| 01 January 2012
Sponsored by ticket broker TicketCity, the second-annual TicketCity Bowl is played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas and offers an intriguing matchup between 12-1 Houston from Conference USA and Big 10 power Penn State in a non-AQ vs. AQ battle. It’s a matchup of unstoppable force against immovable object as Houston’s prolific offense squares off against Penn State’s sturdy defense.
Houston looked to be headed towards a berth in a BCS game, but a loss to Southern Miss in the Conference USA championship game thwarted those hopes. Still, it was a memorable season for the Cougars as quarterback Case Keenum became the NCAA’s all-time leader in touchdown passes, passing yards, and total yards.
Penn State has had a memorable season as well, but for all the wrong reasons. The Nittany Lions had a seven-game winning streak and were 8-1 at the end of October, but former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was arrested on November 5 and charged with sexually abusing eight young boys. As the sordid details began to emerge, many believed that Penn State administrators were guilty of a cover-up.
The fallout caused legendary coach Joe Paterno to be fired, leaving defensive coordinator Tom Bradley to take over and try to salvage what remained of the season. The scandal also caused several bowls to pass on the Nittany Lions. The hits keep on coming for Penn State and starting quarterback Matt McGloin got into a fight with receiver Curtis Drake following practice and suffered a seizure and possible concussion. His availability for the game is in question. McGloin’s backup, Rob Bolden, apparently stole a bottle of Gatorade. The Nittany Lions have certainly seen better days.
Key matchup: Houston quarterback Case Keenum vs. Penn State’s defense
Record-setting Houston QB Case Keenum (L) goes up against a stingy Penn State defense (R)
Keenum is one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in NCAA history. He set records for career touchdown passes, passing yards, and total yards. He turned in a subpar performance his last time out in the loss to Southern Miss and will be looking to redeem himself. He’s also struggled in bowl games in his career and will be looking to end his career on a high note. He’ll have his hands full against a stingy Penn State defense that was fifth-best in football in scoring defense, giving up only 15.7 points a game. Penn State also boasts the fifth-best pass defense in the country. The Nittany Lions give up 162.2 passing yards a game while Houston possess the nation’s #1 pass offense at 443.8 yards a game. Penn State has only allowed nine passing touchdowns all year; Keenum threw nine in one game against Rice earlier this season. If Keenum can produce against Penn State, the Cougars will win. Penn State’s offense in anemic and will not be able to keep up. Penn State’s defense will have to keep the game close and make some plays of its own if the Nittany Lions want to win this game.
Why you should watch: It’s your last chance to see one of the best quarterbacks to ever play college football, Case Keenum. Houston is averaging a nation-best 50.8 points a game. Seeing Keenum orchestrate the high-octane Cougar offense is a treat to watch.
Why you shouldn’t watch: Houston hasn’t played anybody this year. The lone BCS team they played was UCLA, the same team that “earned” a bowl bid despite having a losing record. The Cougars barely eked out a win in that game, too. The best team they played was Southern Miss, and they lost 49-28. Houston hasn’t faced a defense like Penn State’s. If the Cougars had that much trouble against Southern Miss’ middling defense, imagine how they’ll fare against a top-notch Penn State unit. On the flip side, Penn State has one of the most dreadful offenses in all of college football. The Nittany Lions average fewer than 20 points a game.
Prediction: Houston hasn’t faced a defense like Penn State’s, but the Nittany Lions haven’t faced an offense the same caliber as Houston’s. The Cougars will struggle, but Penn State doesn’t have enough firepower on offense to take advantage. Keenum will make enough plays to leave a winner in his final collegiate game. Houston wins.
