Blue White Illustrated

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Beaver Ave s State College, PA 16801 www.The-Phyrst.com 814.234.4406 137 Elmwood St. s State College, PA 16801 www.HappyValleyBeer.com Wood-fire Grill 12 Beers on Tap 200 Year Old Barn 821 Cricklewood Dr. s Toftrees, State College www.AmericanAleHouse.net 814.237.9701 s Piano Bar s Sommelier 814.238.1406 814.234.7700 s 1611 Atherton St. s State College 814.941.7788 s Plank Rd. Exit s Altoona www.ChampsSportsGrill.net s Best Game Bar s Large Groups Welcome c lc e W We s p u o r G e g r a L s a e B m a st G e B s S n S h 1 A 1 6 1 0 0 7 7 4. 3 2 4. 1 8 me co r a l l C S r G s rt o p S s p m a h C . www s t i x . E d k R n a l P s 8 8 7 7 1. 4 9 . 4 1 8 S s . t n S o t r e h t 1 A 1 6 1 s 0 0 7 7 4. 3 2 4. 1 8 t e n . l l i r na o o t l A e g e l l o C e at t S believe the entire Penn State commu- nity, and even the game's participants, will feel the same. What took place in that Rose Bowl game was, quite simply, magnificent. Lifetimes' worth of preparation and hard work had manifested themselves in perfect unison for 4 hours and 12 min- utes. Two prestigious football programs marred by challenges in recent years combined to perform at their highest levels, each competing with a purity re- served for moments that cannot be pre- dicted or duplicated. And in fact, though the world of elite athletics strives each year to create these compelling, theatri- cal matchups worthy of our attention, rarely can they come close to delivering at the level participants or observers can hope to reach. To try to recap a game so filled with great plays wouldn't be possible in this space; the highlights are seemingly end- less. For the Nittany Lions, junior wide re- ceiver Chris Godwin's acrobatic 30-yard touchdown reception, his one-handed grab in traffic, and his 72-yard score down the sideline immediately stand out. So, too, do sophomore running back Saquon Barkley's dazzling displays, in- cluding the 79-yard third-quarter touchdown jaunt that words cannot do justice. Linebacker Brandon Bell's inter- ception, tight end Mike Gesicki's leaping touchdown and the unflinching play of quarterback Trace McSorley were all similarly captivating. A span of four touchdowns in four consecutive plays from scrimmage for the Nittany Lion of- fense, and seven consecutive touchdown drives in the game, are feats unlikely to be matched anytime soon, by any other team. On the other side of the field, South- ern Cal quarterback Sam Darnold was impossibly good. Even without an ef- fective rushing attack to provide a di- version, the redshirt freshman signal-caller completed 33 of 53 passes for 453 yards and five touchdowns. His yardage total was the second-highest in Rose Bowl history, and he set new stan- dards for total offense and touchdown passes. Helping out Darnold were Trojans re- ceivers Deonta Burnett and JuJu Smith- Schuster, who made the unbelievable look routine. And in the final moments, Leon McQuay made the interception and return of a lifetime, while kicker Matt Boermeester cashed in when given the opportunity to be his side's hero. Granted, not every single snap in the two teams' 150 combined plays was a work of art. To defensive purists, par- ticularly among the Penn State faithful, misgivings and complaints regarding the performances were plentiful. Coaching strategies and choices could be quibbled over as well, but the over- whelming feeling after the game was that the two sides had executed bril- liantly and competed hard until the final snap of the evening. All of which made the postgame scene as emotional as the game itself. For the Trojans, the sheer exuberance of their celebration was one that can only ac- company the rarest of battles. Tears flowed freely as players hugged and smiled. Some of them had been there through the lean years. This was a team that had gone through four head coaches in four seasons, and after losing three of its first four games this season, it seemed possible that more changes would be in the works sooner rather than later. In the opposite tunnel, the Nittany Lions left the field looking somber, the stadium lights reflected in the tears that rolled down their cheeks. Penn State head coach James Franklin consoled his daughters, Addi and Shola. That Penn State and Southern Cal were able to create just such an atmos- phere for themselves, their fans and even unbiased observers is something to be celebrated. I was one of 95,128 people lucky enough to be at Rose Bowl Sta- dium that night, and millions more tuned in around the globe. It was a thrill to witness such a moment, and the ex- perience leaves only a feeling of grati- tude in its wake. Even in defeat, Penn State's players, coaches and fans have every reason to feel the same. ■

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