Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/92291
PREGAME REPORT P E N N S T A T E @ N E B R A S K A 3 : 3 0 P . M . , N O V. 1 0 A B C / E S P N 2 NEBRASKA FACTS COACH Bo Pelini (Ohio State, '90) COACH'S RECORD 46-18 in six seasons at Nebraska. TEAM'S RECORD 7-2 (4-1 Big Ten) RECORD VS. PENN STATE The Huskers lead the series, 7-6. (One Penn State vic- tory has been vacated.) PREVIOUS MEETING The Nittany Lions' second-half comeback attempt was thwarted, as Nebraska held on for a 17- 14 victory on Nov. 12, 2011. It was Penn State's first game following Joe Paterno's dismissal. THE GOOD BLACKSHIRTS Opponents have completed only 46 percent of their passes against Ne- braska's defense. It is the lowest opponent completion percentage in the Football Bowl Subdivision. THE BAD DIRTY LAUNDRY The Cornhuskers are the most penalized team in the Big Ten, giving up 67.9 penalty yards per game. THE UGLY DROP THE BALL Nebraska's minus-nine turnover margin is the worst in the confer- ence, and its offense averages more than two turnovers per game. DID YOU KNOW? Penn State fullback Michael Zordich and Nebraska running back Braylon Heard were teammates at Cardinal Mooney High in Youngstown, Ohio. Coach Pelini is also a Mooney alumnus. "It's hard to describe the pride of being from that area," Zordich said. "It breeds football players." DOUBLE-FISTED Nebraska senior Taylor Martinez averages 215.7 passing yards and 74 rushing yards per game. Nebraska and PSU meet in rematch of last year's historic game FAST FORWARD TIM OWEN | OWE N . T I M . B WI@G M A I L . C O M Nearly one year later, the memory – the Nittany Lions walking out of the Beaver Stadium tunnel, arms inter- locked, a Blue Out crowd – is still fresh in the minds of many Penn Staters. It was the first game of the post-Joe Paterno era, during the onset of what many were calling the worst scandal in college sports history. But on the field, facing Nebraska, Penn State was unde- feated in the Big Ten and was within reach N O V E M B E R 7 , 2 0 1 2 1 of the inaugural conference championship game. That game is still fresh in the mind of Bo Pelini, too. "That was a crazy time," Nebraska's sixth-year head coach said earlier this week. "There were a lot of emotions that obviously were flowing through me that day and leading up to that game. And, obviously for [Penn State] – I can't even imagine. That game was a unique experience to be a part of. That was B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M John Beale