If Austin Scott told you he would rack up 26 carries for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the FedEx Orange Bowl, there would be an obvious follow-up question: How?

Perhaps the Penn State football team led Florida State by an astronomical margin. Perhaps starting running back Tony Hunt already rushed for several touchdowns. Perhaps Scott was merely a lucky recipient of pity time.

But, when Hunt limped off the field after a Seminole awkwardly landed on Hunt's lower leg after a 3-yard pass reception on the Nittany Lions' first offensive series of the game, it was time for Scott to step up.

"It was really overwhelming," Scott said.

How, then, did Scott enter the game on the very next series for the Lions, carry the ball five times for 52 yards and tip-toe into the end zone, putting the Lions up 7-0 with two minutes to play in the first quarter?

"I couldn't get caught up in the fact that I was getting my shot," Scott said. "I just had to do what I was supposed to do: run the ball."

On that second drive, it was literally that simple, and Scott took the Seminoles' vaunted linebacking corps to school.

Lions offensive coordinator Galen Hall continued to shovel the football right into Scott's hands but several complications arose.

Seminoles cornerback Tony Carter plucked one of Lions quarterback Michael Robinson's passes out of the air, killing the Lions' touchdown-induced momentum.

An intentional grounding penalty on Robinson and a personal foul called against Lions offensive tackle Levi Brown ruined any hopes of obtaining positive field position on the following drives, and Florida State started scoring.

Several hours later, literally, as the game entered its second overtime period, Scott was feeling it once more. He walked into the end zone one more time. He thought that would be the ball game.

"But that wasn't how the cookie crumbled," Scott said. "And we had to keep playing."

They had to keep playing without starting fullback BranDon Snow after he, too, limped off the field.

Still, Hall, who coaches the running backs, stuck to his game plan, and now, at least according to Robinson, Hall has some decisions to make for next season.

"I mean, Austin got over 100 yards against a tough Florida State defense," Robinson said. "I think we have three capable running backs coming back next year. That's not exactly a bad situation, and if we can find a way to get those guys in the game, some in the same time or in a rotation, whatever it may be, I think all three of them could have great careers.

Both Scott and Hunt will be seniors next season, and the third running back Robinson referred to, Rodney Kinlaw, will enter his junior season.

"This is the time to take off the diaper and just stand up and get out there and be a running back," Scott said, calling to mind former Kansas City Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil's comments regarding former Lions running back Larry Johnson.

It worked for Johnson; he's in the Pro Bowl this season.

Perhaps it will work for Scott's future, too.