Penn State Football: Insight Bowl 2012 Start of Slide for Premier Program

Before the college football season started, Penn State would have ranked at or near the top of any list of elite programs in the country. The Nittany Lions had it all. But, as we all know, things can change in a heartbeat. Now, after two months of scandals, this program will end its elite run in the Insight Bowl. 

Obviously, football and everything else comes secondary to what is going on with Jerry Sandusky and the allegations levied against him.

But looking at things from a sports perspective, there is no way for Penn State to bounce back from this. There have been rumors about who the next head coach will be, with Jon Saraceno of USA Today reporting that New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien is the leading candidate. 

Nothing against O'Brien, but he doesn't have the name or the aura to lure big-time recruits to Penn State against established coaches like Urban Meyer or Brady Hoke or even Bo Pelini. 

There are too many factors working against Penn State now to assume that it will ever be the program that we once knew. 

Joe Paterno was the stabilizing force that made everything else work. He is not there, so where does the program go?

It should tell us something that no big-name coaches wanted to take this job. One year ago, if Penn State had a coaching vacancy, there would have been no shortage of coaches wanting to interview for the job. 

But times have changed dramatically. Everything has changed, and the game against Houston will be the start of the new era in Happy Valley. 

Instead of competing for conference championships and BCS berths, the Nittany Lions will have to settle for mediocrity and be grateful if/when they become bowl eligible. 

Fans may not want to hear it, or willing to accept it, but the fantasy is over at Penn State. Reality is going to come crashing down on this program hard starting with today's bowl game. 

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