USC Crushes Penn State to Win Rose Bowl

(AP) - Penn State coach Joe Paterno has a new three-year contract extension to go along with his new hip. The Hall of Famer and winningest coach in major college football history will keep the post he has held for 43 years through 2011. Terms were not made public. Paterno, who turns 82 this weekend, had hip-replacement surgery last month. His No. 6 Nittany Lions play No. 5 USC in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. More»

(AP) - After securing a trip to the Rose Bowl with a decisive 49-18 win today over No. 17 Michigan State, Penn State coach Joe Paterno gave his fans another reason to smile. "I'm planning on coming back, yeah," said the 81-year-old Paterno. "I never planned otherwise." Rumors had swirled for weeks as to whether today's game might be JoePa's last at Beaver Stadium. More»

Offensive Coordinator Bill O'Brien will still finish playoffs with Pats

(NEWSER) - Penn State has at last found its replacement for Joe Paterno: New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien will take the job, sources tell Chris Mortensen of ESPN , with another league source saying O'Brien will finish out the playoffs with the Pats before starting his new gig. Penn State coaches contacted by the AP , however, said they'd received no word yet that a hire had been made. More»

Beats Wisconsin 45-38

(AP) - Oregon's incredible offense busted up Wisconsin and the record books on the way to the Ducks' first Rose Bowl victory in 95 years. Darron Thomas passed for three touchdowns, De'Anthony Thomas scored on runs of 91 and 64 yards, and the No. 6 Ducks earned their first bowl victory under coach Chip Kelly, holding off Wisconsin 45-38 tonight in the highest-scoring Rose Bowl ever played. More»

This season needs to be put out of its misery, Chris Dufresne argues

(NEWSER) - Penn State has been tone deaf throughout the Jerry Sandusky crisis, so it’s no surprise that its interim president recently said the team should play in a bowl game this year. Wrong, says Chris Dufresne of the LA Times . “Penn State’s season can’t end fast enough.” Any Penn State bowl game would be a “carnival sideshow spectacle” with a never-ending barrage of scandal questions. “Bowl games should be celebrations, not interrogations." More»