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Holding the lead

The Penn State Nittany Lions won their Cotton Bowl game against the Memphis Tigers at the end of 2019. Several narratives threads materialized out of the game, including those of the emergent Journey Brown, the transcendent Micah Parsons, and the insufficient Lion secondary.

One story that hasn't been as pronounced as might have been expected is that of the resilience of the Lions. In a back and forth game, their fortitude was what was most compelling.

Consider this:

After going down early to the Tigers 3-0 and then 10- and 13-7, the Lions never again relinquished the lead.

Say it again: the Lions never again relinquished the lead. After 13-7, the score summary went as follows.

14-13 on Noah Cain's 1-yard run.

21-13 on Devyn Ford's 2-yard run.

28-13 on Journey Brown's 56-yard run.

The Tigers found the end zone next, but Jahan Dotson's 4-yard score pushed the lead to 35-20.

Two field goals and another touchdown brought the Tigers close once more, but Jake Pinger's 45-yard field goal made the score 38-33, the Lions still in the lead.

Another Tigers field goal brought the tally back to 38-36, but Garrett Taylor's pick-6 made the score 45-36 and Noah Cain answered yet another Tigers field goal with his second score of the day, marking the game's final margin at 53-39.

Nearly 45 minutes of football in which the Lions never trailed.

Nearly 45 minutes of football in which the Lions took every single punch their New Year's 6 opponent (champion of a conference that put 4 teams in the year's final AP Top 25 ranking) could throw at them and never fell.

Nearly 45 minutes of football in which in-game adjustments paid off enough to win.

Nearly 45 minutes of football in which the tone was set for what's to come in 2020.

Bowl games don't matter unless they do: getting a new quarterback reps (Trace McSorley in the 2016 Taxslayer Bowl), reinvigorating a fan base (the Pinstripe Bowl in 2014), or ensuring a player's place in the pantheon of greats at his position (Saquan Barkely in the 2017 Rose Bowl).

Other than that, they're not worth much to most fans.

This one mattered because it raised the bar of an entire program one notch higher, setting the standard for the next group of young Lions and their chance at a National Championship in the year to follow.

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