Penn State Beats Utah, as the Rose Bowl Marks the End of an Era

PASADENA, Calif. — For months, beginning with workouts in the dog days of summer, continuing through the first chill of autumn and into the fraught moments that November football always brings, college football teams with any ambition look toward a distant goal: the playoff.

On Monday, though, a compelling counterpoint to that singular focus was laid out — on the rich, green grass of a sold-out Rose Bowl.

Less than 48 hours after Michigan and Ohio State endured gut-wrenching playoff defeats — ones that are sure to haunt them not just for years, but for lifetimes — Penn State, the third-best team in the Big Ten Conference, found a much more savory conclusion to its season.

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