Dec. 31, 2010
Check out Behind the Scenes Video at the Outback Bowl Team Photo
TAMPA, Fla.; December 31, 2010 - Two of the nation's premier programs will meet for just the third time when Penn State clashes with Florida on Saturday, January 1 in the 25th Outback Bowl.
All Penn State fans are encouraged to wear white to the Outback Bowl, as the Nittany Lions and Gators clash for just the third time. The Tampa forecast for this weekend is sunny skies with temperatures near 80 degrees. The contest will be played at Raymond James Stadium (65,856), will kick at 1:05 p.m. ET and air on ESPN on ABC, ESPN Radio and the Penn State Sports Network.
The Nittany Lions wrapped-up preparations today with position meetings and a brief visit to Raymond James Stadium for a team photo. Coach Joe Paterno met with the media for the final time in 2010 and spoke at the Penn State Outback Bowl pep rally at the Tampa Convention Center. The rally, co-sponsored by the Penn State Alumni Association and Nittany Lion Club, also featured the Penn State Blue Band, cheerleaders, and the Nittany Lion.
"I think we've practiced pretty well," Paterno said. "We were down at Clearwater and got seven practices in down there on the beach. We've been up here for game week. We started (resumed practice) on Monday, which would be the Monday of game week. I think we're ready, whether we're good enough, we'll find out.
"Obviously it's going to be hot," Paterno added of the anticipated conditions during the game. "The more guys we have ready to play...that worries me a little bit, the heat. It's supposed to be in the 70's tomorrow, so if it's that hot, obviously, we're going to have to play some people. Particularly at the pace Florida may give us on offense."
The Nittany Lions and Gators rank among the nation's Top 10 winningest programs over the past six years. Since the start of the 2005 season, Florida has a 64-15 record (81.0) to rank No. 4 nationally and Penn State is No. 10 with a 58-18 mark (76.3). Penn State has won two Big Ten Championships and BCS berths and won four of its five bowl games since 2005.
The Nittany Lions are playing in the Outback Bowl for the fourth time and will be participating in a New Year's bowl game for the fifth time in the past six seasons. Penn State will be making its 25th January bowl appearance under Paterno and 37th post-season trip overall under the all-time leader in bowl wins (24-11-1) and appearances.
The Outback Bowl is the only 2010-11 bowl game featuring two head coaches who have won a national championship, with Paterno and Florida's Urban Meyer both earning two national titles.
Penn State and Florida will be meeting for the first time since the 1998 Florida Citrus Bowl and just the third time overall. The Gators won, 17-7, in the 1962 Gator Bowl and 21-6, in the last meeting in Orlando. The squads had one common opponent during the 2010 season in Alabama. The Nittany Lions lost in Bryant-Denny Stadium, 24-3, on Sept. 11 and the Gators lost, 31-6, in Tuscaloosa on Oct. 2.
Florida will be the fourth Bowl Championship Series winner from the 2009 season that the Nittany Lions have played this season, a first for any team in the BCS era, having already played at Alabama, Iowa and Ohio State.
The Nittany Lions will be playing a team from the same state as the bowl site for the fourth time in the last six years, having beaten Florida State (2006 FedEx Orange) and Texas A&M (2007 Alamo) and losing to USC (2009 Rose).
Penn State will be making its 37th post-season trip under Paterno, who is the all-time leader in bowl wins (24) and appearances. Paterno, one of only three active coaches to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, will be taking a team to a 25th New Year's Bowl game, having compiled a superlative 17-7 mark.
The Nittany Lions are 3-0 in their previous Outback Bowl appearances, defeating Tennessee, 20-10, on January 1, 2007; Auburn, 43-14 on January 1, 1996 and Kentucky, 26-14, on January 1, 1999. Penn State All-America wide receiver Bobby Engram was the Outback Bowl MVP vs. Auburn, All-America defensive end Courtney Brown, was the MVP in the 1999 Outback Bowl and tailback Tony Hunt earned Outback Bowl MVP accolades against the Volunteers four years ago.
Penn State ranks among the nation's best in all-time victories, bowl visits and success. The Nittany Lions are sixth nationally with 818 victories. Penn State has an all-time record of 818-355-42 in its 124th season.
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.
Penn State has an all-time record of 17-17 vs. current members of the Southeastern Conference, going 7-3 in the last 10 games, with the last post-season meeting resulting in a 19-17 win over LSU in the 2010 Capital One Bowl. The Nittany Lions are 9-5 in bowl games vs. SEC teams, winning seven of the last nine. Penn State is 8-4 vs. SEC opponents in post-season contests under Paterno.
The Nittany Lions vs. SEC teams in bowl games (9-5 record): Alabama (1-2), Auburn (1-1), Florida (0-2), Georgia (1-0), Kentucky (1-0), LSU (2-0) and Tennessee (3-0).
Paterno is the game's most successful bowl coach. In addition to 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. 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.
Florida will be playing a Big Ten opponent for the first time since falling to Michigan in the 2008 Capital One Bowl. The Gators are 6-4 vs. current Big Ten members all-time in bowl games. For information on Outback Bowl events today and Saturday, go to www: Outbackbowl.com.
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