OH WHAT A NIGHT

Terelle Pryor's desperation heave to the endzone fluttered through the Columbus night, reflecting it its wobbly arc the hopes, prayers, tears and destiny of not just a football team and its legendary-beyond-words leader, but of a resilient and faithful fan base; thousands of whom had made the trip to central Ohio to see the demons of The Horseshoe exorcised in person by the greatest Penn State football team of the last two decades.

For those of us who had been there before, wishing to see the mighty Buckeyes defeated on their home turf, Saturday's game felt hopelessly similar to those other fruitless conquests of the last fifteen years. But when that ball dropped into the waiting arms of Lydell Sergeant and he had securely cradled not just the first interception of the game, but a victory for the undefeated Nittany Lions, a feeling rushed over me that I'll be lucky to experience again in my life.

We did it!

The next few minutes were euphoric. For the four thousand brothers and sisters in the stands that were wearing blue and white, these moments defined every reason for being a Penn State fan. For nine weeks we had believed together. For four quarters, we had screamed together. Now, we celebrated. We had never felt so loved in our entire lives. There was singing, chanting, laughing and crying and part of me wondered, just for a moment, if the Ohio State fans looking on were jealous. How could they not be?

If you tried to hi-five somebody, he pulled you in for a hug. And not a quick, superficial hug, but an actual seven-second embrace like you had just announced your engagement to his sister. We looked up to the clock just in time to see the last seconds bleed off the scoreboard and started counting down like it was December 31 in Times Square.

When all four zeroes were lit up, the players streaked across the field to their families seated beneath us and the party started all over again. From the old woman in front of me who played her kazoo in time as we sang Seven Nation Army during the final drive, to the old man who said he was there in 1978, the last time Penn State had won in Columbus, and handed me a chestnut to stomp on with him - this win belonged to all of us.

Finally, we made our way down the stairs of old Ohio Stadium and out onto Woody Hayes Drive chanting "JOE PATERNO" clap clap clap clap clap, and admiring the stunned looks on the Buckeyes' fans faces who had been so sure that this Penn State team, like the ones that came before it, would wilt in the shadows of The 'Shoe.

Not this team...not this night.

It was the greatest game I've ever been to and, if the Lions can fulfill their potential, it will surely be considered the greatest regular season game any Penn State team has ever played, considering what was at stake.

This Penn State team proved it cannot be doubted, cannot be underestimated and cannot be beaten.