Penn State took a thrilling path to a Big Ten championship in 2016 with an iconic field goal block against Ohio State and a wild victory over Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship to earn a third trip to the Rose Bowl since joining the Big Ten. And for the second straight time in the Rose Bowl, Penn State would face a high-powered USC team in Pasadena.
Penn State and USC helped to rewrite the record book in the 2017 Rose Bowl with a new game record for combined points, Penn State scoring on three consecutive offensive snaps, and USC quarterback Sam Darnold setting a Rose Bowl record for most touchdown passes, much to the chagrin of the Nittany Lions. Penn State came up on the wrong end of a 52-49 thriller in the Rose Bowl after seeing the offense stalled in the fourth quarter and allowing the Trojans to keep hopes alive. A late interception thrown by Trace McSorley led to a game-winning field goal for the Trojans as time expired.
Despite the loss, the Rose Bowl served up some terrific moments for Penn State, including one of the best runs by [autotag]Saquon Barkley[/autotag]. Here are some of the best photos from the 2017 Rose Bowl as Penn State battled USC.