TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Paterno Says He'll Be Back As Lions Romp

ADVERTISEMENT

The Associated Press

Published: November 23, 2008

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Penn State coach Joe Paterno has no plans to go out on top of the Big Ten.

After the Nittany Lions routed No. 17 Michigan State 49-18 on Saturday to earn a conference title and a trip to the Rose Bowl, Paterno said he doesn't intend for his 43rd season as head coach to be his last - at least not yet.

"I'm planning on coming back, yeah," Paterno said. "I never planned otherwise.'

With Paterno coaching again from the press box because of a sore hip, Penn State (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten) secured a share of the conference title and the school's first trip to Pasadena since 1995.
Daryll Clark threw for career highs of 341 yards and four touchdowns and a stingy Penn State defense held Javon Ringer to a season-low 42 yards for the Spartans (9-3, 6-2).

NO. 10 OHIO STATE 42,

MICHIGAN 7

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State has never dominated Michigan the way it does right now.

In the rivalry's most lopsided result in 40 years, the Buckeyes won their fifth straight against that hated school for the first time, ending a dreadful first season for Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez.

Ohio State (10-2, 7-1) used five big plays to win by the biggest margin in the rivalry since Woody Hayes was prowling and growling on the sidelines in a 50-14 rout of Michigan in 1968 - the game in which he said he went for a late 2-point conversion "because I couldn't go for three!"

In Rodriguez's first season, the Wolverines (3-9, 2-6) lost the most games in school history, missed a bowl trip for the first time in 34 years and had the first losing season in 41 years.

NORTHWESTERN 27,

ILLINOIS 10

EVANSTON, Ill. - C.J. Bacher threw two touchdown passes, one to Eric Peterman in the fourth quarter after a 51-yard punt return by Brendan Smith, as Northwestern (9-3, 5-3) beat Illinois (5-7, 3-5) to strengthen its case for a New Year's Day bowl.

PURDUE 62, INDIANA 10

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Curtis Painter threw for 448 yards and five touchdowns, and the Boilermakers (4-8, 2-6) scored on their first 10 possessions to roll past archrival Indiana (3-9, 1-7) - matching the largest victory margin in Ross-Ade Stadium history set twice before, all under retiring head coach Joe Tiller.

IOWA 55, MINNESOTA 0

MINNEAPOLIS - Shonn Greene set Iowa's single-season rushing record, Ricky Stanzi's arm was in rhythm, and the Hawkeyes defense battered the Gophers and retained possession of Floyd of Rosedale.

The Gophers (7-5, 3-5) absorbed the second-worst home loss in their history behind an 84-13 defeat by Nebraska in 1983.

Greene plunged through the line for 144 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries to propel Iowa (8-4, 5-3).

WISCONSIN 36,

CAL POLY 35, OT

MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin escaped an upset bid by Cal Poly of the Football Championship Subdivision, mounting a late comeback and capitalizing on three missed extra points to win on John Clay's second touchdown of the game.

The victory improves Wisconsin to 7-5 and makes it likely the Badgers will be invited to a bowl game, a bittersweet accomplishment for a team that began the season with expectations of contending for a Big Ten title and at one point climbed into the top 10 in the rankings.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT