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BY CHRISTINA MARTIN

ANCHOR CHRISTY LEWIS

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Joe Paterno’s 409th win wasn’t pretty. Penn State QB Matt McGloin went 9-for-24, and the game came down to a last second field goal attempt by Illinois.

“Illinois would drive down the field, setting up Derek Dimke on a 42 yard field goal attempt but he hits the upright, so that’s the way it would end. Penn State hangs in by 3, Paterno gets career victory number 409.”

That win made Coach Paterno the coach with the most in Division I football. This is Paterno's 62nd season at Penn State, and Centre Daily blogger Carolyn Todd says the way he coached his teams is as important as the milestone win.

“Coach Joe Paterno now stands alone among all Division I (One) coaches in number of wins. And, most importantly, he did it the right way. Graduating his players. No NCAA violations. Congratulations, Coach!  We all love you for what you have accomplished at Penn State.”

The last time Paterno broke a record was in 2001, surpassing Bear Bryant’s Division I record of 323 wins. But a Sports Illustrated writer says this milestone isn’t as impressive.

“This one seems less an achievement than a courtesy, like a Hall of Fame pitcher who lost his fastball years ago but still gets credit for lasting an inning every couple of nights. No one is naïve enough to think Paterno is the driving reason for Penn State's success this season, or even the past several seasons.”

JoePa’s contract is up at the end of this season, and there’s speculation this might be the 84 year old coach’s last hurrah. New York Daily News writer Dick Weiss says he isn’t sure if another coach could bring Penn State back to Paterno’s glory days.

“...there has not been that must-have candidate who has been considered a lock to bring back memories of Joe Paterno-coached Penn State teams in the late 1960s, ’70s and ’80s or 1994, when the Lions went 12-0, won the Big Ten and finished second in the AP poll after blasting Oregon, 38-20, in the Rose Bowl.”

Division III coach John Gagliardi, who is still coaching at St. John’s University in Minnesota, is college football’s all time wins leader with 481 victories.