ESPN College Football

PASADENA, Calif. -- First of all, USC coach Pete Carroll admits the Trojans didn't distinguish themselves in the fourth quarter of the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi.

"We curled up in the fourth quarter," he said. "We sucked in the fourth quarter."

But, he noted, his team just whipped the Nittany Lions 38-24 after leading 31-7 entering the final frame.

"We gave them a chance to keep the score close, but it really wasn't that close of a football game," he said. "With all due respect -- I think they're a terrific team -- but we ran away with it."

And Carroll -- and his players -- also think this: "I don't think anybody can beat us."

In other words, as happy as USC was with winning another Rose Bowl, the program is still smarting from its exclusion from a chance to prove itself the nation's best team.

"I feel like we can beat anybody in the country," receiver Patrick Turner said. "We wish there was a playoff."

Carroll was quick to point to the Pac-10's redeeming bowl season. After being maligned much of the year, the conference went 5-0 in bowl games, beating four ranked teams and teams from four other BCS conferences.

The Pac-10 should end up with four teams ranked in the final top-25 poll.

"It obviously shows the regard for the [Pac-10] schedule wasn't proper, was not right, was not accurate," Carroll said. "I know [the bowl record] is a pretty cool fact when you're comparing stuff right now. It's interesting."

There is the chance that the Trojans will get some sympathy from AP voters, who have the option to rank them No. 1.

"I hope this helps whoever is out there in a dark cave doing all the BCS math," quarterback Mark Sanchez said. "I hope they watched this game."

Or, as safety Taylor Mays said: "Vote for us!"

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

PASADENA, Calif. -- He's been alive 82 years, so Penn State coach Joe Paterno doesn't always lean on coaching clichés.

	Jody Gomez/US Presswire
	USC quarterback Mark Sanchez carved up the vaunted Penn State defense in a 38-24 Rose Bowl win.

So it shouldn't be too surprising that he basically admitted he thought the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi was over at halftime with USC holding a 31-7 lead.

"I thought it had gotten away from us," Paterno said. "Until they got to 31, the last touchdown, I thought we had a shot at it."

USC had outgained Penn State 341 yards to 177 at the break and was dominating on both sides of the ball. The Trojans were 6 of 8 on third down conversions, while Penn State was just 1 of 5.

The Nittany Lions rallied furiously with 17 points in the fourth quarter as, to use Pete Carroll's term, the Trojans "curled up," but the deficit was too large to spare them from suffering the Big Ten's fifth consecutive defeat in a BCS game by 14 points or more.

The Big Ten entered the game with the worst bowl winning percentage among major conferences over the last 6 seasons (.368). The conference is 1-5 so far this bowl season with Ohio State playing Texas in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 5.

Penn State was much better in the second half, even with running back Evan Royster out with a knee injury. The Nittany Lions outgained the Trojans 233 yards to 133 in the second half and brought their devout fans to their feet in the final minutes as they imagined a miracle comeback.

"I think coach said it best in the [post-game] locker room," quarterback Daryll Clark said. "We just got going a little too late. And, you know, we were doing some things that we haven't been doing all season."

Like penalties. While digging the first-half deficit, Penn State, the nation's third-least penalized team, was flagged seven times for 45 yards. One offsides penalty negated a fumble from USC quarterback Mark Sanchez, and the Trojans went on to drive 86 yards for a 7-0 lead.

Penn State's touted defense was overmatched in the secondary by USC's passing attack and athleticism on the perimeter. Mark Sanchez and company picked the Nittany Lions apart.

"I thought our secondary was a little bit tentative," Paterno said. "I don't think we played particularly well in the secondary."

But, in the second half, the Penn State offense made USC's top-ranked defense look average.

USC has allowed only 17 plays of 20 or more yards this season, fewest in the nation. Penn State produced four plays over 20 yards.

"They were good," safety Taylor Mays said. "They didn't back down at all."

It just was too little, too late.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

	Jody Gomez/US Presswire
	Mark Sanchez completed 28 of 35 passes for 413 yards and four touchdowns.

PASADENA, Calif. -- It was supposed to be about a pair of bone-rattling defenses, but USC quarterback Mark Sanchez and his supporting cast rewrote the script and gave themselves starring roles.

Sanchez carved up the Penn State secondary like a holiday bird, completing 28 of 35 passes -- an 80 percent completion percentage -- for 413 yards with four touchdowns in the Trojans' 38-24 victory over Penn State in the Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi. He also ran six yards for a touchdown, so he had a hand in each score.

And, yes, he said, he was a little annoyed that many so-called pundits had described the offense as the runt little brother to the Trojans' big-bad defense.

"We're a silent but deadly offense -- if you think about the defense too much we might just have a day like this," Sanchez said.

