It was as if the fans in Beaver Stadium thought the not-so-low-key rumors just might be true. They thought this game could be the old coach's last.

When he ran out of the tunnel, flashbulbs in the stands lit the foggy, gray sky, capturing the moment. Later, with victory assured, the students chanted his name in unison, showing their appreciation just before he left the field to thunderous applause.

But when Joe Paterno was asked if a retirement farewell is, in fact, necessary just yet, the answer was clear.

No. Because he'll be coming back next year for sure.

"Have I ever said I wasn't?" the 77-year-old Penn State football coach said after Penn State's 37-13 win over Michigan State. "Was that wishful thinking? No, I'm planning to be back next year."

And after the kind of day he had on Saturday, you can see why.

It was a day of victory and a lot of happiness -- the sort of day that has been a rarity for Paterno this fall.

When Paterno traipsed into the post-game press conference, the fans in the room cheered. Paterno duly responded: "Holy smokes. We get two wins and I get that. Thanks. I appreciate that."

A few times he appeared to smile uncontrollably, and if the excitement surrounding the victory over a bumbling Michigan State team isn't enough motivation for another year at the helm, the number of players he has coming probably is.

On defense, the Nittany Lions will return 11 players with substantial starting experience. The same is true of nine players on offense. Paterno's hope is that he can get the program to a point where he feels comfortable handing the reins to someone else.

In other words, he wants to give his successor a winner, not a mess that needs to be cleaned up.

"I'd like to be able to put together a scenario where I can pick the time I want to leave and have somebody in house ready to take over," Paterno said.

Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley is in position to be that somebody.

Praises from Paterno and the media have been heaped on Bradley for leading one of the top-15 defenses in the country in term of statistics -- though Bradley doesn't sound interested in officially taking the successor title just yet.

"At the end of the day, he's still Joe Paterno, and I'm just Tom Bradley," Bradley said. "It's been an honor and a privilege to play for him and work with him, and, heck, I hope we keep it going for a long time."

The moments that unfolded on Saturday will be etched in the minds of Paterno and the Lions for a long time, too. After all, they finally had a reason to feel good about their season.

When the game had just ended, the players paraded around with the Land Grant Trophy -- which serves as the door prize for which these two teams play annually -- as if it was the Stanley Cup.

Or, as if it was irrelevant, the victory had come against a team that had five turnovers and used its third-string quarterback for most of the second half.

All of that was forgotten quickly as Paterno left the field. After doing an interview with an ESPN sideline reporter, Paterno and his police escorts shoved through droves of photographers, reporters and videographers who gathered around him just in case this was the last glance they'd get of him on a football field.

When he broke through the crowd, he started jogging toward the tunnel. The roar from the crowd became deafening and, when Paterno heard it, he looked up and waved his arms in the air wildly, thanking the fans for the glorious send off.

A win in the finale of an ugly and disappointing 4-7 season never looked so vindicating.