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F A S T F O R W A R D >> A N E A R L Y L O O K feelings in the immediate aftermath of the Rose Bowl, feeling distraught over the outcome while still trying to register the weight of it all. One point on which everyone concurred was that it was a game for the ages. Head coach James Franklin said it "may have been the most exciting Rose Bowl game ever," while USC counterpart Clay Helton described the energy among the 95,000-plus fans as "electric." "It felt like a tennis match," Helton added, "just going back and forth and back and forth, and the mood swings and the emotion. Credit both teams." By the time it was all over – 4 hours, 12 minutes after it had begun – records had been broken, leads had changed hands and countless momentum swings had oc- curred. There was a 13-point advantage for USC early, and then a 15-point advan- tage for Penn State late. At one point, the Nittany Lions scored on four consecutive offensive plays, before USC went on a 24- 7 run. But in the end, only three points separated the two teams, with Trojans kicker Matt Boermeester supplying them via a 46-yard field goal as time expired. The Nittany Lions' 49 total points were more than any other losing team in Rose Bowl history, and the total 101 points scored by both teams smashed the old record of 83 set in 2012. Eyes ripe with emotion in the locker room, wide receivers coach Josh Gattis attempted to quantify the magnitude of the game. He urged his players to keep their heads up, reminding them that the impact of the moment would eventually settle in. A former college star at Wake Forest who later spent two seasons in the NFL, Gattis had been involved in many sus- penseful games during his playing career, but as he spoke to reporters after the Rose Bowl, he couldn't remember one that packed such a punch. "As far as a game being on a big stage, this may be one of the more electric games I've ever been around and probably one of the better Rose Bowl games in his- tory," he said. "I think this game will go down as one of the best games in the sea- son." PLAYER OF THE GAME So many Nit- tany Lions put on their best perform- ances in the Rose Bowl that picking just one would be unfair to all of them, even with the loss. In that spirit, the nods go to running back Saquon Barkley and junior wideout Chris Godwin. Over- coming an early 13-0 hole, the Lions en- gineered an offensive outburst that was simply remarkable, even by their lofty standards. PLAY OF THE GAME Leon McQuay III gave his Trojans an opportunity to win with his last-minute interception of Penn State quarterback Trace Mc- Sorley in Southern Cal territory. Picking off the deep ball thrown to Godwin, McQuay returned it 32 yards down to the Nittany Lions' 33-yard line, setting up the winning field goal for Matt Boer- meester. BEST PASS Hardly the game's most exciting play, Sam Darnold's third-and- 9 completion to Jalen Green late in the first quarter was as perfect as they come. With Nittany Lion cornerback Jordan Smith blanketing Green, Darnold fit the ball neatly into the crook of his target's long free arm to secure the first down. BEST RUN Is there any question? Penn State's offense produced two iconic Rose Bowl plays, back-to-back. There's no choice but to include them both in this space. The first was on the Nittany Lions' first touch of the second half. Facing a wall in the backfield, Barkley broke to the right sideline, wig- gled and juked his way past seven de- fenders, then cut back to the other side of the field as he burst away to com- plete the 79-yard touchdown run. Barkley's video game jaunt was one that Penn State fans – and likely many others across the country – won't soon forget. On an afternoon on which he racked up 187 yards and a pair of touch- downs, the sophomore phenom proved his ability to dazzle most clearly on the long score. BEST CATCH The second of the iconic Rose Bowl plays was, quite possibly, the most incredible of an afternoon full of spectacular receptions by Godwin. Fac- ing man coverage, the junior wideout leapt over Southern Cal cornerback Iman Marshall, bobbled the ball twice, and reeled it in to pull off a 72-yard touchdown reception as the Trojans' defense helplessly looked on. WORST DROP DeAndre Thompkins could not have dreamed up a more nightmarish start to his Rose Bowl ap- pearance in place of Saeed Blacknall. First, he miscommunicated with Mc- Sorley on Penn State's initial play from scrimmage, leading to an interception. Then, with the Lions driving, McSorley threw behind him, and the ball bounced off his hands. McSorley's pass was in- tercepted by Adoree' Jackson, leading to a Trojans touchdown. BEST HIT Sam Darnold intended to throw a late-third-quarter pass to Justin Davis in the flat. Penn State linebacker Jason Cabinda intended otherwise, leaving the Trojans running back des- perate for air on the Rose Bowl Stadium turf. BEST EFFORT Brandon Bell walked off the field with what appeared to be an arm injury in the third quarter, and he didn't return in his final game as a Nit- tany Lion. He can take solace in the fact that his final collegiate play was a re- markable, tip-drill interception to set up McSorley's 3-yard TD run on the next play. BEST KICK Capping what will in- evitably be remembered as one of the most captivating and scintillating Rose Bowls of all time, Boermeester hit a 46- yard field goal as time expired, sending the Trojans onto the field in celebration and leaving Penn State and its fans de- jected. ■ H I G H S & L O W S B Y N A T E B A U E R

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