For two schools that pride themselves on consistency and tradition, it is strange to see how much has changed in a year.
When Penn State (1-1) travels to Lincoln, Neb., this weekend for tomorrow's 8 p.m. kickoff with No. 18 Nebraska (2-0), the Nittany Lions will be staring across the line at a team on a path eerily similar to the one the 2002 Penn State squad traveled.
The Lions enter the game lost in a fog of uncertainty after a 27-14 loss at the hands of Boston College, a contest in which Penn State was thoroughly beaten on both offense and defense and looked lethargic for long stretches.
In stark contrast to their eastern opponent, the Cornhuskers have rolled to two big wins this season and looked impressive at times in doing so.
The first game of the season is rarely a must-win, but Nebraska made a strong statement by shutting down a potent Oklahoma State passing game and grabbing a Big 12 win.
Mixing a stifling defense led by linebacker Demorrio Williams -- who was named the Big 12 Player of the Week for his three sacks in last Saturday's 31-7 win against Utah State -- with the ever-famous Nebraska option offense, the 'Huskers present ample problems for Penn State.
"I just think they are a little bit more experienced and a little bit surer of themselves," Penn State football coach Joe Paterno said. "I think it is just a question of maybe a little bit more experience and commitment."
It's an accurate statement for this weekend and an equally apt angle for last year's game. The description, however, is for different teams.
In 2002, the Lions exploited an over-ranked and overwhelmed Nebraska squad in a 40-7 thrashing in Beaver Stadium. While Penn State would run from there to a 9-4 record and a spot in the Capital One Bowl, the 'Huskers never recovered. The team stumbled to a 7-7 mark and capped off the season with a 27-23 loss to Ole Miss in the Independence Bowl.
This year, it's Nebraska with the veteran leadership. In the season's first two weeks, the 'Huskers have looked strong and have taken advantage of a defense that returns eight starters from 2002. With the experience, the talent at the skill positions and the chip on its shoulder, Nebraska looks poised to rebound from last year's disappointment in similar fashion to the 2002 Lions.
Following a 2001 season in which the Lions went 5-7 and missed playing in a bowl game for the second consecutive year, Nebraska came to Beaver Stadium as the 2002 Penn State squad was still shaking off the cobwebs after the heavy punch of the previous year.
Nebraska is in a similar state this weekend as the Lions enter Lincoln. The 'Huskers are still finding their footing after tripping over last year's .500 record and a win this weekend might help the 'Huskers clear the hump. It's a victory that Penn State defensive end John Bronson says the Lions won't provide.
"I tell them to concentrate," Bronson said when asked about his advice to the 20-plus Lions making their first road trip. "Concentration is the main thing. No horseplay and know that we have a job to do. We'll be much better after we win. A lot of the kids have never been on a road trip so they don't know what to expect."
Writers and fans are similarly unsure about what to think going into this weekend. It's a situation with which both teams are familiar, having lived it last year.
