Monday Thoughts: Penn State

The Penn State Nittany Lions will make their third trip to Pasadena, and second time under Joe Paterno, thanks to a Big Ten clinching victory over the Michigan State Spartans by a score of 49-18. With a successful hip replacement surgery behind him now, Paterno may even be on the sideline for the game, which would be a great scene not only for Penn Sate, but for college football in general.

For Penn State fans the Rose Bowl may in fact be a second place prize having seen Iowa derail a shot at the national championship. Instead of getting psyched about taking on Alabama, or Texas, Oklahoma, Florida or whoever, the Nittany Lions are one Oregon State win away from a rematch from week two, against the possible Pac 10 champion Oregon State. Oregon State must defeat rival Oregon to clinch their spot in the Rose Bowl, otherwise USC can earn the cross town trip with a win over UCLA. There will be plenty of coverage on the Rose Bowl in the future so instead let us celebrate the 2008 Big Ten champions.

While Penn State and Ohio State tied for the top record in the Big Ten, the Nittany Lions earned the automatic BCS bid from the Big Ten with a win over Ohio State earlier in the season. The Buckeyes dominated a reeling Michigan team and could very well be considered for a BCS spot.

This year's Penn State team is only the third Big Ten championship team coached by Paterno. The first Big Ten champion was the incredible 1994 squad and the last Big Ten champion team was the revitalized 2005 team. This year's team reminds me of the 2005 team. Both teams were out for redemption. The 2005 team assured the critics that the game had not passed Paterno. The 2008 team showed that the Big Ten had other teams besides Ohio State. Both teams beat Ohio State in statement games. Both teams lost a game on the road following big victories against the Buckeyes. Both teams lost those games in the closing seconds. Both teams responded to win their remaining games in resounding fashion.

In 2005 the Big Ten champions did not play in the Rose Bowl because Pasadena was the site of the rotating national championship game. So while Texas and USC prepped for their mega-game of the century, Penn State headed to Miami for the Orange Bowl against Florida State. For the Nittany Lions this year the Rose Bowl is a nice reward for a hard fought season. While we all wish they were in the the national title picture (realistically), a Rose Bowl is still awfully better than a lot of other options out there.

Congratulations to Paterno, Daryll Clark, Derrick Williams and the rest of the Penn State football team for being Big Ten champions! Smell the roses! You guys deserve it!