95th annual Rose Bowl pits Nittany Lions against Trojans

Pasadena, CA (Sports Network) - The 95th Rose Bowl boasts one of the better matchups of this postseason, as the fifth-ranked USC Trojans take on the sixth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions in a rematch of the very first Rose Bowl game played at the current Pasadena stadium back in 1923.

USC, which was touted by many to be the class of the Pac-10 Conference heading into the 2008 season, had to fight its way to the top of the league standings following an early 27-21 loss to a surprising Oregon State team. The Trojans, under the guidance of eighth-year head coach Pete Carroll, rebounded by winning nine straight to close the campaign and as a result, claimed their seventh consecutive Pac-10 title.

USC is 11-1 on the year, marking the seventh straight season the team has won at least 11 games (a new NCAA record).

The Trojans are playing in their fourth consecutive Rose Bowl, their 33rd all- time, and have appeared in a BCS game in each of the past seven years. USC is an outstanding 30-16 in bowl games in its storied history.

The Trojans have won eight straight against Big Ten competition.

Not to be outdone, Penn State brings in its own legacy of postseason success, currently laying claim to the nation's No. 2 bowl winning percentage (.675). The Nittany Lions, who also own an 11-1 record this year and are fresh off their third Big Ten title, second in the last four years, are 26-12-2 all-time in bowl games, and the team leads all Big Ten schools in bowl victories, appearances and winning percentage.

Penn State has won at least 11 games 14 times in a season and a win in this clash will give the Lions their fourth 12-win campaign. The Lions feasted on the same Oregon State squad that upset USC earlier in the year, hammering the Beavers in Happy Valley on September 6th, 45-14.

Legendary head coach Joe Paterno is the all-time leader in bowl wins (23) and appearances (35), and he is second in winning percentage (.691) among coaches with at least 12 bowl appearances. Paterno, who has been the leader of the PSU football program for the last 43 years, is the FBS leader in total wins with 383.

Penn State is making its first Rose Bowl appearance since 1995 when the Lions rolled over Oregon, 38-20, to cap an undefeated season. Despite the stellar year, PSU finished second in the nation behind Nebraska.

The all-time series between USC and Penn State is knotted at 4-4, and the teams have met twice previously in the postseason. The first bowl encounter was mentioned above (the 1923 Rose Bowl which wound up in favor of the Trojans, 14-3). The second was the 1982 Fiesta Bowl, which the Nittany Lions won in a 26-10 final. The most recent meeting between the two took place in the 2000 Kickoff Classic with USC winning rather easily, 29-5.

USC boasts a balanced offensive attack, averaging 206.0 ypg on the ground and 247.1 ypg through the air. As a result, the Trojans are lighting up the scoreboard to the tune of 37.5 ppg. The team is led by All-Pac-10 QB Mark Sanchez, who is the league's leader in passing efficiency and total offense. Sanchez threw for 2,794 yards, 30 TDs and 10 INTs during the regular season, and there isn't anyone the USC coaching staff would rather have directing the team as it faces the challenge ahead.

Offensive Coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who will be coaching his final game at USC after being tabbed as Washington's next head coach, recently said, "Nobody prepares more than Mark, mentally and physically. He does a great job off the field. First guy in, last guy out. He works extremely hard and takes care of himself. I think he's a tremendous leader. These kids love him. These kids want to play with him. He's an enthusiastic, infectious leader. On top of that, he's really talented. I think the drive and the will to win really pushes Mark and that makes him a great player."

There is no shortage of great players, on both sides of the ball for the Trojans, and Sanchez has the good fortune of having guys like Damian Williams, Patrick Turner and Ronald Johnson streaking down the sidelines and catching his aerial pursuits. The trio have combined for 24 TDs and more than 1,800 yards this season.

When USC decides to set up the pass or establish its power game, it is guys like Joe McKnight (84 carries, 646 yards, two TDs), Stafon Johnson (123 carries, 642 yards, nine TDs) and C.J. Gable (101 carries, 604 yards, eight TDs) who get the call, and all three have gone over 1,000 yards in their respective careers. The offensive line is anchored by All-Pac-10 center Kristofer O'Dowd.

Not to be outdone by their offensive cohorts, the Trojans have performed exceptionally well on defense this year, allowing a mere 7.8 ppg on only 206.1 total ypg, both of which are tops in the nation. While they have been amazing in their effort against the run (83.2 ypg, seven TDs), the Trojans have been downright scary when defending the pass (122.8 ypg, four TDs) -- that being far and away the best yield in the country.

While deep and talented at nearly every position, USC relies heavily on All- American LB Rey Maualuga, who has a team-best 73 tackles this season and also has a pair of INTs. Fellow LB Brian Cushing has logged 66 stops, including 10 behind the line of scrimmage, and he has a pick as well. The Trojans have come up with 26 turnovers and 28 sacks, clearly showing a knack for the big play.

Penn State Defensive Coordinator Tom Bradley was asked to compare his defense to that of USC and he said, "I think both our teams are built on the same philosophy and I think that starts with defense. In Pete Carroll's era, he's lost 15 games and I think I was reading, 14 of them by seven points or less. His games are close. They have an outstanding defense. They're great at takeaways. I haven't watched them much on defense, but the times I have, they're very disciplined. They run to the ball. They cause turnovers. They're very aggressive. They know when to go for the jugular when they've got you down.

Hoping to counter that aggressive defense will be the Penn State offense, led by QB Daryll Clark and a slew of talented skill players and one of the best front lines in the Big Ten. Clark hit the mark on 60 percent of his throws for 2,319 yards with 17 TDs and only four INTs during the regular season. As productive as the USC receivers have been, the Nittany Lions are every bit as good with the trio of Deon Butler (the school's all-time receptions leader), Derrick Williams and Jordan Norwood combining for more than 120 grabs, 1,700 yards and 15 TDs. Williams is also a threat in the return game as he has brought back one kick this season for a score, and has done several times in his career.

Penn State owns the nation's 11th-best scoring average (40.2 ppg), and like USC utilizes a balanced attack consisting of 211.6 ypg rushing and 240.6 ypg passing. Running back Evan Royster has been a workhorse this year, logging 185 carries for 1,202 yards and 12 TDs. He is averaging 6.5 ypc. The athletic Clark can get the job done with his legs as well, accounting for nine rushing TDs.

Bradley is confident in his team's ability to limit the big-play potential of the USC offense, as foes have generated just 12.4 points and 263.9 total yards per contest against Penn State this season -- both of which rank in the top five nationally. The Lions give up fewer than 100 ypg rushing (95.9) and only 168 ypg through the air. Opponents have hit paydirt just six times by way of the pass.

As is customary in Happy Valley, there are a ton of gifted defensive players dotting the roster, with All-American DE Aaron Maybin being one of the best of the bunch. Maybin has 12 of PSU's 32 sacks on the season, and 19 of the team's 74 TFLs. Linebacker Navorro Bowman is the team's leading tackler with 98, while CB Lydell Sargeant highlights a solid secondary with his four INTs.

Sargeant, a native of southern California, was asked about the challenge presented by the potent USC offense. "Their receivers are versatile. They are big. They are fast and they can move. Their offense is very precise. Mark [Sanchez] knows where to put the ball at and they have a good connection with Mark."


Source: sportsnetwork.com