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Nov 14, 2009 (The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- THE CAMPAIGN FIVE YEARS AGO -- when the Nittany Lions won the Big Ten championship and finished third in the country following a dramatic Orange Bowl victory over Florida State -- was the highlight of the fifth-year seniors' career. Unfortunately, they never topped that performance.

Although most of them redshirted during that season, the now fifth-year seniors -- including quarterback Daryll Clark, linebacker Sean Lee, defensive end Jerome Hayes, tackle Dennis Landolt, to name a few -- got a taste of early success.

They had a chance to be extraordinary.

But as Penn State's season winds down, this class is running out of time to meet the lofty expectations that were set for them five years ago.

"Winning a national championship, playing for a national championship; that would probably be the top goal that I'm not going to get a shot to do," said Lee, who will play his final game at Beaver Stadium today when Penn State (8-2, 4-2) plays Indiana (4-6, 1-5) at noon.

The Nittany Lions were average in 2006 (9-4, 5-3 Big Ten) and 2007 (9-4, 5-3) before they burst onto the national scene again last season. Penn State went 11-2 last year after losing to Southern Cal, 38-24, in the Rose Bowl. The Nittany Lions earned a share of the Big Ten title and appeared to be headed to the national championship until they were upset by Iowa in the third-to-last game of the season.

That season was similar but less successful than a 2005 campaign that laid the foundation for the fifth-year seniors in this class.

"We were able to see what college football is all about," Hayes said. "We were really fortunate that we came in on a team with Michael Robinson, Levi Brown, Chris Harrell, Alan Zemaitis; they gave us the blueprint on how college football was supposed to be played. We really had a front-row seat on how to do things the right way, and we were able to carry it on the next four years."

That 2005 season remains the highlight of Lee's career. Lee played that year as a true freshman. It was the start of something special. It was the reemergence of Penn State football, and being a part of it is something this class will always identify with.

"We came in not knowing what type of team we had," Lee said. "That whole year was very special because we kind of exploded back on the scene. Through that, we had that bond."

This senior class is by no means a disappointment. Over the past four years, it has compiled a 37-12 record. The older guys can claim a 48-13 record over the past five seasons. But the fifth-year seniors might also be associated with not finishing what they started.

Because of two losses -- at the hands of Iowa and Ohio State -- the Big Ten title and an invitation to a BCS bowl are unlikely for this group of Penn State seniors, who started this season and their careers with high expectations.

Players like Lee, Clark, Hayes and Landolt will look to take care of another piece business of today when they make their final appearance at Beaver Stadium.

"I've been here for five years so it's definitely going to be a little emotional," Landolt said. "It's been a great few years. We put so much time and work into it."

Tricia Lafferty can be reached via e-mail or at 412-380-5666.

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Tricia Lafferty

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