MADISON, Wis. - Since Penn State won't be returning to Camp Randall Stadium for at least another seven years thanks to Big Ten expansions and new divisional alignments that begin next season, Wisconsin fans won't get another chance to see the combination of Christian Hackenberg and Adam Breneman.
They've already seen enough.
Penn State's true freshman quarterback and raw rookie tight end hooked up on a 68-yard touchdown pass in the first two minutes of Saturday afternoon's game, and the Nittany Lions never looked back on the way to a 31-24 win that shocked the Big Ten and extinguished the Badgers' BCS bowl hopes.
It also set a tone for what the Nittany Lions hope will be a harbinger of things to come.
"It's big anytime you go into the offseason with a win," Breneman said.
"Especially when you beat Wisconsin and you're 24-point underdogs. We have the makings of a great team the next few years, and now we're really excited to get back in the weight room and start working toward that."
With a talented senior class on the way out, the Nittany Lions had plenty of questions as 2013 wound down. They were staring a 6-6 season in the face if the oddsmakers were right about Wisconsin. Star defensive tackle DaQuan Jones was heading into his final game, as were gritty linebacker Glenn Carson and experienced safety Malcolm Willis. It's also no secret that receiver Allen Robinson could consider a jump to the NFL after his junior season, with two record-setting campaigns on his resume.
But as head coach Bill O'Brien acknowledged following the win, the Nittany Lions who will be returning in 2014 did plenty to help the cause Saturday, catapult-
ing themselves into offseason on the most positive note imaginable.
Defensively, linebacker Brandon Bell had six tackles and forced what was ruled an interception by end C.J. Olaniyan by stripping the ball out of Wisconsin quarterback Joel Stave's hands. Safety Malik Golden played the entire second half for a banged-up and ineffective Willis, and he gave Penn State a faster, more active presence against the pass in the secondary.
Defensive end Anthony Zettel had two sacks, and cornerback Trevor Williams stepped in for Amos with an interception. All of those players will return in 2014.
The young offense was just as good. Hackenberg played his best game of a sterling first season, completing 21-of-30 passes for 339 yards and four touchdowns. Receiver Eugene Lewis scored two touchdowns, and Breneman and fellow tight end Jesse James also scored. None was older than a sophomore this season, and suddenly the Nittany Lions' receiving corps doesn't look as barren should Robinson decide to leave.
"We just want to keep this going, to work hard going into the offseason," Lewis said.
Beating the dominant Wisconsin team in every facet may have put the conference on alert that Penn State really was what it claimed to be: a team that was a few plays away from being a nine- or 10-game winner.
Pending Robinson's decision, the Nittany Lions will lose only three players who started on offense Saturday, and they will lose just four on defense.
After avoiding a mediocre 6-6 finish, the immediate future looks bright again for Penn State.
"This is going to help us in all aspects, whether it's in the weight room or working our routes," Hackenberg said. "It really builds your morale.
Wisconsin deserves a lot of credit for being a great football team. But we needed a win like this to help us when we're moving forward."