I think post mortem is a exceptionally apt term to use here, inasmuch as USC completely sucked the life blood out of the Nittany Lions in their 38-24 Rose Bowl (presented by Citi) victory. The Trojans essentially fired the fatal shots in a 24-point second quarter, but to its credit, this Penn State clung to life until the final gun. While they were ineffectual for most of the game—a long stretch between their first-quarter touchdown and the fourth quarter, in which they scored a miraculous 17 points—they never gave up. In defeat, there is that to be proud of.
