Dec. 3, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; - The Penn State football team will soon be rewarded for its hard work and dedication amidst one of the nation's most difficult schedules with the opportunity to play in its 37th bowl game under Coach Joe Paterno.
All of the 2010-11 bowl match-ups will be announced on Sunday night, starting with the five Bowl Championship Series games. The five BCS contests will be announced at 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The Big Ten Network's Big Ten Bowl Selection Special will air Sunday at 8:30 p.m. ET and re-air at 9:30 p.m. Host Dave Revsine and analysts Gerry DiNardo and Howard Griffith will break down where each team is headed and how they match up with their opponents during the 60-minute program. A record-tying eight Big Ten squads are bowl eligible.
The Nittany Lions have played the 14th-most difficult schedule among the nation's 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams, according to the NCAA. Eight of Penn State's opponents are bowl eligible. Minnesota and Illinois are the only Big Ten squads that have played a tougher schedule, according to the NCAA. During the 20101 campaign, Penn State became the first squad to play three road games against winners of a Bowl Championship Series game from the previous season.
Penn State may have an opportunity to play in its 25th New Year's Day bowl under Coach Joe Paterno, who is the all-time leader in bowl wins (24-11-1) and appearances (37th). The Nittany Lions are 17-7 in January bowl contests under Paterno.
Penn State leads all Big Ten teams in bowl victories, appearances and winning percentage. The Nittany Lions are No. 3 in the nation with 27 post-season victories, No. 8 with 42 bowl appearances and tied for first nationally (with USC) in bowl winning percentage (66.7, 27-13-2) among schools with at least 20 bowl appearances.
Paterno is the game's most successful bowl coach, in addition to being the all-time victories leader among FBS coaches with a 401-134-3 record. Besides being the all-time leader in bowl victories and appearances, his impressive 68.1 winning percentage in post-season games (24-11-1), is the best among all coaches who have coached in a minimum of 15 bowl games. Bobby Bowden's 21-10-1 (67.2) mark is second-best all-time.
A 2007 National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame inductee, Paterno is the only coach to win the Rose, Fiesta, Orange, Sugar and Cotton Bowls. Paterno-led teams have won 11 different post-season contests, more than anyone in college football history.
The Nittany Lions are 58-18 (76.3) since the start of the 2005 season, the nation's No. 10 winning percentage over that span. The six-year run includes two Big Ten Championships and BCS berths and four New Year's bowl games, with the possibility of a fifth.
During the past five years, Penn State has won the 2006 FedEx Orange Bowl (Florida State), 2007 Outback Bowl (Tennessee), 2007 Alamo Bowl (Texas A&M) and 2010 Capital One Bowl (LSU). The lone loss came to USC in the 20089 Rose Bowl.
The Nittany Lions won four of their final six games to finish the regular season with a 7-5 mark. Penn State has just eight senior starters (4 off., 3 def., 1 kicker).
Tickets for Penn State's bowl game will go on sale Sunday at approximately 9:00 p.m. at www.GoPSUsports.com. Ticket information and prices for all of Penn State's potential bowl games is posted on www.GoPSUsports.com/tickets.