Joe Paterno: Would He Have Had an Impact on Loss to Nebraska?

The last time Penn State played a home game without Joe Paterno present was October 29, 1949. At least that was the case until today. 

No one could have known this time last week that the man affectionately known as "Joe Pa" would be fired just days before the Nittany Lions game against No. 19 Nebraska. 

With all that went on at State College this week, one cannot help but ask the question, if Paterno's absence from Saturday's game had anything to do with Penn State's loss to the Cornhuskers.

The Nebraska game set up to be Penn State's first game against a ranked conference opponent and just its second game against a ranked team all season. 

Penn State has been grinding games out on defense all season long. In their previous five conference games, the Nittany Lions average margin of victory was just seven points thanks to a great defense and a not-so-great offense. 

Nebraska, on the other hand, was coming off a bad home loss to a then 3-5 Northwestern team. 

Before all heck broke loose early this week, Nebraska was installed as a 2.5-point road favorite for the game. Once said heck broke loose, more than a few college football pundits figured the Cornhuskers would probably whip the Nittany Lions. 

Penn State's subsequent three-point loss Saturday had little to do with Joe Paterno's absence, however. 

Did the events of this week weigh heavily on the Nittany Lions during the game? I don't know how they couldn't have been thinking about it. Did Joe Pa's not being in that home locker room before the game cause any undue grief for his players? Most likely. 

Would Penn State have won the game with Paterno present? It's unlikely. 

The 84-year-old former legend has had little to do with Penn State's success, or lack thereof, for years now. The only potential boost his presence would have brought the Nittany Lions today would have been emotional. 

Eventually, emotion runs out and the better football team rises to the occasion. 

On Saturday, Nebraska was the better football team. And it would have been that way regardless of who held the official title of Penn State head coach.