There was a feeling in this one, for most of the first half and a few parts of the second, that the chickens had again come home to roost. Or at least been packed in the luggage compartment for the flight from—ahem—Harrisburg.
Penn State was, once again, crapping the figurative bed against a marquee opponent on a marquee stage after weeks of gobbling up cupcakes. USC looked faster, sharper, better-coached, and more ready for the moment, even if the talent discrepancy between the teams was almost invisible. No, this wasn’t a game against Ohio State or Michigan but it was a game against a dangerous and desperate group led by a coach who knows a thing or two about scoring points. It was 20-6 at halftime but it felt like it could have been worse as easily as it could have been better, and the Nittany Lions knew they had to battle the southern California heat as well as a team that was gaining confidence with each drive after some disappointments of its own the last few weeks.
Instead of letting the moment take them, though, as they had so many times the last few seasons, this group of Nittany Lions took the moment and held on, emerging with an overtime win that maintained the trajectory of the season and arguably changed the direction of the program.
