• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Penn State seeks Big Ten title against Michigan State

Nov 22, 2008 - 11:21 AM (15) Michigan State (9-2) at (8) Penn State (10-1), 3:30 pm EST

STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania (Ticker) -- Penn State won't be going to Miami for the national championship. But the eighth-ranked Nittany Lions could see roses in their future.

With a victory against No. 15 Michigan State on Saturday, Penn State will clinch only its second Big Ten title and the accompanying Rose Bowl berth.

Penn State's only outright Big Ten crown came in 1994, just the Nittany Lions' third season in the conference. Penn State shared a Big Ten championship in 2005.

Saturday's contest at Beaver Stadium could be significant to the Nittany Lions (10-1, 6-1 Big Ten) for another reason, as they are looking for the program's 800th win.

The only current members of the 800-club are Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, Nebraska and Ohio State; Alabama is two wins shy of the milestone.

In addition, Penn State is seeking the 14th 11-win season in the program's history and the second in four years.

Michigan State (9-2, 6-1) also has plenty on the line, as it can claim the Big Ten title with a win over Penn State and if Michigan somehow upsets Ohio State. If Ohio State and Michigan State win, the Buckeyes claim the Big Ten's automatic BCS berth.

However, the Spartans never have won in Beaver Stadium, going 0-7 since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993.

Penn State rebounded from its last-second 24-23 loss at Iowa to defeat Indiana, 34-7, last week, reaching 10 wins for the 20th time in school history.

The Nittany Lions held the Hoosiers to 180 total yards, while wide receiver Deon Butler became Penn State's career leader in receptions 172. He surpassed Bobby Engram's previous mark of 167.

After passing for just 86 yards in the bitter defeat at Iowa, Daryll Clark rebounded to complete 20-of-36 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns against the Hoosiers. However, Clark committed a season-high three turnovers with an interception and two fumbles.

"We are going to talk a lot about the fumbles," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. "He had the two fumbles, and that's just carelessness."

Saturday's contest is a battle of the Big Ten's two leading rushers- Michigan State's Javon Ringer and Penn State's Evan Royster.

Paterno may be looking for a strong game from Royster, who carried only 12 times last week for 63 yards.

"He gets banged up once in a while," Paterno said in explaining Royster's limited workload against the Hoosiers. "We have got to get (Stephon) Green some work."

Ringer has been a workhorse for the Spartans, leading the Football Bowl Subdivision in rushing with 1,548 yards and 20 touchdowns on 353 carries.

Michigan has won nine of 10 since a 38-31 season-opening loss to California. The one defeat was a 45-7 setback to Ohio State.

Now, the Spartans, idle last week, are looking to reach 10 wins for the first time since 1999.

After second-half collapses led to losing seasons in 2005 and 2006, the Spartans finished 7-6 last year in Mark Dantonio's first season as coach.

"We definitely know what's at stake," Spartans senior quarterback Brian Hoyer said. "I mean, to get a Big Ten championship knowing where we've been, what we've gone through, and where we've came from, this would be huge, especially for the senior class."

In his previous game at Penn State, Hoyer threw 61 passes in a 17-13 loss in 2006. It also was Hoyer's first career start.

"I guarantee that we won't throw 61 passes this time," Hoyer said. "I find it ironic that my Big Ten career started at Penn State and my last start will be at Penn State."

In last year's game in East Lansing, Hoyer threw four TDs as the Spartans rallied from a 17-point deficit in the third quarter for a 35-31 victory.