Joe Crispin knew. He knew a couple minutes into the game that Penn State was going to beat North Carolina. Heck, he knew at the beginning of the season, when JoePa's crew was making Happy Valley weep.

"I told everyone this year would be a paradox," said Joe, even more talkative than usual. "The football team was having a bad year, so we'd have a great one. And tonight, I just had this feeling. And when I get a feeling like that, bad or good, I'm rarely wrong. So even though we were down seven in the first half, I told the guys, 'We got this one.' "

Titus Ivory knew. He knew his mom, Carlenia, who had spent the whole day in the hospital with a severe stomach illness, was going to be just fine.

"We got some good news this afternoon: She's going to be released later tonight," Titus said, beaming. "I can't wait to see her. She's got a big hug for me, I know."

And he got a big W for her.

Mom wasn't the only one present in absentia. After his father, Titus Sr., died his freshman year, Ivory patched together a wristband he made himself. It's a three-inch swath of white terry cloth, a bit ragged after almost four years of wear. On it, in cursive letters he bought at a local craft store, are these words:

THE REAL TLI

DR

"I always introduced myself as Titus Ivory, and my father would say, "I'm the real Titus Ivory," he explained. "You can tell I sewed those letters on myself, because they're all about to fall off."

What's DR?

"Don't reach," Titus responded. "My father was always telling me not to reach. Now I know I didn't do a good job tonight, since I had four fouls. I think he'll be okay with this. I think he knows I tried."

You can bet on it.

Anne Marie Cruz is a senior reporter for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail her at anne.marie.cruz@espnmag.com.