In front of a bipartisan crowd in Philadelphia, Penn State narrowly escaped with a 14-10 victory thanks to a strong defensive effort and a fourth quarter touchdown drive. Poor special teams and numerous penalties hampered the Nittany Lions in the victory. Both quarterbacks received playing time, and the situation does not seem as if it will be resolved any time soon.
The wall behind the JoePa statue has become a little cramped, and the 2010 season and beyond are left without a plaque displaying the season's results. We know 2010 was rough, but come on, that's just plain mean. Seriously, though, what happens from here with this Penn State monument?
Penn State is looking to rebound from a 27-11 drubbing at the hands of Alabama against Temple on Saturday. The Nittany Lions head to Lincoln Financial Field, the home of the Philadelphia Eagles (and technically the home field of Temple), where they will be greeted with a majority Penn State crowd. As Onward State posted earlier this week, it has been a while since Penn State last lost to Temple.
Penn State football is generally considered one of the most storied and honorable programs in college football. Led by the holy Joe Paterno, it has achieved massive success during his long tenure as head coach. The last few years, however, have been years that Penn State fans would rather forget. The program seems to be stuck in a funk of mediocrity that doesn’t even approach the stratosphere of expectations that PSU fans have for Paterno-led squads.
At the beginning of the season, all 120 Football Bowl Series teams have a chance to go to the BCS Championship Game. For the second season in a row, Alabama showed Penn State fans what it looks like to actually have a team capable of making the championship game. After watching the game live from the press box and for a second time on the television, I have compiled a short list of observations about the game with a look ahead to Temple next week.
No. 3 Alabama came into Beaver Stadium and rolled to a comfortable 27-11 victory. The win came in front of an electric crowd of 107,846 that featured a boisterous student section and plenty of away support. Penn State jumped out to a 3-0 lead on its first drive, but Alabama dominated the rest of the game. Penn State will look to improve next week against Temple in Philadelphia.