Penn State's ample supply of returning talent had Happy Valley hopeful for a history-making season in 1999.

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That still might happen, but it won't play out the way Nittany Lion loyalists hoped.

Instead of giving coach Joe Paterno his third national championship, this team that features three first-team All-Americans on defense could become the first in Paterno's 34 seasons to lose four straight games.

A late-season upset at home against Minnesota was the first of three straight defeats Penn State takes into its Alamo Bowl matchup with Texas A&M, which will be a huge favorite of the fans, if not the oddsmakers, in the Alamo Dome.

The Nittany Lions also lost to Michigan and Michigan State, ruining what was a 9-0 start that had them No. 2 in the polls and the Bowl Championship Series rankings and on track to meet Florida State for the national title in the Sugar Bowl.

"We'd like to end on a high note,'' Paterno said. "We don't want to go out with four straight losses.''

Penn State need not look back too far in Alamo Bowl history to find out what happens to a former contender for No. 1 who gets a trip to San Antonio as a consolation prize.

Just last year, Kansas State was in line to play for No. 1 until its loss to A&M in the Big 12 championship game. The Wildcats fell all the way to the Alamo, where Purdue staged a surprising upset.

Penn State can't salvage even close to what it hoped to gain from this season, but it can become Paterno's fifth team this decade to win 10 or more games … and is a touchdown favorite to do just that.

"As a team, we want to finish out right and solidify that we're one of the best teams to come through Penn State,'' senior fullback Aaron Harris said. "We know that, and that's what really counts. We can look each other in the eye and know that we're one of the best.''

The Personnel File

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tough call here, since Penn State's offensive inconsistency and turnover problems were the reason the Lions finally ran out of thrilling finishes and finished 5-3 in the Big Ten.

Still, wide receiver Chafie Fields made big plays in some big games, but was not as consistent or productive as he could have been. Quarterbacks Kevin Thompson and Rashard Casey came through at times, but they were inconsistent and suffered too many costly turnovers.

The team's best offensive player from start to finish was probably tackle Kareem McKenzie.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Hard to argue with the unanimous pick of the coaches and media who cover the conference, both of whom picked defensive end Courtney Brown for this honor in the league. He led the conference with 29 tackles for a loss and finished second with 13½ quarterback sacks.

LaVar Arrington was more spectacular and Brandon Short had more tackles overall, but Brown was the guy opposing teams worried the most about completely obliterating their game plans.

COACH UPDATE: Paterno (316-83-3 in 34 seasons) will have to wait a bit longer to get Bear Bryant's Division I record for career coaching victories. He was scheduled to get it in the fourth game of next season, but then the Lions hit the skids and delayed things until late in the 2000 season. He is eight victories away from passing the Bear.

STRENGTHS: Penn State has an outstanding defense loaded with certain All-Americans in Brown and Arrington and possible choices in Short and cornerback David Macklin. Opponents have been able to hit Penn State for big plays by attacking it with the deep pass, although an expected matchup with Texas A&M should not exacerbate that problem.

Offensively, Penn State is more likely to strike in a flash with Fields, receiver Eddie Drummond or tailback Eric McCoo than it is to pound relentlessly with the running game. Paterno never did decide between Thompson and Casey and the flux at that position probably cost the Lions at least one loss.

CONCERNS: Where is this team mentally? How can it possibly be motivated to play in the Alamo Bowl (remember Kansas State?) after having its national championship dreams shattered amid its late-season swoon.

GOOD CHOICE: Linebacker Brandon Short toyed with forgoing his final season at Penn State to enter the NFL draft last season, but returned to chase a national championship. That isn't going to happen, but Short isn't second-guessing his decision to come back and play as a fifth-year senior.

"I realize the friends I've made are the best friends I'll have,'' he said. "The years I've had in college are the best. I know I can never get those back.''

Short figures to go no lower than the second round in the NFL draft, but he isn't particular about where he plays professionally.

"I'll go to anybody who gives me a dollar and a helmet,'' he said.

WHAT TO DO: The same choice Short had last year, outside linebacker LaVar Arrington has this year, deciding whether to return and play as a senior or take his load of postseason awards and become an NFL millionaire.

"Me and my family are still talking about it, weighing a few things,'' he said.

Arrington's decision would be easier if he knew how high he would go in the draft.

"That plays a big part, obviously,'' he said. "If you know you're going to be the top pick, that's not the determining factor, but it's something I want to take into consideration.''

Teammate Courtney Brown and Florida State wide receiver Peter Warrick are generally acknowledged as two players who would go ahead of Arrington.

Arrington missed the season finale at Michigan State with a shoulder injury, but is ready to play in the Alamo Bowl.

"I'm raring to go,'' he said.

INJURY UPDATE: None.

Noteworthy

ONE MORE GAME: All-American linebacker Brandon Short and All-Big Ten selections Chafie Fields (flanker) and David Macklin (cornerback) will play in the 51st Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Harris will play in the Jan. 22 Hula Bowl in Honolulu.

ALL-STAR LIONS: Linebacker LaVar Arrington and defensive end Courtney Brown cleaned up in the postseason awards derby, winning first-team All-American honors and several individual awards. Short was also selected a first-team All-American.

Brown was the Big Ten's defensive player of the year and Arrington took home both the Butkus Award, given to the nation's best linebacker, and the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the nation's best defensive player.

Arrington had nine quarterback sacks, 20 tackles for a loss, 72 tackles overall, two fumble recoveries and two blocked field goals.

Brown had 55 tackles, including a school-record 29 for a loss, and he was in on 16 sacks.

Short led the team with 103 tackles and also had four sacks and one blocked kick.

SANDUSKY HONORED: Defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who is retiring after the Alamo Bowl following his 32nd season, received the assistant coach of the year award from the American Football Coaches Association.

"There is nothing more that I would love to do than send Coach Sandusky out with a win,'' Short said. "He deserves it. He deserves it.''

ON A ROLL: Penn State has won five of its last six bowl games. The Nittany Lions are making their first Alamo Bowl appearance in their first non-Jan. 1 bowl since the 1990 season.

Starters to Replace

OFFENSE: Seven. Four starters on the offensive line are gone, as is QB Kevin Thompson, WR Chafie Fields and FB Mike Cerimele.

DEFENSE: Nine. Throw out the entire secondary and three of four starters up front. The entire linebacking corps will be gone if Arrington declares early for the NFL.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Two. Punter Pat Pidgeon and kicker Travis Forney are both seniors.