The offense scored 24 points in the second quarter, which is double what Penn State had been yielding this season.

"He made some really good plays," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. "As a coach, you have to admire kids who do things like that under pressure. He just had a heck of a football game."

Coach Pete Carroll's effusive post-game praise for Sanchez included terms like "phenomenal" and "Favre-like," but the part that would stand out to Sanchez was Carroll placing the junior into the ranks of the previous Trojan quarterback greats.

"He played the same kind of football that Carson [Palmer], and [John David] Booty and [Matt] Leinart played," Carroll said. "There's no doubt that he's just as capable of being the best player in America, given another year."

That other year is in question because Sanchez is considering entering the NFL draft early. He refused to engage the subject directly after the game, and scanning his comments for subtext feels fruitless.

One moment Sanchez talks about a Trojans offense that could welcome back 10 starters in 2009, but the next he's agreeing his Rose Bowl performance should help his draft prospects.

His MVP performance largely redeemed a year in which he put up impressive numbers -- ranking 11th in the nation in passing efficiency and finishing with 34 touchdowns passes -- but also played inconsistently at times and was doubted by a vocal portion of the Trojans demanding fan base.

"The season has been maybe a little up and down for him, but we know what type of player he is and we trust in what he can do for our football team," safety Taylor Mays said.

Part of Sanchez's problem was an offense that leaned toward conservative much of the year because the defense was yielding only a touchdown a game.

But for the Rose Bowl he doffed the knee brace he'd been wearing since a preseason injury -- he repeatedly used the word "free" to describe how he felt during the game -- and the handcuffs came off the passing attack with dramatic results.

"I was on today," Sanchez admitted. "My arm felt live. We were clicking."

The downfield focus was by design. It's clear from the post-game locker room that the Trojans felt they could exploit the Penn State secondary and its cover-3 scheme.

"Anytime you play a team that plays cover-3, there's a lot of lanes in the middle of the field and we were able to find the holes with our speed," said receiver Damian Williams, who caught a game-high 10 passes for 162 yards.

Williams added that Sanchez "better come back."

If he does, the Trojans offense would take center stage while the defense rebuilds.

"With everybody coming back on offense, we're going to be a phenomenal group," Sanchez said.

Sanchez almost assuredly would be on the preseason list of Heisman Trophy candidates. If he comes back.

But if he bolts, he could end up an early-round or even first-round NFL pick this spring.

So what's it going to be, Mark?

"It's going to be hard to say goodbye to this place," he said. "I don't think I can do it."

The Trojan nation, back in love with Sanchez, will hold its collective breath.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

	Jeff Gross/Getty Images
	Penn State couldn't get the ball to Derrick Williams as much as it hoped in a 38-24 loss to USC.

Penn State entered the Cardinal and Gold inferno known as Rose Bowl Stadium in search of national respect for its football program and secondly, its beleaguered conference.

The Nittany Lions ended up getting burned, and so did the Big Ten.

Penn State players had grown tired of hearing how great No. 5 USC was this season. The eighth-ranked Lions don't have to hear it any more. They experienced it in the Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi.

In a game that would define Penn State and the Big Ten more than any other this postseason, USC beat the Nittany Lions 38-24. The result wasn't a total surprise, but the way it happened was shocking.

A team that had been so balanced and so disciplined suffered a complete meltdown in the second quarter. After ranking third nationally in fewest penalties, Penn State drew seven flags for 63 yards in the opening half, including an offside call on rush end Aaron Maybin that nullified a USC fumble. Many of the fouls were mental mistakes -- late hits, pre-snap penalties -- and uncharacteristic of a Joe Paterno-coached, senior-led team. The result was a 31-7 halftime deficit.

Penn State's defense, a unit ranked third nationally in scoring and fifth in yards allowed, simply didn't show up.

USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian and quarterback Mark Sanchez exposed the Nittany Lions secondary, a weakness all season that was masked by a terrific defensive front seven and a conference with subpar quarterbacks.

Penn State generated minimal pressure on Sanchez, and the USC junior made all the throws against a secondary that reinforced the Big Ten's slow stereotype. Sanchez silenced his doubters, and created some for Tom Bradley and the Penn State defense.

Recapping the first-half carnage:

• No team had scored more than 24 points against Penn State this season. USC had 31 in the first half.
• The Lions had allowed 24 first-half points combined in their last four games.
  
• Penn State allowed an average of 168 pass yards per game. Sanchez had 276 in the half.
  
• Penn State allowed an average of 263.9 yards per game. USC had 341 in the half.
  

I never thought Penn State would do the things it did in the first half against USC. And yes, I'm the yutz who picked Penn State to win a defensive struggle today.

