407 and Counting

    Today, the Penn State Nittany Lions will face Northwestern as legendary coach Joe Paterno looks for win number 408 in his illustrious career.

    With a win, Paterno will tie the late Eddie Robinson for the most wins in Division I history. It's safe to say that Paterno is one of the greatest coaches in football history, among the likes of Paul "Bear" Bryant, Amos Alonzo Stagg, and Don Shula. In his 45 seasons at the helm in State College, Paterno has produced 38 winning seasons, including two national championships.

    Although Northwestern comes into tonight's game at 2-4 overall, they could prove to be a tough game for Penn State. The Wildcats were mere seconds away from defeating a strong Illinois squad before falling 38-35. Any team that has a dual-threat quarterback such as senior Dan Persa for the Wildcats, is never completely out of a game. Persa has battled injuries throughout his career, but is healthy now and completing nearly 75 percent of his passes on the season. Persa has shown the ability to scramble when the pocket breaks down, adding another man for the Penn State defense to cover without preseason all-conference linebacker Michael Mauti.

    When Persa decides to stay in the pocket, expect numerous catches for senior wide receiver Jeremy Ebert. Ebert has established him is the main weapon in the Wildcats receiving corp with 39 catches and six touchdowns. Ebert also has two 100-yard receiving games so far this season.

    For Penn State, expect to see both sophomore Rob Bolden and junior Matt McGloin under center in different packages. Both quarterbacks have struggled at times this season as neither has been able to distance themselves as the clear starter. McGloin has completed 57 percent of his passes on the year but has been inconsistent, while Bolden brings added mobility. Regardless of who is under center, senior wide receiver Derek Moye will be a crucial part of the offense. Moye has 485 yards as well as three touchdowns this season.

    With the quarterback uncertainty for Penn State, and the strong Nittany Lions defense staring down Northwestern, expect a low-scoring defensive battle. Neither team will light up the scoreboard, and Northwestern will keep the game close. In the end, the Penn State defense will be able to stop the Northwestern offense enough to pull out a victory, and send Paterno into the record books again.

    Prediction: Penn State 17, Northwestern 14