For the first month of the football season, becoming bowl eligible was almost a joke at Penn State.

Critics were ranting that a winless season was not out of the question and that 74-year-old coach Joe Paterno had lost his once marvelous feel for a game that must've passed him by.

After Penn State's first 0-4 start in school history, it was easy to find fault with the Nittany Lions. In Penn State's four losses to start the season the blame was placed on an offense that couldn't score any points, catch any passes or consistently run the ball.

But in its last six games, Penn State has turned it all around -- including the offense -- posting a 5-1 record and getting one win away from going to a bowl game. The Lions run started after a bye week with a win at Northwestern, then a come-from-behind victory at Beaver Stadium against Ohio State.

Another win on Homecoming against Southern Mississippi, beating Indiana and then coming from behind one more time against Michigan State put the Lions in this position.

"We're making a lot more plays than we did then," freshman quarterback Zack Mills said. "We were in position to make plays earlier in the season, but we just didn't."

Now with only one win away from going to a bowl, Paterno said he has to keep his team focused on a 4-7 Virginia team that has had two weeks to prepare for the Lions.

With former New York Jets coach Al Groh leading the Cavaliers and numerous Penn State connections on the Virginia sidelines, Paterno has to make sure his game plan isn't too easy to defend against. Especially since former Penn State linebackers coach Al Golden now heads the Cavaliers defense.

"There is a closeness about playing these people," Paterno said. "We will make some changes. We are really trying to make sure we aren't predictable."

The one thing no one could predict was the Lions turnaround after their 20-0 loss against Michigan. But since the Wolverines clobbered the woeful Lions, they have won five of their last six and are now one win away from going to a bowl game.

The early indications lean toward a Dec. 29 date in the Alamo Bowl if the Lions win, but the team is more focused on its one game playoff in Charlottesville, Va., this Saturday.

"We're confident, we believe in each other," senior linebacker Shamar Finney said. "We're in a position now where it's all on us."

Junior tailback Larry Johnson said the last three games have been must-win games for Penn State. One more loss would have squashed any bowl hopes for the Lions.

A win at Virginia would give Penn State more than a bowl invitation over the Christmas holiday, something not many people expected since Penn State had its worst start in school history.

A victory against the Cavaliers would give the Lions some redemption since not many people thought this season would amount to much.

"If they're talking about which bowl they're going to, they're nuts," Paterno said. "They know what they have to do."