Nebraska vs Penn State: Senior Day Will Shine over Dark Shadow of Scandal

For those of you who are engulfed in this Jerry Sandusky scandal, as many of you are, come Saturday afternoon all of that will take a backseat to this great Penn State season that is currently going on. Then all of the attention will shift to focus on the seniors playing in their last home game in Beaver Stadium at Happy Valley. 

Yes, the mud is thick and it’s hard to see past this scandal that broke last week, but on Saturday there will be 110,000 screaming Penn State supporters, getting behind the 52 men on the current Penn State roster that is working on a 8-1 season and a berth in the first Big Ten Championship game. 

Their game against Nebraska this week will showcase the 15 seniors who are playing in their final home game—a home that these 15 seniors shared so many memories playing in games that either made or break their season. 

These seniors have been with Joe Paterno through two monumental milestones in his legendary career. They helped Joe Pa win his 400th game and just last week, push him over the legendary coach Eddie Robinson, winning his 409th game. 

The game against Nebraska gives the Penn State program a chance to silence the noise that is going on around their program. For three hours the story will not be about Sandusky, the grand jury report, which Penn State officials should or should not be fired and how this will affect Paterno’s legacy. 

Instead, the story be about how senior defensive end Jack Crawford led the defense in stopping the one-two punch of Nebraska’s offense in quarterback Taylor Martinez and running back Rex Burkhead. 

The story will be about how senior wide receiver Derek Moye having a career day in his last game playing at home. How Moye was a leading force in the passing game, finding open spots in the Cornhusker defense, catching six passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns. 

The conclusion of the Senior Day at Happy Valley on Saturday afternoon will be about how senior safety Nick Sukay intercepted Taylor Martinez on the final play of the game to seal a huge victory for this Penn State team. 

Then after the game, the Penn State seniors rush to the sideline to find Paterno, to carry him off the field, giving him the final send off in Beaver Stadium that he deserves and has earned. 

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