But that's what USC does to teams in the Rose Bowl. Perhaps it's a psychological edge after so many years of winning.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about it all was the fact that Penn State answered USC's first punch. After the Trojans took a 7-0 lead, quarterback Daryll Clark led a masterful touchdown drive against the nation's top defense. Clark actually played a good first half, but Penn State couldn't convert several third-and-short situations and got no help from its defense. The injury to running back Evan Royster certainly hurt, and Penn State couldn't get the ball to Derrick Williams as much as it hoped.

The second half lacked much drama, but Penn State didn't quit, especially Clark (273 pass yards, two touchdowns). Unfortunately for the Lions, neither did Sanchez (413 pass yards, four touchdowns).

Head coach Joe Paterno watched it all from the press box. He might have had more fun spending the day at the beach.

Penn State had a great season and likely will enter 2009 as the preseason Big Ten favorite, a dubious distinction. The Nittany Lions will be very solid on defense and with Clark back, they'll have a chance to erase this stain on their bowl résumé.

If this is the best the Big Ten has to offer, and Penn State earned that designation during the regular season, then the league has some major problems. The Big Ten's bowl lineup looked murderous, but four double-digit losses is pretty weak.

Three traditional powerhouse programs and major TV markets will always make the Big Ten relevant in college football, but we're in the dark ages for the conference. The Big Ten hasn't won a Rose Bowl since 2000 and, like many around college football, can't find an answer for USC.

Ohio State could dull the pain with a Tostitos Fiesta Bowl win against Texas on Monday, but Jim Delany's league has to do some soul searching after the season. The Big Ten entered the 2008 season with a poor national reputation and thus far has done nothing to change it.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

PASADENA, Calif. -- Give Penn State credit for fighting until the end. USC yawned its way through the fourth quarter, the Trojans defense in particular playing with uncharacteristic indifference.

That team in the fourth quarter was the one that lost to Oregon State.

But entering the final frame with a 31-7 lead may not inspire the same intensity as a nailbiter for the national championship.

The game belonged to quarterback Mark Sanchez, who became just the third Rose Bowl quarterback to pass for more than 400 yards.

Sanchez completed 28 of 35 passes for 413 yards with four touchdowns.

Penn State played most of the game without running back Evan Royster, who was lost in the first half to an apparent knee injury.

But that probably wouldn't have made much of a difference, unless Royster could have helped the Nittany Lions overmatched secondary.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

PASADENA, Calif., -- Fair to say Penn State's last gasp was strangled out when it failed to take advantage of a USC fumble to start the third quarter.

The Nittany Lions needed seven yards on fourth down from the USC 36, and they got six.

The Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi didn't provide many highlights in a scoreless third quarter.

USC is going to win. Big Ten is laying another egg.

The question might be whether the final tally is so impressive that it might sway some No. 1 votes USC's way.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

PASADENA, Calif. -- The USC defense is fine and everything, but it looks like the Trojans offense is the inspired party in the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi.

USC scored 24 points in the second quarter to take a 31-7 lead into the halftime locker room.

That's double what Penn State's defense had been yielding in an entire game this season.

The Trojans 341 yards in the half is 77 more than the Nittany Lions were giving up in an entire game.

As for the USC defense, Penn State gained 177 yards, but it's impressive 80-yard touchdown drive in the first quarter now looks like a charming anomaly.

It also looks like star tailback Evan Royster is out with a knee injury after running six times for 34 yards.

Here's a telling comparison: Penn State was 1-for-5 on third-down conversions, and three of those third downs were from two yards or less.

USC is 6-for-8 on third down.

The star of the game? USC quarterback Mark Sanchez, who completed 18 of 23 for 276 yards with three touchdowns.

The Penn State secondary is completely overmatched by the Trojans receivers, and Sanchez is just shooting fish in a barrel.

Can we stick a fork in this one?

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

PASADENA, Calif. -- Penn State won the first quarter 7-7.

The Nittany Lions won the quarter because the score is tied despite two huge plays -- one on offense and one on defense -- killed by penalties.

Defensive end Aaron Maybin was offsides when he forced a fumble from USC quarterback Mark Sanchez in Trojans territory. USC regrouped and finished an 86-yard drive with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez to Damian Williams.

On the ensuing possession, a long completion from Daryll Clark to Deon Butler that ended up inside the Trojans 10-yard line was nullified by an illegal shift.

No matter. The Nittany Lions bounced back and finished the 80-yard drive when Clark slashed in from nine yards out.

Penn State didn't come out intimidated by the USC defense, and they've made plays both running and passing.

USC's offense also won early battles with Penn State's touted defense.

So maybe the defenses won't rule the day.

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

PASADENA, Calif. -- Redundant questions are part of any BCS bowl game buildup, but two predominant inquiries served to annoy the participants in the 95th Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi more than usual.

