Chronicles the 2005 season of the Nittany Lions

All season the Penn State football team has relied on its three captains to stand as a rock whenever it needed a big play. It seemed as if every time the game was on the line, the fiery Alan Zemaitis, the tough-as-nails Michael Robinson or the stolid Paul Posluszny would step up in the clutch.

Feature Photo

Feature Photo

Feature Photo

Matthew Rice is so excited to open 2006 chasing Florida State's Drew Weatherford that even when his head hits the pillow in the Sheraton Bal Harbor hotel, the freshman quarterback is still on his mind.

Only one day remained before the final game of the season, and Joe Paterno was finally optimistic. His team -- he thinks -- is ready.

My opinion: Sirage Yassin

The Florida State Seminoles haven't particularly experienced what most people would call a typical Orange Bowl-type season. Before their win against Virginia Tech in the ACC championship game, the Noles suffered through a three-game losing streak.

While stretching for Saturday's practice, Penn State football defensive tackle Jay Alford was quick to point out the obvious temperature difference between Pennsylvania and south Florida to wide receivers coach Mike McQueary.

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.

When Ernie Sims got a chance to talk to suspended Florida State linebacker A.J. Nicholson on Thursday, the conversation was brief.

Thursday afternoon, after an intense morning of banging helmets in the south Florida sun, the Penn State football team got to kick back and hit the sands in Miami Beach in style at a party sponsored by the Orange Bowl.

The 2005 Orange Bowl has been pre-classified as a dinosaur duel, a fight between two legends towards the end of their careers.

As much as the public and media want to encapsulate the Jan. 3 Orange Bowl around the careers of Penn State coach Joe Paterno and Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, the two most winning coaches in college football history know it is what takes place between the white lines that will ultimately last.

Growing up in Brooklyn, Joe Paterno had little exposure to the more rural aspects of life. He doesn't golf, is bored by fishing and hates mowing the lawn -- running out of the tunnel and onto the Beaver Stadium turf seems to be the extent of his communing with nature.

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