Nittany Lions take on top-ranked Tide

Scheduling college football games in advance can have its drawbacks.

When Penn State agreed to play Alabama on this date, it looked like the renewal of an attractive intersectional match-up between two of college football's national powers.

The two schools even have a history, facing each other 13 times since 1959, when the Nittany Lions upset the Crimson Tide in the inaugural Liberty Bowl in 1959.

The 1979 Sugar Bowl match-up between the then-top ranked Lions and the number two Tide is perhaps the most memorable meeting, thanks to linebacker Barry Krauss leading a dramatic goal line stand that preserved a 14-7 victory and the national title for Alabama.

Former PSU running back Mike Guman, who was hit by Krauss at the goal line on fourth down during that stand, now lives in Allentown and still talks about that play to this day. Guman reportedly will be in Tuscaloosa for tonight's game at Bryant-Denny Stadium between the Lions and Tide, which will be broadcast nationally on ESPN beginning at 7 p.m.

This might not be the best time to be taking on Alabama, which is the defending national champion and ranked number one in The Associated Press sportswriters poll, for the 19th ranked Lions, who have some new faces in the line-up, including a true freshman quarterback in Rob Bolden, who started his first game last week in PSU's 44-14 opening win over Youngstown State.

However, when this two-game series was originally scheduled in 2004-2005, it was pushed back to this year and next because Alabama was trying to get its program back on track.

"The athletic director called, Mal Moore, and they had just lost 15 or 16 players in some kind of NCAA violation," recalled Penn State coach Joe Paterno during his news conference this week. "And he said, 'you know, our program's down. Can we postpone the series for a couple of years so we can get our feet back to where we think we should be?' And I said, 'well, it's OK with me'."

Alabama eventually worked out a home-and-away series for this year and 2011 with PSU athletic director Tim Curley. Since then, Nick Saban took over the Tide helm and led Alabama to the national title last year.

Meanwhile, Penn State, which posted consecutive 11-2 seasons with seasoned Daryll Clark behind center, saw Pat Devlin transfer to Delaware a year ago, leaving them with a void at signal-caller for this year, not to mention the loss of some solid offensive linemen as well as linebackers Sean Lee, Navorro Bowman and Josh Hull, and star defensive tackle Jared Odrick. The linebacking crew and Odrick were all NFL draft picks.

"Again, the thing I have to get across to people is just how young this football team of ours is," stressed Paterno. "It's the youngest team I've ever really coached. And it's young across the board, even though there are three older kids on the offensive line."

That might not inspire a lot of confidence heading into a hostile environment such as 'Bama. The oddsmakers have PSU as a double-digit underdog against the Tide, which rolled to an easy 48-3 trouncing of San Jose State in its opener last week.

After last week's win over Youngstown State, Paterno called Alabama the most talented team the Lions have faced since Miami in the 1986 Fiesta Bowl (a game the Lions won en route to their second national title).

That's even though the Tide will be without Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, who is listed as unlikely to play in tonight's game due to a knee injury, and defensive end Marcell Dareus, who is sitting out a two-game suspension for improper agent benefits.

Can this young Lions team withstand the pressure of a national stage and high profile opponent at this early stage?

"I don't know how we're going to handle it," said Paterno. "I hope we go down there and we realize it's one of those opportunities. You only get so many in a college career.

"Most of these kinds will not be pro players. They'll go down and enjoy it, understand you're playing against one of the best college teams we've ever played against, but just go out and do what you can do. Do as well as you can and try to learn, and I think we were learn from it."

Bolden demonstrated he was a fast learner last week, completing 20 of 29 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns, with team co-captain Brett Brackett snagging both. As the first true freshman to open a season at QB under Paterno, Bolden earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.

The Lions' rushing attack was moribund against the Penguins, who looked to stuff the run and force Bolden to throw. Senior tailback Evan Royster, who needs just 42 yards to hit 3,000 for his career, had just 40 yards against Youngstown in limited duty.

Paterno deflected comments that Royster, who reported to fall practice heavier and is now playing at 218, might have lost a step, noting that he didn't have much running room. The Lions have also shuffled their offensive front a bit, which will need to develop a few notches for the Tide this week. PSU isn't hurting for backfield speed; besides Royster, Stephfon Green and Silas Redd have demonstrated quickness and elusiveness if they get the openings.

Keep in mind, also, that Bolden's pass protection was good last week. The Tide could bring some more heat, and the Lions do have Kevin Newsome, who has the ability to scramble, in reserve to throw a change of pace at 'Bama.

Even without Ingram, the Tide has plenty of weapons, including 6-4 wideout Julio Jones, who can give the PSU secondary match-up problems, and running back Trent Richardson, who isn't much of a drop off from Ingram. Last week Eddie Lacy had 13 carries for 111 yards, while Richardson and Demetrius Goode each chipped in 66 yards on the ground.

On top of that, quarterback Greg McElroy is 15-0 as a starter. He threw for 2,508 yards and 17 TDs last season.

Defensively, the Tide return junior strong safety Mark Barron and sophomore linebacker Dont'a Hightower from a unit that allowed just 11.7 points per game last season. Junior nose tackle Josh Chapman weighs 310 and the linebacking corps also includes Chavis Williams, Jerrell Harris and Courtney Upshaw.

Alabama leads the series with PSU 8-5, but the Lions won the last meeting, 9-0 at 'Bama in 1990. While the Lions are decided underdogs, a setback doesn't have to derail their season. In fact, in 1982 PSU lost to the Tide 42-21, but it was the lone of the season, and the Lions went on to post their first national crown.

Tonight will be a monumental challenge, but PSU has a lot to gain from the opportunity.

NITTANY LINES - ESPN's College Game Day program is originating from the PSU-'Bama game today ... Nick Saban was 2-3 against Penn State when he coached at Michigan State from 1995-1999 ... Penn State is 4-10 all-time against number one ranked teams, losing the last three meetings, all against Ohio State, in 1998, 2006 and 2007. The Lions last defeated a number one team in 1990, when they won 24-21 at Notre Dame ... injury-wise, RB Brandon Beachum and WR Curtis Drake are out for tonight, while tight end Andrew Szczerba is doubtful with a back injury ... PSU is 17-16 all-time against current SEC members, 14-14 under Paterno, although JoePa is 8-4 vs. SEC teams in bowl games ... Lions are 35-21 overall in night games, 17-7 on the road ... the Lions have not allowed a 100 yard rusher in the past 17 games, with Iowa's Shonn Greene (now with the New York Jets) the last to do it in 2008.