During the "Dark Years" at the beginning of this decade, the calls for Joe Paterno's retirement resonated from alumni, students and fans alike. Headlines of "Joe Must Go!" were seen all across Pennsylvania newspapers and other sports publications until an Orange Bowl campaign in 2005 brought the Nittany Lions back to prominence. Since that season, Penn State has compiled 54 wins against 16 losses, but with a 3-3 record and an uncertain bowl fate staring Penn State straight in the eyes, critics are creeping out of the woodwork again, saying JoePa is too old to be running a football program of this caliber.
Joe Paterno's demeanor after Penn State's 33-13 loss to Illinois explained it all.
Leaning back in his chair, a knee rested on the desk in front of him and a sour look on his face,the 83-year-old head coach took all the blame for the homecoming defeat.
"We stunk," he said miserably. "I did a lousy job."
Iowa has been a tough opponent for Penn State football. They have won eight out of the past 10 meetings with the Nittany Lions, including the soul-crushing victory two years ago that kept Penn State from a possible national championship game.
To say the Hawkeyes are a nightmare for the Nittany Lions would be an understatement. Iowa has beaten Penn State 6 out of the last 7 matchups, including Iowa's 24-23 crushing victory in 2008 that spoiled the Lions perfect season and any hopes of a BCS National Championship.
The Penn State All-Sports Museum is offering tours of Beaver Stadium Saturday at three different times: 10:00 a.m., noon and 2:00 p.m., with each tour lasting just over an hour.
On a quiet Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. (Wednesday, September 1, the Wednesday before the Youngstown State game, to be exact), the battlefield known as Beaver was completely deserted, as students across campus hid from the humid summer heat in their air conditioned dorm rooms.
But as the moon slowly rose over the campus, casting threatening-looking shadows around the stadium’s student entrance, Gate A, two young men sauntered confidently up to the gate with collapsible camping chairs in hand, their laughter echoing off the cold, steel outer-walls of the arena.