By the time the 2010 season came around, Penn State had developed quite a pleasant history against SEC teams in the Outback Bowl. In three previous appearances, Penn State destroyed Auburn in 1996, spoiled the college finale of Tim Couch in a win over Kentucky in 1999, and pulled away with a big scoop-n-score for a win against Tennessee in 2007. But the 2011 Outback Bowl saw a different result against one of the teams Penn State has never recorded a win against, the Florida Gators.
The 2011 Outback Bowl was hyped for a coaching showdown between Joe Paterno, the all-time wins leader and all-time bowl wins leader with a pair of national championships to his name, and Urban Meyer, also owner of a pair of national championship rings during his time with the Florida Gators. Meyer had announced his retirement from being the head coach of the Gators at the conclusion of the 2010 regular season, setting up his final game with Florida to come against Paterno’s Nittany Lions in the Outback Bowl.
Penn State hoped to send Meyer into his brief retirement with a loss, but the Gators took control of the game in the fourth quarter when it mattered the most and Florida turned a 24-20 deficit at the start of the fourth quarter into a 37-24 victory. Penn State was in a position to potentially take the Outback Bowl, but Ahmad Black returned a Matt McGloin interception 80 yards for a touchdown in the final minute of the game.
It was a long afternoon for McGloin as the Florida defense intercepted Penn State’s starting quarterback five times. Yet, in spite of the plethora of interceptions, Penn State had opportunities to keep things close and get away with a win against the Gators.
Penn State held a 7-0 lead at the end of the first quarter thanks to a McGloin touchdown pass to Derek Moye from five yards out midway through the first quarter. But miscues helped Florida take the lead in the second quarter. A 16-yard touchdown run by Omarius Hines came just two plays after McGloin was intercepted on a drive that had Penn State pinned by their own goal. Florida took over at the 15-yard line. After the teams exchanged punts on the next two possessions, Florida’s special teams blocked a punt by Penn State and returned for a touchdown to give Florida a 14-7 advantage.
But Penn State did respond to that rough sequence. Penn State went 72 yards on five plays, highlighted by a McGloin 44-yard pass to Derek Moye, and Michael Zordich capped the drive with a game-tying touchdown with 4:09 remaining to play in the second quarter. The Penn State defense forced a quick three-and-out on Florida’s ensuing possession, and Gators punter Chas Henry shanked the punt for just 14 yards to the Florida 37-yard line. That gave Penn State a chance to take a 17-14 lead into halftime with a Collin Wagner field goal from 20 yards out after Penn State was stopped inside the 10-yard line after a big 30-yard gain by Evan Royster on the first play of the series.
McGloin gave Penn State a 24-17 lead late in the third quarter with a two-yard run after the defense had forced a turnover on downs at the Florida 36-yard line. But it was all downhill for McGloin and the Penn State offense from there. Florida took the lead for good on a Mike Gillislee run on the goal line after a costly pass interference penalty was called on Penn State’s Malcolm Willis on a 3rd and 11 play from the 15-yard line.
As history would eventually show, this was Meyer’s final game at Florida but not his coaching career. Meyer would spend the 2011 season in the broadcast booth for ABC and ESPN before he would return to the sidelines as the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he would capture another national championship in the inaugural College Football Playoff.
Little did we know at the time, but this was also the final bowl game coached by Paterno. Paterno was back on the sidelines for the 2011 season, where he would eventually climb to the Division 1 record for most all-time victories. Of course, Paterno’s career came to a shocking end amid controversy stemming from the fallout of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
The legacies of Paterno and Meyer have taken their bruises in more recent years, but it made for one terrific coaching storyline in the 2011 Outback Bowl. Unfortunately for Penn State, the Nittany Lions were on the losing end for the first time in the Outback Bowl.
[vertical-gallery id=11979]
[listicle id=246]
[lawrence-related id=11684,11434,11241,11274]
Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.
