Penn State delivers another Big Ten dud in Rose Bowl

Jan 2, 2009 - 9:14 PM By Jon Raber PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PASADENA, California (Ticker) -- On a picturesque New Year's afternoon, an all too familiar scene unfolded for the Big Ten school making its accustomed trip out west to the Rose Bowl.

On this day, it was Penn State ushering in a new year with an abrupt welcome to sunny Pasadena. And it was Southern California handing out the pre-ordained beating.

The result was a resounding 38-24 victory for the sixth-ranked Trojans in Thursday's 95th edition of the Rose Bowl. It marked the sixth consecutive loss by a Big Ten squad in the The Granddaddy of Them All.

"I don't even know if it has anything to do with the conference," USC wide receiver Damian Williams said. "We go out there and play ball. It's another football game for us, and we just want to take care of it and execute."

One has to go back 10 years to find the last school hailing from the Big Ten to claim a victory in the Rose Bowl. It happened when Wisconsin edged Stanford, 17-9, in the 2000 edition.

Since then, it has been nothing short of a nightmare for the Big Ten, which has thoroughly been outmanned by its Pac-10 counterparts, especially the Trojans.

"It just preparation," USC defensive back Josh Pinkard said. "We prepare really well, we don't look past any teams and we play them like they are the best in the world."

In winning their third Rose Bowl in as many years, the Trojans have out-scored the opposition by a combined, 119-59.

While USC is essentially playing in its own backyard, a short distance from the university, it is the extended travel for visiting teams that may be a large factor in their woes.

"When you play Southern California, they're home and they practice where they normally practice," Penn State Coach Joe Paterno said. "And it's a lot easier for them to get ready."

There's no arguing that, indeed, the Trojans were ready.

Unleashing a high-powered offensive attack, USC needed just 30 minutes to build a commanding 31-7 advantage. It came against a Nittany Lions defense which had not allowed more than 24 points in a single game all season.

The biggest benefactor was USC quarterback Mark Sanchez, who became the third player in the history of the Rose Bowl game to pass for more than 400 yards.

Sanchez ended the night completing 28-of-35 passes for a career-high 413 yards and four touchdowns, while running for another on the way to being named Offensive Player of the Game.

Williams was on the receiving end of 162 of the yards and the game's opening score on a 27-yard connection.

"I think that we were playing against what I thought was as good a football team as there was in the country, regardless of whether they were playing in the national championship," Paterno said.

By halftime, USC coach Pete Carroll was high-fiving his coaches on the sidelines, while his players danced in a circle near their own 20-yard line as if victory was already in hand.

For all intensive purposes, it was.

"Once we started to click and got going a little bit, it was just a little too late," Penn State wide receiver Deon Butler said.

The dominance wasn't quite as obvious in the second half, with the Nittany Lions doing their best to get something positive going.

Daryll Clark completed a 9-yard TD pass with 4:24 remaining to get his team within 38-24 and got them back inside the 10-yard line with under a minute left and a chance to make it a one-possession game.

However, Clark tossed a meaningless interception as time expired. By that point, it was clear to most of the 93,293 in attendance that Penn State had been done in by a stronger, faster and more prepared bunch from the Pac-10.

The outcome confirmed an inferiority that has become all too familiar for the Big Ten.