It would be hard for Michael Robinson to lie about it, considering how the season has turned out. Joe Paterno is America's coach again; respect has found the program's name once more and Robinson is finally playing quarterback.

So the fifth-year senior can't help but wonder how his one-second-from-perfection Nittany Lions would fare against Texas or USC in the Rose Bowl. That much he can admit.

“Before the bowls got issued out, you thought about it. I really did,” Robinson said Friday afternoon.

It is unknown how Penn State would match up with the Trojans and a stud like Reggie Bush, a guy Robinson says should have been the only player invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.

And one can only speculate how the Longhorns would fare playing a Lions offense that in many ways is a replica of their own. With Penn State's offense stumbling to make first downs and score points in the two seasons before 2005, Lions coaches took a trip to Texas -- with Robinson's full backing -- to study how the Longhorns put quarterback Vince Young to use.

“I said go for it,” Robinson said. “It obviously worked.”

But if there is a glaring trait of this particular Penn State football team, it would be its uncanny ability to focus from four quarters to the next, which suits it well in preparing for Florida State next Tuesday. So with that, Robinson said focusing on the Seminoles in a BCS bowl isn't too hard, especially since he knows they are well aware of his success this season.

“He's gonna do his thing no matter what,” Seminoles linebacker Buster Davis said. “What we have to do is contain him and make sure he doesn't beat us because that's what he did this year. He beat [teams] this year by himself because he's such a great athlete.”

Florida State assistant coach Mickey Andrews said the Seminoles have seen quarterbacks similar to Robinson this season, but no one with his size and overall ability.

“He's a stronger guy [than Marcus Vick],” Seminoles cornerback Tony Carter said. “If he runs, he's not gonna run out of bounds, he'll try to run you over.”

The loss of the Seminoles' leading tackler and linebacker A.J. Nicholson leaves a void in their linebacking corps, but Robinson says they are still a dangerous unit.

He also said that people who believe that Florida State doesn't deserve to be in this game are only going by its record (8-4), and haven't watched this team play on film.

**No way he WILL play? Wait, WILL he?**

Thursday, Penn State football coach Joe Paterno said having Derrick Williams on the field is worth a touchdown at least. But according to Paterno, the likelihood of Williams playing in the Orange Bowl after breaking his left arm in Penn State's only loss at Michigan was unlikely.

Still, that hasn't stopped Williams from preparing as if he'll play and if nothing else, proving to his teammates and coaches that he is physically able.

“He's working hard to prove he can play even if he's not allowed to,” freshman Justin King said. “He comes out and tries to sneak into drills. Like if we're running against the defense, he tries to run into people.”

Williams wears a green practice jersey, denoting that he is practicing with the second-team offense. The doubt that he'll play hasn't deterred Florida State from expecting his return.

“We're preparing for him,” Carter said. “If he plays he plays, if he doesn't he doesn't.”