SAN ANTONIO — Joe Paterno’s 500th game as Penn State coach ended the way most have: with JoePa on top.
Evan Royster broke a tie with a 38-yard touchdown run, Deon Butler caught a debatable 30-yard pass and Penn State erased an early 14-point deficit to beat Texas A&M 24-17 on Saturday night at the Alamo Bowl.
Paterno, college football’s leader in bowl appearances (34), led the Nittany Lions (9-4) in a thriller that brought him his record 23rd postseason win. The 81-year-old coach has 372 career victories, one behind Florida State’s Bobby Bowden for the most in major college football.
“It was a good, tough game,” Paterno said after the game while surrounded by jubilant Nittany Lions. “If I had a choice, I’m glad we won.”
Texas A&M’s Stephen McGee led a 15-play drive to the Penn State 2 before losing 4 yards on fourth-and-goal after slipping on an option play with about eight minutes left.
Another Texas A&M (7-6) drive ended with a punt with two minutes left, and Penn State ran out the clock.
The Nittany Lions secured their third straight bowl victory and spoiled Gary Darnell’s one-game stint as interim head coach.
Liberty Bowl
Mississippi St. 10, Central Fla. 3
In a game featuring anemic offenses and 17 punts, the Bulldogs (8-5) kept Central Florida (10-4) out of the end zone and held Smith to 119 yards. The junior finished 61 yards shy of Barry Sanders’ single-season record of 2,628 yards set for Oklahoma State in 1988.
The Bulldogs held the Knights to 219 yards and forced four turnovers.
Meineke Bowl
Wake Forest 24, UConn 10
Moore, a senior playing in his hometown in his final game, caught 11 passes for 112 yards. Riley Skinner completed 29-of-38 passes for 268 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
It was a disappointing end to the Huskies’ best season since they completed the move from what used to be called Division I-AA six years ago. UConn was limited to nine first downs and failed to score an offensive touchdown.
