Penn State one win from Big Ten title

His players were barely off the field after their convincing win over Wisconsin, when someone reminded Penn State coach Joe Paterno about last year.

The Nittany Lions lost seven of their first nine games in 2004 and were winless in the Big Ten until victories in their final two conference games. Many fans jumped on the “Joe Must Go” bandwagon.

It’s been quite a U-turn for the program since then. Now, Penn State (9-1, 6-1) is the surprise leader in the Big Ten and can secure the conference’s BCS bid with a victory in its final regular-season game at Michigan State on Nov. 19.

“I obviously feel better about this year than I did last year. Somebody said walking in, that 12 months ago we were 0-6 in the Big Ten,” Paterno said at a post-game news conference after Penn State downed the Badgers, 35-14, on Saturday.

“I probably had more confidence that we were close than any of you guys did and in fact some of the people in the administration.”

Penn State’s defense dominated the Badgers for most of the game, especially after being staked to a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter behind do-it-all quarterback Michael Robinson and bullish tailback Tony Hunt.

Defensive end Matthew Rice credits the team’s turnaround to an afternoon in Bloomington, Ind., on Nov. 13, 2004, when Penn State needed a four-down goal-line stand with less than two minutes left to preserve a 22-18 win over the Hoosiers. That win ended a six-game slide and gave the Lions their first Big Ten victory in the 2004 season.

Rice said that “this season started last season. It started with that defensive stand in the Indiana game last year.”

Penn State has lost just one game since then, a 27-25 defeat to Michigan last month, and the Wolverines needed a touchdown pass as time expired to win it.

“Everybody likes to win,” Paterno said. “It sure beats the devil out of losing.”

Hurricanes move to No. 3 in AP poll

Miami jumped over unbeaten Alabama, though just barely, and into the No. 3 spot in the Associated Press Top 25.

The Hurricanes (7-1) moved up two spots Sunday in the media poll behind No. 1 Southern California and No. 2 Texas, a day after their 27-7 victory at previously unbeaten Virginia Tech.

Alabama improved to 9-0 with a 17-0 win at Mississippi State, but stayed put in the Top 25. Only two points separate Miami (1,452) and Alabama (1,450).

USC and Texas have been at the top of the rankings since the preseason – making 2005 similar to 2004 when USC and Oklahoma were ranked first and second, respectively, all season.

USC extended its record stay at No. 1 to 29 straight polls. The Trojans, who have won 31 straight games, received 57 first-place votes and the Longhorns got the remaining eight.

After Miami and Alabama, LSU is No 5. The Tigers play the Crimson Tide on Saturday in Tuscaloosa. Penn State is No. 6 followed by Notre Dame and Virginia Tech, which dropped five spots to No. 8. No. 9 Georgia and Ohio State fill out the top 10.

In the USA Today coaches’ poll, USC is No. 1 and Texas is second but Alabama is No. 3, 13 points ahead of No. 4 Miami. The Harris poll had a top five that matched the AP poll.

In the AP poll, No. 11 Oregon is followed by Florida, Texas Tech and UCLA, the other unbeaten to fall on Saturday.

Miami RB Moss out for year

Running back Tyrone Moss is expected to miss the remainder of Miami’s season with what’s believed to be torn ligaments in his left knee.

Hurricanes coach Larry Coker said an MRI would probably be performed today to confirm the severity of the injury, which Moss suffered Saturday in Miami’s win over Virginia Tech.