STATE COLLEGE (AP) - A season-opening victory against an overrated top 25 team, a blowout and a close call against Pittsburgh. What is this, 1998 all over again for No. 3 Penn State? The Nittany Lions had better hope not.
Last year, they started 3-0 by beating No. 21 Southern Mississippi, routing Bowling Green and sneaking past Pittsburgh. Then they got clobbered at No. 1 Ohio State, dropped two more big road games and ended up in the Outback Bowl.
On Saturday, most of the same cast travels to No. 8 Miami - Hurricane Floyd permitting - and tries to end the trend.
''I think it's very important that we go down there this week and come away with a W, especially coming out of last year, coming out of those losses at Michigan, Wisconin asnd Ohio State,'' fullback Mike Cerimele said. ''Three big games and we didn't come out with a win.''
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| AP PHOTO Penn State has started this season much like it did 1998's disappointing campaign - a win over an overrated top-25 team, a blowout and a close call against Pittsburgh. |
Penn State thought it had put last season's demons behind it with a 41-7 dismantling of then-No. 4 Arizona in this year's opener and with a 70-point showing against Akron.
But the next week, Arizona had to come from behind in the fourth-quarter to nip Texas Christian - a team that went on to lose to Northwestern. And on Saturday, Penn State nearly lost to Pitt.
Suddenly, beating the 'Canes seems more uncertain - and more important.
Over the course of this 38-year-old rivalry, it has always seemed to be that way:
n Paterno went 5-5 in his first season as coach and lost to Navy in the 1967 season opener. Then, he brought Penn State down to Miami and beat the Hurricanes 17-8 with a bunch of untested sophomores. It was the start of his most successful run, 31-1-1 from 1967 through 1970.
n In 1981, Miami beat No. 1 Penn State 17-14, staving off a fourth-quarter rally. The next day, the Miami Herald called it the Hurricanes' ''Biggest Victory Ever.''
n Six years later, Paterno won his second national title with a 14-10 victory over No. 1 Miami in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl. Pete Giftopoulos' interception at the Lions' 1-yard line with 9 seconds left remains one of Penn State's most dramatic moments.
With Miami under coach Butch Davis looking more like the touted teams of the 1980s, Paterno has his team sensing that this could be another great one.
''Miami is a great team,'' said Eric McCoo. ''Everybody can see that they're coming back to be one of the great teams again. This is one of those games, you make little mistakes, you lose.''
Penn State made plenty of little mistakes against Pittsburgh, and were especially inconsistent on offense. The Panthers confused Penn State into just 65 yards rushing, and but for a few big passing plays, held their offense in check.
The offensive linemen said they were confused by Pitt's stunts. Miami, which held Ohio State to 116 yards on the ground, should be even tougher.
If that's not troubling enough, coach Joe Paterno expects to be without tailback Cordell Mitchell, a fast, reliable senior who can't seem to stay healthy. Last week, he was out with a deep thigh bruise.
''Watching him yesterday, he couldn't even jog, so I would be doubtful if he's going to be ready,'' he said.
McCoo, who started the end of 1998 when Mitchell was out with a shoulder injury, will probably start again.
Also on Tuesday, Paterno said he has not seen tape of the play that got LaVar Arrington two personal fouls Saturday.
Paterno said he does not plan to look at it, and he did not discipline his star linebacker over the dust-up.
''He is just going to have to be very, very careful. He can't retaliate. I wouldn't expect him to get involved in a skirmish like that,'' he said.
09-15-99
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