This Saturday will contain a lot of "lasts."

After all, it is the last time this year the No. 10 Penn State football team (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten) will play in Beaver Stadium, the last time Wisconsin's Barry Alvarez will coach against Joe Paterno and the last time a large senior class, which has seen a lot of losing, will play as Nittany Lions for its fans, its family and its student section.

At his weekly press conference yesterday, Paterno said he had not yet spoken with the seniors about Senior Day and that his team needed to focus on No. 14 Wisconsin (8-1, 5-1) before worrying about anything else.

"I think it's a football team and a coaching staff that knows how to win," Paterno said.

The Badgers are tied with the Lions and No. 12 Ohio State (6-2, 4-1) for first place in the Big Ten.

Alvarez announced prior to this season he would step down from his head coaching position in order to concentrate on his other job as Wisconsin's athletic director.

"I'm sorry to see him get out of coaching," Paterno said. "He was a big, fat kid down there in Burgettstown, and we turned him down and he's never forgotten that. Every time I talk to him he reminds me of it."

Paterno added that Alvarez has been a great coach and will be a great athletic director.

"He's kicked our rears most of the time, and that part I won't miss," Paterno said.

The question was raised yesterday whether Saturday could possibly be Paterno's last game in Beaver Stadium, too.

"Do you know something I don't know? Have you talked to our president? I haven't even thought of that. I had no idea about that. If in pregame warm-ups I can't get away from some of those big, fat linemen, then, yes, I might give it up," Paterno joked. "But, no, that's never come across my mind right now."

Lions junior linebacker Paul Posluszny said yesterday he had thought about declaring for the National Football League draft after this season, but he added that he wanted to be successful throughout the remainder of this season and discuss the possibility with his family.

"I'm not real sure," Posluszny said. "I'm a little hesitant to say what I really want to do; I really have to give it some thought."

Paterno said he was unaware that Posluszny considered leaving the Lions after this season.

"I think Paul ought to stay," Paterno said. "That's the first time that I heard that that might be a possibility, so I haven't given that much thought."

Badgers running back Brian Calhoun was named a Big Ten Player of the Week after scoring five touchdowns in Wisconsin's 42-24 win over Illinois last Saturday, tying his own Wisconsin school record for rushing touchdowns in a game. Former Badgers running backs Billy Marek and Anthony Davis are also tied with Calhoun with five rushing touchdowns in one game.

"[Calhoun's] a great back," Paterno said. "If you miss one of those tackles, he's gone. He's going right out the tunnel."

Get on the bus

Quarterback Michael Robinson said he has loved sitting in the front seat of the team bus en route to home games, a Penn State tradition so old even Paterno said he didn't even remember how it started.

"I remember when we played Georgia in the Sugar Bowl for the national championship. [Former Lions quarterback] Todd Blackledge was in that seat, and we got off the bus and Todd turns to everybody and said, 'OK. Let's get it done.' I remember that."