Epic comeback buoys Penn State’s final 4 hopes

It also glowed, however, with three wins over top-10 teams: Wisconsin, Michigan and, most helpfully, Oklahoma, and it looked to become the first of the 12 teams in the first three playoffs to lack a conference title.

Police say a large crowd of students and fans gathered as the team rallied late Saturday for a comeback win over Wisconsin. Penn State was 2-2 after a 49-10 loss to MI on September 24, but the Nittany Lions are flawless ever since. Especially when that champion beat the second-place team. The Nittany Lions drove 75 yards in five plays for that score.

All of that noise might drown out Penn State’s stunning rehabilitation of a season that once stood in a 2-2 heap after a 49-10 obliteration in Ann Arbor.

Penn State’s Mike Gesicki celebrates after defeating Wisconsin to win the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016, in Indianapolis.

I’m over exaggerating of course.

Coach James Franklin thinks that should be good enough. But you can also say that if Penn State beat Pitt it would have benefited from playing a hard nonconference schedule.

“Had Washington had a stronger strength of schedule I do not think that conversation would have been as hard”, said Hocutt, who is also the Texas tech athletic director. “We’re going to be a part of that conversation”.

At the end of the day–Nobody has or likely will beat Alabama. I’ve talked to him once or twice. “Whatever opportunity, we will be appreciative”.

There were a few more of these, too, particularly from DaeSean Hamilton who, on the drive that resulted in what would be the game-winning touchdown, saved the drive. The first was a 40-yard catch and run to Blacknall with less than a minute remaining in the half.

Facing a 28-14 whole at the start of the third quarter, Sorley completed 10 of his final 11 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns.

The Nittanly Lions went into the half down 28-14 to the Badgers, and seemingly had little momentum in this game.

Commence debate – the pairings are in, and Penn State and MI are out.

“What I do know is we just won the toughest conference in college football”, Franklin said. Navy finished with 306 yards, 168 on the ground. Coach [Joe] Moorhead told me to just trust the system and trust the game plan.

“He’s a competitor. No matter how many points are scored against us, or how many points we score against a team, he’s going to keep balling”, said senior defensive end Garrett Sickels.

The victor of the Big Ten will play in the Rose Bowl.

MI (5 – 10-2, 7-2 Big Ten).

If not for Ohio State beating MI last week (in what most experts referred to as the “real” Big Ten championship game), the Wolverines would have been playing as the leaders of the East Division.

What does it take for a conference champ to earn some certainty?

The Penn State defense, which held Wisconsin to just three points in the second half, sealed it on Wisconsin’s final possession. The penultimate boat-rowing was a close game, but hey, no one said 13-0 would be easy.

The playoff debate between those three teams was as intense as ever.

“Yeah, I think conference championship games should carry weight”, Franklin said.

It’s nearly a win-win. He took the Broncos from directional MI obscurity to an undefeated season. They’ll play five of their next six games on the road including the Horizon League opener against Oakland on December 29. Very soon. But not until his team plays in a “Pick 6” playoff game. Let the playmakers play.