For No. 8 Penn State: "So what do you think if USC's top-ranked defense?"

"I've lost count how many times someone has asked about USC's defense," Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark said.

For No. 5 USC: "Penn State beat Oregon State, 45-14. If you're so great, how did you lose to the Beavers?"

"For whatever reason, that game for us was one that was not respected in a sense, and Oregon State proved that anybody who thought that was wrong about the year they had," USC coach Pete Carroll said.

The value of these and other microanalyzed curiosities will be shortly revealed, as the Trojans and Nittany Lions go nose-to-nose on a beautiful Southern California afternoon.

A third well-explored topic: Motivation.

Penn State is playing in its first Rose Bowl since 1995. USC is playing in its fifth over the last six seasons, and the Trojans began the year thinking national championship or bust.

"I would never back away from any opportunity to play [Florida or Oklahoma]," Carroll said. "I think with our defense that we have we can beat anybody. I don't have any question in my mind that could happen. I think Penn State is just as worthy as all of those teams."

That is part of it. It's possible that if one team wins impressively, it will earn a handful of No. 1 votes in the final polls.

As for that USC defense, it enters the game on pace to finish with one of the best statistical seasons in the last quarter century. The Trojans are holding opponents to 7.8 points per game. No team has gone an entire season allowing fewer than eight points per game since Auburn in 1988 (7.2 ppg).

"These guys pack a punch," Clark said. "But I feel our offense does, too. This is going to be a 12-round bout."

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

USC will try to close a perfect Pac-10 postseason in the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi, but Penn State is trying to redeem the Big Ten's waning national reputation.

Who to watch: USC quarterback Mark Sanchez

If Sanchez has a big day, it seems almost certain USC wins, because that means he will be accurately distributing the ball to his playmakers, who would eventually burn a mediocre Penn State secondary. The best way for Penn State to score, however, is if it plays on a short field made possible by Sanchez trying to force balls into places where they don't fit. Of course, if Sanchez turns in a big game, he might ride it all the way to the NFL draft this spring.

What to watch: Penn State fighting off USC's second wave

Teams facing USC always talk about a fast start, about matching the Trojans' speed and aggressiveness and "punching them in the mouth." And that's certainly something. But the Trojans typically assert dominance after a game is a few possessions or even a couple of quarters old. The coaching staff sees what wrinkles it's going to face and makes adjustments, and then it's just two teams playing. That almost always works in USC's favor, see eight second-half shutouts and 22 points allowed after halftime the entire year.

Why to watch: Because the winner of this game will have an argument that it's deserving of a final No. 1 ranking. Because you might never see a defense as good as USC's again. Because this is a classic matchup of two teams -- and two coaches -- that couldn't be more different in terms of the way they present themselves to the public. Because Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing and Taylor Mays will make the crowd gasp at some point with a blow-up hit. Because Penn State is a pretty salty team that might just shock the nation and whip the Trojans. Because there's nothing like the sun setting over the San Gabriel Mountains during a Rose Bowl. Because the Rose Bowl is still the best freaking bowl game there is.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The defining game of the Big Ten bowl season pits traditional powers No. 8 Penn State (11-1) against No. 5 USC (11-1) in the Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi (ABC 5 p.m. ET). The Big Ten hasn't won a Rose Bowl since 2000 and enters with a four-game losing streak in BCS games. Penn State hasn't followed the league's downward trend, winning its last three bowl games, including the 2006 Orange.

Here's a look at this mega matchup.

WHO TO WATCH: Quarterback Daryll Clark and running back Evan Royster have sparkled as first-year starters in Penn State's offensive backfield. They face their toughest test to date in USC, which leads the nation in scoring and could be the best defense in recent college football history. Clark regained his confidence in the regular-season finale against Michigan State but must make smart, yet assertive decisions. If Penn State's veteran offensive line gives Royster running room, he could do some damage.

WHAT TO WATCH: Penn State's offensive scheme and strategy this season has been, well, very un-Penn State. The Spread HD attacked defenses with small, fast wide receivers and opened up running lanes for Clark, Royster, Derrick Williams and Stephfon Green. USC's back seven on defense is its strength, so it will be interesting to see how aggressive play-callers Jay Paterno and Galen Hall will be in the game. A bold approach has its risks and rewards, while a conservative style likely won't work against USC.

WHY TO WATCH: Because it's the Rose Bowl, silly. Not fully convinced? You've got two iconic coaches from different generations (Joe Paterno and Pete Carroll), two top five defenses (including the so-called greatest defense ever in USC), a ton of future NFL players and the arguably the greatest setting in college sports. USC can strengthen its argument as potentially the nation's best team, while Penn State can finally gain national respect for its team and, just maybe, its league. You have no excuse not to watch this game.