Jan. 14, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; -
Nittany Lions Own Nation's Seventh-Best Record Since 2005
Best Football Records Since 2005
Penn State has earned a 51-13 (79.7) record since the start of the 2005 season, tied for the nation's No. 7 winning percentage over that span (with West Virginia). The Nittany Lions have won 53 of their last 66 games overall, dating to the final two contests of the 2004 season.
During the past five seasons, Penn State has won two Big Ten Championships, posted a trio of 11-win seasons and won four different bowl games (FedEx Orange, Outback, Valero Alamo and Capital One), with the only bowl loss coming in the 2009 Rose Bowl to USC. The Nittany Lions have played in four New Year's bowl games over the past five seasons.
Penn State (11-2) was No. 9 in the 2009 final AP poll, earning its 23rd Top 10 finish in Joe Paterno's 44 seasons as head coach. The final USA Today Coaches poll ranked the Nittany Lions No. 8.
Fans Select 1987 Fiesta Bowl as Greatest National Championship Bowl Game of of All-Time
College football fans have selected Penn State's win over Miami (Fla.) in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl as the overwhelming choice as the greatest bowl game that determined a national championship. The Nittany Lions' 1983 Sugar Bowl win over Georgia finished fifth among the 10 games fans could vote for.
Voting was conducted at usatoday.com during the past 10 days.
The Nittany Lions' 14-10 win over the unbeaten Hurricanes earned 34 percent of the votes among the 10 games. The second place game was the BYU's 1984 Holiday Bowl win over Michigan (19 percent), followed by the 2006 Rose Bowl (Texas over USC) and the 2003 Fiesta Bowl (Ohio State over Miami). The Nittany Lions' 27-23 win over Georgia in the 1983 Sugar Bowl for their first National Championship was No. 5 with nine percent of the votes.
Three Nittany Lions Named to Big Ten All-Bowl Team
A trio of Nittany Lions have been named to ESPN.com's Big Ten All-Bowl Team. Linebacker Navorro Bowman (District Heights, Md.), tackle Dennis Landolt (Burlington, N.J.) and placekicker Collin Wagner (State College) earned berths on the team.
Penn State defeated No. 13 LSU, 19-17, in the Capital One Bowl on New Year's Day, earning its fourth bowl victory in the past five years.
All-American Bowman made a game-high nine tackles (7 solo), with 1.5 TFL to lead a defensive effort that held LSU to just 243 yards and 21:39 time of possession. He made a four-yard TFL on Trindon Holliday at the PSU 11 late in first quarter to help force a field goal. A two-time first team All-Big Ten choice, Bowman helped Penn State hold LSU just 41 yards rushing (on 25 carries), a season-low nine first downs and its third-fewest points of the season. The Tigers entered the game averaging 129.6 ypg rushing.Landolt was instrumental in helping Penn State run 75 plays to LSU's 49, out-gaining the Tigers, 340-243 in very difficult field conditions. The Nittany Lions owned a whopping 38:21-21:39 advantage in time of possession. The Associated Press third team All-American helped the Lions gain 124 rushing yards and 216 passing yards, allowing just one sack. Penn State did not have any turnovers and just two penalties for 10 yards in the win over LSU.
Wagner connected on a career-high four field goals, including the game-winner with :57 left to play. Wagner made all four of his field goal attempts in the game, hitting from 26, 18 and 20 and the game-winner from 21 yards. Wagner had never kicked four field goals in a game even in high school. His four field goals tied Travis Forney (1999 Outback Bowl) for the most ever by a Penn State player in a bowl game.
The Nittany Lions return 13 starters for the 2010 season, (7 offense, 5 defense, 1 specialist), as well as 11 players that have starting experience. Penn State opens the season Sept. 4 vs. Youngstown State in Beaver Stadium and visits 2009 national champion Alabama on Sept. 11.