Penn State vs. Nebraska: A Win Would Be Bittersweet for the Nittany Lions

At this time last week, this Saturday’s big game between Nebraska and Penn State was shaping up to be one of the most anticipated Big Ten matchups of the season and possibly even a preview of the conference’s first ever championship game.

But now, after the Jerry Sandusky scandal has rocked Happy Valley, the game has become a complete afterthought.

Even though the Nittany Lions are currently 5-0 in the conference and in the driver’s seat to win the Leaders division, it seems like the last thing anyone around campus is thinking about right now is a Big Ten championship.

While it’s sad to see this team full of talented upperclassmen have their season hijacked, since they had nothing to do with any of this, the fact is, this weekend’s Senior Day will have a bit of an empty feeling for the players, as the main focus of the game will be on coach Joe Paterno, who if he does in fact coach, will all but certainly be coaching his last ever home game at Penn State.

With Paterno reportedly on his way out, it will be interesting to see if this team will be able to rally in the face of adversity or if the surrounding circumstances will prove to be just too much to handle.

Given all that’s gone on around campus these past few days, if Penn State does in fact beat Nebraska, it would be a bittersweet moment for a fan base that will have to now say goodbye to one of the most beloved coaches in college football history.

There’s not a lot of room for celebration this weekend, especially as more and more victims of Sandusky’s 15-year reign of terror keep coming forward, but there is however, room for reflection and there is room for healing for a program which will now have to figure out how to recover from one of the worst sports scandals in decades.

One thing’s for sure, the atmosphere in Beaver Stadium on Saturday will be unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.