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The Rose Bowl could be Sean Clifford’s storybook ending

By Christopher Mangum

STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 26: Sean Clifford #14 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates after a touchdown against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at Beaver Stadium on November 26, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 26: Sean Clifford #14 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates after a touchdown against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at Beaver Stadium on November 26, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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STATE COLLEGE, PA – OCTOBER 29: Sean Clifford #14 of the Penn State Nittany Lions attempts a pass against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the first half at Beaver Stadium on October 29, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – OCTOBER 29: Sean Clifford #14 of the Penn State Nittany Lions attempts a pass against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the first half at Beaver Stadium on October 29, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

2022 is a fitting way for Sean Clifford to leave Penn State

After two subpar seasons in a row, Penn State football finally found itself again in 2022. The Nittany Lions’ 11-11 overall record this decade gave fans little hope for Penn State football this year; in fact, most thought PSU would finish 7-5 or 8-4 yet again.

Despite hitting a few road bumps along the way, Penn State got itself back to 10 wins during the regular season and will now compete for a Rose Bowl on January 2nd. The Nittany Lions 2022 season is a fitting way for Clifford’s final season at the helm to go because it embodies Penn State’s program over the last six years.

Against the teams that Penn State was expected to beat, the Lions often looked unstoppable. Penn State compiled some quality wins throughout the year, including a 35-31 win at Purdue, a 41-12 win at Auburn, a 46-10 win over Ohio, a 45-17 win over Minnesota, a 55-10 win over Rutgers, a 45-14 win over Indiana, and finally a 35-16 win over Michigan State.

Still, the Lions failed to beat a single ranked team. In fairness, the only two ranked teams that Penn State played were Ohio State (currently 11-1, ranked No. 4) and Michigan (currently 13-0, ranked No. 2).

In both of Penn State’s biggest games of the season — at Michigan and vs. Ohio State — the Nittany Lions blew a second-half lead and lost by multiple scores. A 17-16 lead over Michigan in the 3rd quarter somehow turned into a 41-17 loss in Ann Arbor.

A similar series of events took place in State College two weeks later during Penn State’s 44-31 loss vs. Ohio State.

Penn State football has felt this way for years now — so close, yet still so far away. The Nittany Lions were about 18 minutes away from a perfect record this year, yet could not hold on. Despite the two losses to Playoff teams, Penn State still had a great season and finished with a 10-2 record.

Now, the Nittany Lions will get to play in the granddaddy of them all — the Rose Bowl — with an 11th win and a top-10 finish on the line.

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