Sports: Road ahead looking bleak for Paterno

No. 2 Miami used its overwhelming edge in the velocity department as the catalyst for a convincing 33-7 manhandling of the Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. The final score is deceiving, considering the Hurricanes had a 30-0 halftime lead.

ABC cut away at the half because the game was no contest. Only Pennsylvania and Florida stations saw the end, while the rest of the nation watched the Oregon-Wisconsin game.

All night, Miami was one step ahead of the cement-footed Lions. Penn State's offensive line, a major question heading into the season, spent much of the evening looking back as Miami linemen breezed past.

The Hurricanes outgained the Nittany Lions in total yards 602-323. Miami's 14 penalties for 120 yards mattered little except to prevent it from totaling 50 points.

"Teams shouldn't come in here and beat us this way," said running back Larry Johnson, whose 69-yard kickoff return in the first quarter was one of Penn State's few highlights. "We've got a long way to go."

In his 36th season, Paterno is 0-1 in his attempt to equal Bear Bryant's major-college win record of 323. The Lions are at Virginia on Sept. 13, then play No. 22 Wisconsin, improved Iowa, No. 12 Michigan, No. 16 Northwestern and No. 23 Ohio State. They finish with Southern Mississippi, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan State.

Yes, Paterno is likely to pass Bryant this season, but Florida State's Bobby Bowden -- six wins behind him -- may do it first.

How bad is it at Penn State?

As the Nittany Lions' deficit grew the record crowd of 109,313 vanished.

Talk is getting louder. Will Paterno leave if the Lions have another losing season? Will he be asked to step aside? Is 36 years long enough? Of course, there are no answers yet, but consider Coker's words after the game.

"We beat a great football tradition tonight," he said. That's tradition, not team.

Penn State, with two national titles and five perfect seasons under Paterno, used to win games like these. And the Lions used to have the speed necessary to run past opponents.

But now, the Lions are getting beat for recruits by Miami and Virginia Tech -- even Rutgers.

Last week, Paterno, 74, said retirement was not imminent.

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