[NU Sports] FORTY DAYS OF FOOTBALL: Day 36

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

It's BEAT VANDY MONDAY! GO CATS!!!

FORTY DAYS OF FOOTBALL
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> DAYS 1-10: The top coaches of the decade

10) Glen Mason, Minnesota
09) Bret Bielema, Wisconsin
08) Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
07) Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin
06) Randy Walker, Northwestern
05) Lloyd Carr, Michigan
04) Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
03) Joe Tiller, Purdue
02) Joe Paterno, Penn State
01) Jim Tressel, Ohio State

> DAYS 11-20: The top games of the decade

10) 2000: Purdue 32, Michigan 31
09) 2001: Michigan State 26, Michigan 24
08) 2005: Michigan 27, Penn State 25
07) 2003: Minnesota 37, Wisconsin 34
06) 2004: Northwestern 33, Ohio State 27 (OT)
05) 2008: Penn State 13, Ohio State 6
04) 2009: Ohio State 27, Iowa 24 (OT)
03) 2002: Ohio State 10, Purdue 6
02) 2000: Northwestern 54, Michigan 51
01) 2006: Ohio State 42, Michigan 39

> DAYS 21-30: The top players of the decade

10) Laurence Maroney/Marion Barber, Minnesota
09) Antwaan Randle El, Indiana
08) Jamar Fletcher, Wisconsin
07) Dallas Clark, Iowa
06) Troy Smith, Ohio State
05) Damien Anderson, Northwestern
04) Braylon Edwards, Michigan
03) Chris Gamble, Ohio State
02) Larry Johnson, Penn State
01) Drew Brees, Purdue

> DAYS 31-40: The top teams of the decade

10) 2003 Michigan Wolverines
09) 2002 Iowa Hawkeyes
08) 2006 Wisconsin Badgers
07) 2009 Iowa Hawkeyes
06) 2009 Ohio State Buckeyes

Just one rule for this list: No more than three teams from one school (so it wouldn't just be a list of Buckeye teams :) ).

TOP TEAMS
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05) 2008 Penn State Nittany Lions

- Record: 11-2
- Quality Wins: vs. Oregon State, vs. #21 Illinois, @ #24 Wisconsin, @ #10 Ohio State, vs. #15 Michigan State
- Bad Losses: @ Iowa (maybe?)
- Average margin of victory: 30.4 points
- Bowl result: Lost to #4 USC 24-38 in the Rose Bowl

The 2008 Nittany Lions have the biggest margin of victory on this list and a nice list of quality wins from that season ... but they basically had two bad quarters of football during the season and it kept 2008 from being a truly magical year for Nittany Lion fans.

The season opened with four big-time routs over three cupcakes and an Oregon State team that would go on to beat #1 USC a couple weeks later and could have met the Lions for a rematch in Pasadena if they could have beaten their rivals from Oregon, moving the Lions from #22 to #12 as the Big Ten schedule was set to open.

The first game was a white-out under the lights at Beaver Stadium against what would turn out to be an overrated Illinois team.  But the Illini were still ranked #21 at the time and dangerous coming off of their Rose Bowl season in 2007. After a tight first quarter, the Lions eventually pulled away for a 38-24 triumph and soared into the top 10.

Three runaway wins at Purdue, under the lights at #24 Wisconsin and over mental-block Michigan put Penn State at #3 in the nation with the game of the year on deck - prime time in Columbus at #10 Ohio State, three-time defending league champions.

This one was a defensive slugfest with the Buckeyes holding a slim 6-3 edge entering the final quarter. With PSU starting quarterback Daryll Clark out with an injury, it was up to the defense and the Lions forced a fumble at midfield that led to the game-winning score in a 13-6 classic. The Nittany Lions were now up to #2 in the nation and appeared headed for the national championship game as they entered the bye week.

But then came the game at Iowa and the fateful fourth quarter. PSU didn't play well most of the game, but still were ahead 23-14 entering the final 15 minutes. The Hawkeyes intercepted Clark and began the game-winning drive on their own 15 yard line (aided by an interference call) to kick the game-winning 31-yard field goal with :01 left and pull the upset 24-23. The Hawkeyes went on to finish the year ranked #20, so it's not an awful loss, but it sure felt bad at the time for PSU.

The Nits rebounded to crush Indiana and #15 Michigan State at home before heading off to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl. At first it appeared they would have a rematch with Oregon State, but they were routed at home by their arch-rivals from Oregon a week later and the foe wound up being hometown USC, who had been ranked #1 before their loss at Oregon State earlier and were coming in on a roll and with a #4 ranking.

The Lions and Trojans played to a tie after one quarter, but then things went south in a hurry. The Trojans scored 24 points in the second quarter to go up 31-7 at the half - it looked like PSU might stem the tide in the middle of the quarter, but a fumble they recovered was called back by a penalty and the Trojans also capitalized on a PSU turnover right before the half. Yet the Lions pulled to within 38-24 in the fourth and had two chances in the final five minutes to score the two touchdowns they needed, but SC came up with two interceptions.

The year was one of excitement for Penn State fans, but those two quarters left them wondering "what if" ... the real turning point, though, may have come when Clark was injured Ohio State week - he didn't look the same against the Hawkeyes and still was shaking off some lingering effects in Pasadena. But when they were on, they were tough to stop and rekindled brief memories of that awesome 1994 Nittany Lion offensive machine.

Coming Tuesday: One second from perfection, again!

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

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STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
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