Still in bloom

USC and Penn State would have preferred to play in the Bowl Championship Series title game next week in Florida. However, now that the game is finally here, neither seems to regard the 95th Rose Bowl game as a consolation prize. Times staff writers Gary Klein and Mike Hiserman look at some of the key issues and matchups when the Trojans and Nittany Lions play each other in the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1923:

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Beyond comparison

Comparing scores with common opponents is one way to try to pick a winner, and when it comes to today’s matchup, each team has OSU -- two of them.

Both USC and Penn State played Oregon State and Ohio State.

Penn State routed Oregon State, 45-14, in Happy Valley. USC lost to the Beavers three weeks later, 27-21, at Corvallis.

And Penn State and USC both took great pleasure in defeating the Buckeyes from The Ohio State University.

USC did not get Ohio State’s best shot in a 35-3 mid-September victory at the Coliseum. The Buckeyes had not yet settled on freshman Terrelle Pryor as the quarterback and junior running back Chris “Beanie” Wells did not play.

Those players were in the lineup on Oct. 25, and Penn State scored 10 points in the final seven minutes to win, 13-6, at Columbus, Ohio.

Wells gained only 55 yards in 22 carries as the Nittany Lions held the Buckeyes to their fewest points at home since 1982.

Somehow, that all was factored into a calculation that led to USC’s being a 9 1/2 -point favorite.

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Conference composites

The relative weakness of the Pacific 10 and Big Ten conferences was one reason experts said one-loss USC and Penn State teams were held back in the polls.

Well, don’t look now, but Pac-10 teams are 4-0 in bowl games. Arizona defeated Brigham Young in the Las Vegas Bowl, California beat Miami in the Emerald Bowl, Oregon rallied past Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl, and Oregon State shut out Pittsburgh in the Sun Bowl.

“We know that our most difficult games every year are in our conference,” USC Coach Pete Carroll told reporters Wednesday. “This isn’t like something you just say; it’s the truth . . . our greatest challenges for the last eight years have been in the Pac-10.”

The Big Ten is 0-3. Wisconsin was routed by Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl, Northwestern lost in overtime to Missouri in the Alamo Bowl and Minnesota lost by three touchdowns to Kansas in the Insight Bowl.

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Room with a view

Much has been made of Joe Paterno’s status today.

Penn State’s lively 82-year-old coach is coming off hip surgery, and he intends to coach from the press box because of the strain of standing on the sideline.

He would prefer to be with his players.

“If I told you I’d rather be upstairs than downstairs . . . I wouldn’t be honest,” he said. But, he added, “When you’re upstairs you can see little things that you’d miss on the sideline, and once in a while you can do something that’s helpful.”

Paterno said he probably wouldn’t be able to get to the locker room at halftime because of logistical problems.

Moreover, he thinks way too much attention is being focused on his situation.

“Who knows what’s going to happen by Thursday for crying out loud,” Paterno said. “I might decide to take a boat to Italy.”

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All quiet

‘Tis the season all right.

Usually, anyway.

With four NFL coaches fired this week and more awaiting the possible ax, USC’s Carroll typically this time of year is fending off questions about his possible return to the professional ranks.

But Carroll’s name has not surfaced.

“It’s been good that it isn’t popping up or coming up,” Carroll said. “It’s been a bit of relief.”

Does he miss the attention?

“No, not at all,” he said.

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Time out

Penn State hasn’t played a game in 40 days -- 14 more than USC, which played its regular-season finale on Dec. 6 at the Rose Bowl against UCLA.

A disadvantage for Penn State?

Paterno thinks so.

” . . . I think the Big Ten really has got to take a good look at what’s going on,” he said. “You know, we go into limbo for a long time when other people are playing for division championships and conference championships and being competitive, and I think it is a little bit of a disadvantage.”

However, Paterno quickly added: “That will not be the reason we lose the football game if Southern Cal beats us. I don’t think that’s fair to Southern Cal.”

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Staying afloat

The Penn State secondary has yet to face a receiving corps as tall and athletic as USC’s, so it could be sink or swim for that unit today.

Which should suit Penn State safety Mark Rubin just fine.

Rubin, who is among four seniors who start in the Nittany Lions’ defensive backfield, made one of the plays of Penn State’s season when he forced a fourth-quarter fumble against Ohio State that set up his team’s game-winning touchdown drive.

But Rubin has an even bigger claim to fame -- swimming victories over Michael Phelps.

Yes, that Michael Phelps.

Rubin, who grew up in a suburb of Buffalo, N.Y., has said that he defeated the Olympic champion between five and 10 times -- but yes, lost the vast majority of his races against the hero of the Beijing Olympics.

After the Ohio State victory, a reporter from USA Today noted that Rubin’s forced fumble resulted from an arm swing that looked like a breaststroke.

Rubin smiled and said, “I want to see Phelps do that.”

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Status check

For USC, fullback Stanley Havili is not academically eligible to play.

Senior safety Kevin Ellison and freshman tight end Blake Ayles will sit out because of knee injuries. The Trojans will rotate freshman D.J. Shoemate, sophomore Rhett Ellison and junior Adam Goodman at fullback, and Will Harris will start in Ellison’s spot. Wide receiver Damian Williams (shoulder) and tailback Stafon Johnson (knee) will play.

For Penn State, reserve linebacker Bani Gbadyu will not be playing for academic reasons. He is the only player on the two-deep who is not available.

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By the numbers

*--* USC CATEGORY PSU 37.5 Scoring 40.2 7.8 Points given up 12.4 247.1 Pass offense 240.6 206.0 Rush offense 211.6 453.1 Total offense 452.2 122.8 Pass defense 168.0 83.3 Rush defense 95.9 206.1 Total defense 263.9 *--*

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gary.klein@latimes.com

mike.hiserman@latimes.com