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Penn State, USC square off in Rose Bowl matchup of powerhouses

Jan 1, 2009 - 2:03 PM (6) Penn State (11-1) vs. (5) USC (11-1), 4:30 pm EST

PASADENA, California (Ticker) -- Joe Paterno's 43rd season at Penn State will not end with a national title. Instead, college football's winningest coach will ring in the new year at the sport's oldest bowl game.

Paterno returns to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 14 years when his sixth-ranked Nittany Lions take on No. 5 Southern California in the Granddaddy of Them All on Thursday.

Penn State (11-1), which won its third Big Ten Conference title under Paterno, finished eighth in the final BCS standings and was a legitimate national title contender entering the final month of the regular season.

But after winning their first nine games, the Nittany Lions suffered a 24-23 upset to Iowa on November 8, when the Hawkeyes kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired.

So rather than attempting to win his third national championship, the 82-year-old Paterno will make his first trip to Pasadena since guiding the Nittany Lions to a 12-0 record in 1994. The Nittany Lions punctuated that undefeated campaign with a 38-20 rout of Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

"Playing in the Rose Bowl will be a wonderful experience for our team," said Paterno, who has posted a 383-126-3 record at Penn State. "They have worked hard all season and have been a great group."

Paterno received a three-year contract extension earlier this month to remain in Happy Valley. The Hall of Fame coach was hampered throughout the campaign by a sore hip, an injury he originally suffered while attempting an onside kick during a preseason practice in August.

After watching Penn State's final seven games from the press box and being forced to use a cane, Paterno underwent hip replacement surgery on November 23, one day after the Nittany Lions closed their regular season with a 49-18 rout of Michigan State.

However, Paterno again will be forced to coach from the press box.

JoePa will get a view of the talented Trojans (11-1), who clinched their seventh straight Pac-10 title and also had early-season aspirations for a BCS championship.

The Trojans, who placed fifth in the final BCS standings, missed an opportunity to compete for this season's national championship when, while boasting the No. 1 ranking, they dropped a 27-21 decision at Oregon State on September 25.

But thanks to the nation's top-ranked defense, USC won its final nine games and held eight of those opponents to 10 points or less.

"I thought we had a terrific football season," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "I'm really proud of the consistency. I'm proud that we've kept the program at the top of the conference."

The Trojans' final challenge will be presented by the diverse offense of Penn State, which led the Big Ten in scoring (40.2 points per game) and total yardage (452.2 ypg).

Nittany Lions quarterback Daryll Clark completed 60 percent of his passes this season and threw 17 touchdowns against only four interceptions. Penn State's talented receiving trio of Deon Butler, Jordan Norwood and Derrick Williams combined for 1,769 yards and 15 TDs.

On the ground, Penn State will lean on sophomore Evan Royster, who ran for 1,202 yards and 12 TDs.

USC will counter with a multi-faceted ground game highlighted by sensational sophomore Joe McKnight, who ran for 646 yards while averaging 7.7 yards per carry. Stafon Johnson and C.J. Gable combined for 1,246 rushing yards and 17 TDs for the Trojans.

But USC's overall offensive success will hinge on quarterback Mark Sanchez, a preseason Heisman Trophy hopeful who led the Pac-10 in passing yards (2,794) and touchdowns (30).

"I hope we can go out there and be competitive with them," Paterno said. "I'm a little bit nervous. They are a very, very impressive football team. They do everything well."

The 95th Rose Bowl will mark the third time that Penn State and USC clash in a postseason game. The storied programs met in the 1923 Rose Bowl, when Penn State posted a 14-3 victory.

The last time Penn State and USC played in a bowl game was the 1982 Fiesta Bowl, when the Trojans rolled to a 26-10 triumph.