As the Rose Bowl game began, Penn State's cheerleaders entertained the crowd while action played out at the opposite end zone.

Penn State's sideline had its own alumni cheerleaders, so to speak, in the form of several former players on hand for the game. It was a rare treat to observe their excitement for players who were carrying on their tradition of excellence.

Daryll Clark's joy over the first touchdown was evident as A.Q. Shipley walked past him.

Michael Robinson was a strong and vocal presence of support on the Nittany Lions' sideline for the team.

However, Shipley didn't appear to be content with the first score.

During halftime, the ABC commentators returned to the field-level stage at the corner of the Nittany Lions' end zone.

It appeared that the Nittany Lion may have tried to cast a spell on the Trojans to jinx them during the second half of the game, and for a time it seemed that the spell worked, as the Lions rallied after a disappointing second quarter.

Perhaps it was unintentional, but the adjacent jerseys of Mark Rubin and Tony Davis sent a message of distress to Nittany Lion fans behind them, as the two players watched their teammates try to recover from a 23-point deficit at the end of the first half.

Fans stayed in the game, loud and proud, throughout the second half. This group must have been very happy that Penn State and Coach Paterno recently announced a three-year extension of his tenure through the 2011 season.

A peek over the champion's platform before it was moved onto the playing field revealed the final score: no roses were coming home to Happy Valley this year.