Sadly for the players that train has already left the station.
I would not waant to be the target of Nebraska trash talk across the line tomorrow. Even if Penn State qualifies for a bowl why would any bowl committee in its right mind extend an invitation?
As for the Penn State football program? Most Juniors, sophomores and freshmen players will probably find other schools. Ditto recent Paterno recuits. Not fair, but that’s what will happen. I wonder if Beaver Stadium itself will survive the Penn State-Sandusky scandal.
Come to think of it, maybe Sandusky has had the final laugh after being rejected as head coach at PSU.
If Penn State wins the Big Ten, does one of the BCS bowls have to extend an invitation? I’m thinking yes, but I’m not sure.
http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/bcs_explained.html
makes it look like the Rose Bowl would have to extend an invitation.
http://sports.wnur.org/?p=486 makes it look like so long as there are 5 Big Ten Teams less than two games behind Penn State then no bowl would *have* to issue a bid.
Right now PSU 8-1 (If they lose the Big 10 title game they will finish no better than 11-2), Mich St Neb Mich and Wisc at 7-2, Ohio St Iowa Illinois at 6-3.
One other possibility: Penn State could decline the invitation. I recall Notre Dame going 6-5 way back when and the team voted to not go to a bowl.
However the comments from current players I have seen were generally supportive of Paterno.
I was rather hoping to see Paterno’s statue toppled like Lenin’s or Saddam Hussein’s....but I don’t think that’s going to happen.