Dec. 23, 2008
SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Coach Joe Paterno met with the media today as Penn State continued its preparations for the 95th Rose Bowl presented by Citi, where the Nittany Lions will clash with Southern California.
The Lions resumed practice on Sunday at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. and practiced under sunny, but cool, conditions today. The squad will practice again on Wednesday and hold its annual Christmas Party with the players, coaches and staff and their families. The team will have Christmas Day off and then resume practice on Friday.
"I feel really good about the fact that we're out here," Paterno said. "This is THE bowl to play in."
The all-time leader in bowl appearances (35th) and victories (23), Paterno was asked about his 1994 team, which defeated Oregon in the Rose Bowl and became the Big Ten's first 12-0 team, but finished No. 2 in the polls.
"You feel bad for the kids," he said. "They do everything you ask them to do. That '94 team was probably as good an offensive team that has played in college football....Kerry Collins, Ki-Jana Carter, Kyle Brady, all of them were first round draft picks and Bobby Engram is still playing."
Paterno is in his 43rd season as head coach and 59th year on the Penn State staff. He is the all-time leader in victories among major college coaches with a 383-126-3 (74.8) record and is No. 2 in winning percentage among active coaches with 10 or more years as a head coach.
The Hall of Fame mentor was asked about USC coach Pete Carroll, who has earned an 87-15 record (85.3) in his eighth season and is the winning percentage leader among active coaches with five or more seasons as a head coach.
"I don't know Pete real well," said Paterno. "The NIKE people take the coaches on a trip and we talked there. He's a likable guy and an outstanding coach.
Big Ten Champion Penn State (11-1) and Pac-10 Champion Southern California (11-1) will clash on New Year's Day in "The Granddaddy of Them All." The contest will be played January 1, 2009 at the Rose Bowl Stadium (88,500) in Pasadena, Calif. The game will kick at 2:10 p.m. PT/5:10 p.m. ET and air on ABC, ESPN Radio and the Penn State Sports Network.
Penn State is ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls. Southern California is No. 4 in the Coaches poll and No. 5 in the AP poll.
The Nittany Lions and Trojans will be be meeting for the ninth time, with both sides having won four contests. The teams have met six times since 1990, with both teams winning two games on their home field and both winning once in the Kickoff Classic. The last meeting resulted in a 29-5 USC win in the 2000 Kickoff Classic in Giants Stadium.
Penn State and USC will be playing in a post-season game for the third time, the second in the Rose Bowl. The Trojans defeated the Lions, 14-3, in the 1923 Rose Bowl, the first played in the present facility. The game was the first of Penn State's 40 bowl games. The other post-season clash came when the No. 7 Nittany Lions defeated the No. 8 Trojans, 26-10, in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 1982.