Nittany Lions Relish Underdog Role Going Into Miami Game
Aug. 28, 2001
By DAN LEWERENZ
Associated Press Writer
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) – It’s been a long time since the Penn State NittanyLions have seen themselves as underdogs. They’re learning to like it.
For the first time in 35 years, Penn State was not ranked in the AP’spreseason poll. And despite playing at home, the Nittany Lions won’t befavored Saturday in their opener – not against Miami, not by a long shot.
After a year of questions and living up to expectations, the players arewelcoming the change.
“We’re kind of enjoying it,” quarterback Matt Senneca said. “I don’t knowhow to explain it, but everybody’s so excited to play this game, try toforget about last season. We’re just excited to get the opportunity to playsuch a good football team this early in the year, and in our brand newstadium. You really couldn’t ask for a better situation.”
Even the truest die-hards would have a hard time picking Penn State to beatMiami. Ken Dorsey, a leading Heisman Trophy contender, is one of 14returning starters from last year’s team, which finished 11-1 and ranked No.2.
Contrast that with Penn State, which returns 12 starters from a team thatfinished 5-7 – just the second losing season since Joe Paterno became headcoach in 1966. Even some of the locals are expecting another losing season.
“I don’t want to say there’s no pressure – we hate to lose and our fans hateto lose, and that’s pressure enough,” tailback Omar Easy said. “But no oneexpects us to do as well as we know we can do. We want to run through theback door and rob the whole college football scene.”
Of course, talk of rankings means little to Paterno, who always talks ofsimply getting better from game to game and who often bills teams likeTemple and Bowling Green as title contenders.
“I never talk about that – I never have, except some times when I thinkwe’re ranked higher than we should be,” Paterno said. “The important thingis that they go in with the idea that they need to work at it to be good.We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us no matter what people say. If we wereNo. 5 we’d have a lot to prove, if we were No. 50 we’d still have a lot toprove.”
They need to prove it to themselves as much as anyone. By the end of lastyear, the Nittany Lions’ confidence was shaken, and even Paterno says he dida poor job handling the pressure.
A win, as unlikely as it may seem, would certainly restore the team’sconfidence. But Senneca warns against making too much of any one game,saying that even if Penn State pulls the upset, they’ll still have to face atough Big Ten slate.
Win or lose, Paterno said, the game will be a good indicator of how far theNittany Lions have come.
“I think Miami is a great opportunity to play against a fine football teamand see just how good we are. We have no illusions about how tough it’sgoing to be – it’s a real challenge, but you only get good playing againstthe good ones. Sure, it’s a long shot, but we’re going to be better forplaying it,” Paterno said.
“I’m excited about playing Miami. I may not be enjoying it in the middle ofthe fourth quarter, but that’s what coaching is all about.”
