Nittany Lions know they can't lose again

One more loss will mean the third losing season in four years.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- If an 0-4 start in Big Ten play hasn't served as a wake-up call for Penn State, this should do the trick: A loss today against No. 8 Ohio State -- or in any of the Nittany Lions last four games -- will guarantee a third losing season in four years.
"Our backs are against the wall, they really are," quarterback Zack Mills said. "Look at us. We're 2-6, we haven't won a game in five or six weeks. There aren't many people who are still on the bandwagon right now."
But these Nittany Lions have been in this position before. After an 0-4 start two years ago, Penn State rallied in a back-and-forth game to upset Northwestern on the road, then gave coach Joe Paterno what was then a record 324th win with a 29-27 victory over Ohio State.
That was the breakout game for Mills, who came off the bench to engineer a comeback from an 18-point second-half deficit. Mills set a Penn State freshman passing record with 280 yards and two touchdowns, and rushing for another 138 yards and a touchdown.
"He took the game over. I mean, that's one of the games that pretty much anyone who played on defense that day remembers since we gave up a pretty big lead at half time and ended up losing the game," Ohio State defensive tackle Tim Anderson said.
Both will play
Mills sees another similarity between that week, when he and Matt Senneca were battling for the starting spot, and the present. Paterno has said Mills and Michael Robinson will both play against the Buckeyes.
"It's similar to this week -- Matt and I were going in there, not totally sure who was starting," Mills said. "I just remember I got an opportunity, made some plays, and I made some mistakes. People forget I threw three interceptions that game, but I hung in there, kept playing and kept battling."
That's where the similarities end.
The Buckeyes who came to Happy Valley two years ago were 4-2, led by inconsistent quarterback Steve Bellisari, and had already blown a 17-point lead against Wisconsin.
This year's Buckeyes (7-1, 3-1), the defending national champions, have the nation's top rushing defense, giving up just 51.5 yards per game, and have lost only one game in their last 21.
Paterno said there is no locker-room speech for these situations, and he doubts one would make a difference anyway. Instead, he hopes the weight of the moment will do the trick -- that his players will rise to the occasion.
"These kids are lucky enough that they are going to play in games like this. I hope that they would be excited about it," Paterno said. "If I have to go in there and make pep talks to get them motivated, that would last for about three minutes until somebody punches them in the mouth in the first quarter."