Houston vs. Penn State: Game Time and Info for TicketCity Bowl

In what is one of the more interesting non-BCS bowls of the season, the No. 19 Houston Cougars will take on the No. 22 Penn State Nittany Lions in the TicketCity Bowl. Both teams made headlines during the season, but they were for very different reasons.

The Cougars were the darlings of college football as they ran through their regular-season schedule with a 12-0 record thanks to an explosive spread offense led by quarterback Case Keenum.

Houston failed to receive a much-anticipated BCS bid, however, as it was upended by Southern Mississippi in the Conference USA championship game.

Controversy engulfed Penn State this season as former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was charged with multiple counts of child molestation.

Legendary head coach Joe Paterno ultimately was removed from his post as he failed to report an account of Sandusky sexually abusing a boy in a Penn State locker-room shower. Tom Bradley took over as the interim coach and the team lost two of its last three to end the year.

In terms of prestige these teams are currently going in different directions, but a win would be huge for both programs. The two programs are complete opposites in almost every conceivable way, so it should be a very interesting contest.

Where: Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas

When: Monday, Jan. 2 at 12 p.m. EST

Watch: ESPN U

Listen: KBME 790 AM (Houston) and WBUS 93.7 FM (Penn State)

Key Storyline: Can Penn State Rally Together After a Tumultuous Season?

The Nittany Lions began the season 8-1 and it seemed as though they were on their way to an appearance in the Big Ten championship game.

Things suddenly crumbled when the Sandusky situation came to light, however, rocking the university to its very core. Head coach Joe Paterno was let go and the players were left under the guidance of Tom Bradley.

While Penn State didn't roll over and die following Paterno's firing, it couldn't keep things going as it fell just short in the Leaders Division. Now the Nittany Lions will have to pick up the pieces and move forward.

While Paterno is no longer in power, the TicketCity Bowl will essentially be the last game of the Paterno era as his coaching staff is still intact. It remains to be seen whether the team can come together and pull off an upset.

Betting Line: Houston (-7)

Who Might Not Play for Houston: No Injuries to Report

Who Might Not Play for Penn State: QB Matt McGloin

According to USA Today, Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin is unlikely to play in the TicketCity Bowl and is listed as doubtful. McGloin suffered a concussion and perhaps a seizure after getting into an altercation with teammate Curtis Drake in the locker room on Dec. 17.

McGloin hasn't been particularly impressive this season as the full-time starter since Tim Bradley took over as the interim head coach. He is only completing around 54 percent of his passes with eight touchdowns and five interceptions.

With McGloin out, it means that backup Rob Bolden will likely be the starter, although he hasn't been particularly good this season either.

What They're Saying

Penn State's search for a potential successor to Joe Paterno rolls on with the most recent candidate being Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Munchak. While it is said that Munchak toiled over the decision to stay with the Titans, he was very clear in his intentions in an interview with Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean:

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"I have a great deal of respect for Penn State and I hope they find a great coach there," Munchak told The Tennessean's beat writer Jim Wyatt. "But I am happy where I’m at."

"I love my alma mater, but I have no interest in being the head coach at Penn State. I never want to leave Tennessee.

It is not like I’m saying I want nothing to do with Penn State," Munchak said. "My point is, I have no interest in being the head coach there. Hopefully this will be the end of all the speculation. Most of it never comes true anyway."

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Houston Player to Watch: QB Case Keenum

As good as the Cougars are as a team, there is no question that quarterback Case Keenum is the player that makes the team go.

Keenum was considered a contender for the Heisman Trophy all season long and for good reason. He piled up 5,099 passing yards, 45 touchdowns and just five interceptions while completing nearly 72 percent of his passes.

Houston's dangerous spread offense relies heavily on the passing game, and Keenum is the maestro who orchestrates it.

Penn State certainly has a strong defense, ranked fifth in the nation this season. This will be Keenum's toughest test yet. Even so, the all-time touchdown leader should put up his customary monster numbers in this one.

Penn State Player to Watch: RB Silas Redd

With essentially no quarterback play to speak of, nothing comes easily for Penn State on offense. Whatever offensive success the team does have, though, can be directly attributed to sizzling sophomore running back Silas Redd.

Without the benefit of a passing game to take pressure off him, Redd had a fantastic year with 1,188 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.

Redd will come into play early and often in the TicketCity Bowl as the Nittany Lions will be relegated to using backup quarterback Rob Bolden.

The best way to beat Houston is to keep Case Keenum off the field, so Penn State will need to sustain some time-consuming drives. Provided Redd runs with a purpose, the Nittany Lions may be able to slow down the Houston attack.

Key Matchup: Houston Offense vs. Penn State Offense

While the two offenses won't be competing against each other on the field directly, the contrast between Houston's offense and Penn State's offense makes for an interesting matchup.

The Cougars look to strike quickly and maximize the amount of possessions it gets, while the Nittany Lions are more methodical and prefer to keep the ball on the ground.

In many ways Penn State's offense will almost have to serve as a second defense. Penn State's actual defense can only do so much to slow down the Houston offense, but the Nittany Lions' offense can be a big help if it can keep the defense well rested.

Whichever unit executes its gameplan better will ultimately come out on top in the game.

Prediction

Houston 38, Penn State 20