Penn State notes:
IN TOP 10 FOR WINS OVER LAST FIVE SEASONS: Since the start of the 2005 season, the Nittany Lions are 44-12 (78.5), good for No. 9 in the nation in winning percentage over the past four seasons. The Nittany Lions are 21-5 (80.7) since losing at Illinois on Sept. 29, 2007, also among the nation’s best records over that span. The Nittany Lions have won 46 of their past 58 games overall (79.3 pct.) dating to the final two games of the 2004 season. Ohio State is the only Big Ten team with a better record than Penn State over the past 58 contests.
LIONS MOVING BACK TOWARD TOP 10: Penn State was No. 12 in the USA Today Coaches poll and No. 14 in the Oct. 3 Associated Press poll. The Nittany Lions were No. 8 in the USA Today Coaches preseason poll and tied for No. 9 in the Associated Press preseason rankings. The AP ranking was the Nittany Lions’ highest entering the season since the 1999 squad was No. 3. The Nittany Lions finished the 2008 season No. 8 in both polls.
BOUNCING BACK: Penn State is 10-1 in its next game after a loss since the start of the 2005 season. The Nittany Lions are 11-1 after a loss if the 2009 season opening win over Akron is included.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS: Penn State has a 59-12 (83.0) record in nonconference games overall since starting Big Ten play in 1993, including victories against: Arizona, Auburn, Florida State, Louisville (2), Miami (Fla.), Maryland, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oregon, Oregon State, Pittsburgh (3), South Florida, Southern California (3), Southern Miss (2), Syracuse (2), Tennessee (2), Texas, Texas A&M (2), Texas Tech, Virginia and UCF (2). The Nittany Lions saw their 10-game non-conference winning streak end vs. USC in the 2009 Rose Bowl. Penn State played Notre Dame in 2006 and ‘07 and renewed its rivalry with Syracuse last season and again this year. The Nittany Lions will face Alabama in 2010 and ’11, Virginia in 2012 and ’13 and Rutgers in 2014 and ‘15.
CHAMPIONS DAY SALUTE VS. EIU: Penn State’s individual and team champions from the highly-successful 2008-09 sports season will be honored, parading onto the field at halftime of the Eastern Illinois game. Penn State won a school record-tying six Big Ten Championships last year and the women’s volleyball and fencing squads delivered NCAA Championships. The field hockey, football, women’s outdoor track and field, women’s soccer (regular season and tournament) and women’s volleyball teams all won Big Ten titles in 2008-09. The Nittany Lion basketball team won the 2009 NIT Championship and the men’s volleyball team won the 2009 EIVA crown and an NCAA Tournament semifinal berth.
Big Ten notes:
Iowa and Wisconsin Among 13 Unbeatens: Through five weeks of play, the Big Ten is one of only three Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conferences to feature two or more 5-0 teams, as Iowa and Wisconsin have both opened the season with five straight victories. Four unbeatens suffered their first loss last weekend, including Michigan, which fell in overtime at Michigan State. Overall, 13 FBS programs remain undefeated, including eight schools at 5-0. The SEC leads the way with four unbeatens,
including Alabama, Auburn and LSU at 5-0 and Florida at 4-0. The Big East also has multiple 5-0 teams in Cincinnati and South Florida while the Big 12 features three teams at 4-0 in Kansas, Missouri and Texas. The remaining unbeatens are Boise State (5-0) of the WAC and Texas Christian (4-0) of the Mountain West.
Breaking Down the Unbeatens: The Hawkeyes are off to a 5-0 start for the fi rst ti me in head coach Kirk Ferentz’ 11 years on campus, as Iowa’s last 5-0 start occurred in 1995. The last time the Hawkeyes opened a season with six or more triumphs was in
1985, when the team sprinted to a 7-0 start on the way to the school’s last outright Big Ten ti tle. The Badgers have started the season with five straight triumphs for the second time under head coach Bret Bielema and fifth time in the last eight years,
including 5-0 starts in 2007, 2005 and 2002 and a 9-0 opening stretch in 2004. Both Iowa and Wisconsin will be tested by 4-1 teams on Saturday. The Hawkeyes will look to remain undefeated with a home matchup against Michigan, while the Badgers
will hit the road to face four-time defending conference champion Ohio State.
Iowa and Wisconsin One Win From Bowl Berth: After improving to 5-0 last weekend, Iowa and Wisconsin are just one victory from bowl eligibility. The Hawkeyes are aiming for their second straight bowl excursion after winning the Outback Bowl after last season. Head coach Kirk Ferentz has guided Iowa to postseason play in seven of the last eight years. Badgers’ mentor Bret Bielema is looking for his fourth bowl trip in as many seasons at the helm and eighth consecutive postseason game for the program. With 4-1 marks, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State are just two triumphs away from becoming eligible for a spot in a bowl game. The Big Ten has seven bowl ti e-ins this season – the Rose Bowl/Bowl Championship Series (BCS) game, Capital One, Outback, Alamo, Champs Sports, Insight and Little Caesars Pizza Bowls. If the Big Ten champion (or co-champion) is ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the final BCS rankings, then that team will participate in the BCS Nati onal Championship Game, to be played on Jan. 7, 2010, in Pasadena, Calif.
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