ROSE BOWL: USC 38, Penn State 24

First quarter: USC 7, Penn State 7

PASSING LEADERS

Penn State

Daryll Clark: 4 for 7, 62 yards

USC

Mark Sanchez: 4 for 6, 57 yards

RUSHING LEADERS

Penn State

Evan Royster: 6, 34 yards

USC

C.J. Gable: 3, 17 yards

RECEIVING LEADERS

Penn State

Deon Butler: 1, 28 yards

USC

Da. Williams: 1, 27 yards, TD

Momentum: Both offenses had things going in the first quarter. USC made like a Big Ten team, pounding out a couple of first downs on the ground, then passing into the end zone to cap an 11-play, 86-yard drive. Penn State answered immediately with a nine-play, 80-yard drive.

Unanswered questions: Where’s the defense? These teams came into the Rose Bowl with two of the top five defensive units in the nation. Penn State almost made a big play, sacking Mark Sanchez and recovering his fumble, but it was nullified by an offside penalty.

Did you notice? Penn State had a long pass completion erased by an illegal shift penalty, but the Nittany Lions didn’t blink. Two pass completions took them deep into USC territory, where Daryll Clark ran a quarterback keeper up the middle for a nine-yard touchdown.

--

Second quarter: USC 31, Penn State 7

PASSING LEADERS

Penn State

Clark: 3-6, 55 yards

USC

Sanchez: 14-17, 219 yards, 2 TDs

RUSHING LEADERS

Penn State

Stephfon Green: 4, 10 yards

USC

Stafon Johnson: 4, 20 yards

RECEIVING LEADERS

Penn State

Green: 2, 39 yards

USC

Williams: 6, 100 yards

Momentum: The Trojans broke out for 24 points. Sanchez got things started, answering Penn State’s first score with a six-yard touchdown run on a quarterback draw to cap an 80-yard drive. USC followed with a field goal and two Sanchez touchdown passes before halftime.

Unanswered questions: Where was this USC intensity against Oregon State back in September? Even with an offense that averaged better than 40 points a game this season, can the Nittany Lions possibly find a way back into this game?

Did you notice? The USC defense woke up. The Trojans denied Penn State twice on third-and-short situations. Then they forced a fumble at the end of a long pass completion and defensive back Will Harris recovered, a play that preceded USC’s third touchdown drive of the quarter.

--

Third quarter: USC 31, Penn State 7

PASSING LEADERS

Penn State

Clark: 5 for 6, 55 yards

USC

Sanchez: 6 for 8, 42 yards

RUSHING LEADERS

Penn State

Green: 3, 13 yards

USC

S. Johnson: 3, 17 yards

RECEIVING LEADERS

Penn State

Butler: 1, 27 yards

USC

Williams: 2, 20 yards

Momentum: The Nittany Lions generated a big play in the early going, forcing a fumble on the Trojans’ opening possession of the second half. Penn State drove across midfield, but USC held the Nittany Lions by tackling receiver Jordan Norwood one yard short on fourth down.

Unanswered questions: Will Sanchez become the third quarterback to pass for more than 400 yards in the Rose Bowl? What happened to all the offense? Will Penn State Coach Joe Paterno leave his perch in the press box early to beat the traffic?

Did you notice? The Penn State offense took a hit when leading rusher Evan Royster could not return to action after suffering an injury to his left knee in the first half. Stephfon Green and a scrambling Clark picked up the slack out of the backfield.

--

Fourth quarter: USC 38, Penn State 24

PASSING LEADERS

Penn State

Clark: 9 for 17, 101 yards, 2 TDs

USC

Sanchez: 4 for 4, 95 yards, TD

RUSHING LEADERS

Penn State

Green: 2, 43 yards

USC

S. Johnson: 7, 13 yards

RECEIVING LEADERS

Penn State

Butler: 2, 42 yards

USC

R. Johnson: 1, 45 yards, TD

Momentum: The Nittany Lions never let down, making a run at USC in the fourth quarter, but Trojans receiver Ronald Johnson streaked past the secondary for a 45-yard scoring catch and the defense took care of the rest with a pair of interceptions, including one in the end zone as time ran out. Penn State’s two touchdowns and a field goal made the score closer than it seemed.

Unanswered questions: Should Penn State have settled for three points inside the USC 10-yard line with 4:34 remaining? Was this quarterback Mark Sanchez’s final game in cardinal-and-gold?

Did you notice? Even with Penn State scoring late, USC all but shut down on offense, throwing only one pass in the final seven minutes.

-- David Wharton