Penn State Football: This is It…Capital One vs. LSU

State College - Penn State will meet Louisiana State in the Southeastern Conference in the Capital One Bowl on January 1 at the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium.

This is a game that starts at 1 pm on New Year's Day and will be televised by ABC.

This was not the game Penn State had hoped to play. They were campaigning to play in the Fiesta Bowl (which decided the TCU 12-0 vs. Boise State 13-0 in its place) or the Orange Bowl (10-2 ACC Champion vs. Iowa chose Georgia Tech, 11-2).

This was the game some say Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney wanted to play Penn State, after pressing the BCS to pick Iowa coalition, a head to head against the winner on 26 September PSU.

This is not a BCS game, but has two national powers from the past and present. LSU is 12th in the BCS final standings, 9-3 overall and seeking his sixth double-digit victory season in a decade. Penn State is 13th in the BCS final standings, 10-2 overall, tied for second place in the classification of the Big Ten and has its first round-to-back 10-win seasons since 1993-94.

This is the biggest name opponent Penn State could have faced. "I knew that for us would be better facing LSU," said Joe Paterno. "They have a very good team."

This is not the game they call the Citrus Bowl. But what used to be. From 1983-2002, was known as the Citrus Bowl, and from 1947-1982 was known as the Tangerine bowl. The giant credit card ( "What's in your wallet?"), Capital One has been the sponsor since 2001 and sole owner since 2003.

This will be the match with two victories in college football programs during the past five years. LSU, 9-3 in 2009, has a record of 51-14 in the last five years, including four wins and a bowl record 12.2 in 2007, when he won the national championship. Penn State is 50-13 and has a 3-1 bowl game on their fifth bowl in as many seasons.

Not the game that Joe Paterno will set the record for all-time bowl victories. He already has. Penn State coach is a postseason record of 23-11-1 (.671), including 16-7 in bowl games on New Year. He is the all-time leader in bowl wins and appearances (35).

This game is the family of Joe Paterno wanted to go. "I have 17 grandchildren and the oldest is 14," said Paterno, who turns 83 on December 21. "Everybody wanted to return to Orlando."

Not the game that Paterno and LSU coach Les Miles is assumed that for the first time opposing head coaches. Miles was considered a favorite to replace Lloyd Carr as Michigan's head coach immediately after the 2007 regular season. But Miles' LSU squad beat Tennessee in the SEC Championship for a seat in the national title game, while West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez, lost their game against Pitt and his shot at the championship game. Rodriguez was available, Miles was not. Rich Rod was hired, and he was under when he came to Michigan before losing to the Nittany Lions 46-17 on 18 October 2008, in Beaver Stadium. And Miles was not.

This is the game that Paterno will sign the "contract officer" in the sponsorship of the Florida Citrus Sports' luncheon Thursday at the Varsity Club in Florida Citrus Stadium.

Not the game that Paterno will be in New York on Tuesday, but the trip has a connection to LSU. Penn State coach will attend the annual dinner of the National Football Foundation at the Waldorf-Astoria - where you will see Billy Cannon, the Heisman Trophy winner from LSU in 1959, is included in the Hall of Fame College Football.

This is a game that was played only once before. Sixth ranked Penn State beat No. 16 LSU 16.9 in the Orange Bowl on January 1, 1974. Nittany Lion Chuck Herd made a brilliant catch of a Tom Shuman hand pass the LSU 20 and ran in a touchdown from 72 yards.


This is not a container in which Penn State has a winning record. In citrus, Penn State lost 35-10 to No. 14 Clemson in 1987, defeated No. 6 Tennessee 31-13 in 1993 and lost to No. 6 Florida 21.6 in 1997. On 1 January 2003, Capital One Bowl, Penn State lost to No. 19 Auburn 13.9.

This is a battle tested LSU team, the Tigers 5-3 in the SEC (second in the SEC West, behind the BCS title game with Alabama destination) and between their defeats were a 13-3 home the loss Florida ranked first 1 at time, and a 24-15 loss at Alabama, ranked No. 3 at the time.