JoePa's 400th not a given against Northwestern
Northwestern (6-2, 2-2) at Penn State (5-3, 2-2)
When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Beaver Stadium
TV: Ch. 7 in the Midwest, ESPN2 elsewhere; Radio: WGN 720-AM
Series: Penn State leads 10-3
Coaches: Pat Fitzgerald (33-25, fifth year at NU); Joe Paterno (399-132-3, 45th year at Penn State.
Northwestern players to watch: QB Dan Persa, the nation's only player ranked among the top 12 in passing efficiency (ninth) and total offense (12th), is one of several key Wildcats returning to his home state today. It's also the first chance for MLB Nate Williams (209 career tackles), DE Quentin Williams and special-teams savant Jeravin Matthews to play in PA. With junior RB Jacob Schmidt doubtful with his bad ankle, redshirt freshman Mike Trumpy has a chance to build on last week's 110-yard effort. WR Jeremy Ebert leads the Big Ten in receiving yards (84.8 ypg) and owns 7 TDs.
Penn State players to watch: The Nittany Lions won last week's home game against Michigan with former walk-on Matt McGloin at the controls, but it seems likely that true freshman Rob Bolden will regain his job after sitting a week due to concussion-related concerns. Bolden, who's not a runner, has hit 107 of 184 passes for 1,307 yards, 5 TDs and 7 INTs. The Nittany Lions' offense runs through senior RB Evan Royster, who just broke Curt Warner's career rushing record. He has produced just 600 yards and 4 TDs this year, but 3,518 yards and 27 scores for his career.
The skinny: Perhaps you haven't heard, but Joe Paterno becomes the first Football Bowl Subdivision coach to win 400 games if Penn State defends its home field today. Unfortunately for JoePa, who claims not to care about such milestones, he doesn't have a particularly productive squad this year. If Persa continues to show no ill effects from last week's blow to the head and harnesses all extra adrenalin from the start, the Wildcats have the balance to duplicate their 2004 win at Happy Valley. NU's improving run defense ought to be able to keep Royster in check and force Bolden to win the game. Then again, NU's running attack doesn't exactly have a long-running string of success and Persa will be left responsible for the final verdict.
Fun JoePa stats: Paterno has won 399 games since Sept. 17, 1966. Northwestern has won 399 games since Oct. 10, 1903. When Paterno was 35 years and 11 months old Pat Fitzgerald's age today he was still three seasons from assuming the head-coaching job at Penn State.
He said it: Fitzgerald, 35, on whether he'll be roaming the sidelines as he approaches Paterno's age: “I'll be in Margaritaville. No way. No way. I'll be in Naples (Fla.) somewhere. No way.”