State history," Paterno said after the game.

"I don't think we've ever had a game that we had to win more than this one."

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Classic Joe Paterno Moment #8: Nittany Lions Topple Top-Ranked Notre Dame



UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The 1990 Lions were a bit of a tease.

They were one of Paterno's more talented teams, but a squad that sometimes struggled to put together 60 solid minutes. It showed in the final record, as PSU lost three games by a total of 16 points.

But PSU saved its best 30 minutes of the year for a late-season trip to South Bend. And Fighting Irish fans will never forget the day Paterno and his Lions ruined Notre Dame's bid for a national championship.

PSU rallied from a 21-7 deficit to shock the No. 1 team on kicker Craig Fayak's 34-yard field goal with four seconds to go.

Lions quarterback Tony Sacca tossed three touchdown passes to offset a 114-yard rushing day by Notre Dame tailback Ricky Watters, the former Bishop McDevitt star.

Trailing 21-14, PSU tied it on Sacca's 14-yard TD pass to tight end Al Golden.

The Lions' defense, which didn't allow Notre Dame to cross midfield in the second half, set up Fayak's game-winning kick when safety Darren Perry intercepted a Rick Mirer pass near the Irish 40 with a minute left and returned it to the Notre Dame 19.

Soon thereafter, Fayak delivered.

"We showed our pride and character," PSU linebacker Mark D'Onofrio said afterward.

"We've won eight in a row. We beat the No. 1 team. We should be a top-5 football team now."

For one mid-November afternoon in South Bend, the Lions were.

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Classic Joe Paterno Moment #7: PSU Comes Back To Keep '94 Undefeated Season Alive



UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Maybe the Nittany Lions were distracted by a weekly, neck-and-neck race with Nebraska for the No. 1 ranking.

Maybe they were looking ahead to Pasadena and a Rose Bowl trip.

And maybe they didn't realize how underrated a three-loss Illinois team was.

Whatever the case, 8-0 PSU came out cold against the Fighting Illini. Very quickly it was 21-0, hosts, and the Lions were staring at long odds, trying to come back against the Big Ten's top defense on the road.

But after beginning the game with five three-and-out possessions, the Lions' vaunted, record-setting offense finally found its rhythm.

Just in time.

Quarterback Kerry Collins threw for 300 yards. Prized tailback Ki-Jana Carter scooted to a 100-yard rushing day. And backup fullback Brian Milne scored three times, his last one a 2-yard plunge that finished off a classic 96-yard PSU TD drive in the final minutes to erase a 31-28 Illinois lead.

The Illinois running game, sparked by a 172-yard day by Ty Douthard, controlled the first 30 minutes. PSU's leaky defense seemed to have no answer. But in the final two quarters, the Lions got the stops they needed to give Paterno's offense a chance.

The 1994 Lions won 12 games, including an 18-point victory over Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

But the Illinois game was the defining moment for Paterno's fifth unbeaten team.

The Lions never looked worse in the early going.

But when it counted most, with 96 yards standing between them and a 9-0 record, they never looked better.

"I don't think they got nervous," Douthard said of PSU afterward.

"They were just shocked, if anything. After the third TD, their eyes opened up."

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Classic Joe Paterno Moment #6: PSU Blows Out Top-Ranked, In-State Nemesis Pitt



UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Late in the season, PSU hit the road to face the top-ranked team in the country.

But this wasn't just any No. 1.

This was in-state nemesis Pittsburgh, a quick-strike team with a quick-trigger quarterback named Dan Marino.

It started ugly for the Lions, who fell behind 14-0 after a quarter as Marino tossed two touchdown passes to wideout Dwight Collins.

But with Pittsburgh driving for a third TD in the second, PSU defensive back Roger Jackson intercepted Marino in the Lions' end zone.

Momentum swung the visitors' way. In a big way.

The Lions ran off 48 unanswered points. Big-play wideout Kenny Jackson scored on touchdown receptions of 42 and 45 yards and safety Mark Robinson added the exclamation point to PSU's stunning comeback with a 91-yard interception return for a score.

Marino, who started the game on a roll, was intercepted four times.

"I didn't think anyone could score that many points on us," Pittsburgh star linebacker Sal Sunseri said afterward.

Especially an arch-rival.