Joe Paterno Gets Record 409th Win Against Illinois

Earlier today Penn State’s Joe Paterno became the all-time leader in wins for a coach in NCAA Division I history as Silas Redd’s 3-yard touchdown run with 1:11 left gave the Nittany Lions a 10-7 victory over visiting Illinois.

The record 409th win pushed 84-year-old Paterno past Grambling’s Eddie Robinson as Penn State (8-1, 5-0 Big Ten) won its seventh straight game and improved their record to 15-4 all-time versus Illinois.

Following Redd’s go-ahead TD, Illinois (6-3, 2-3) drove from its 17 to the Penn State 25 setting up an opportunity to send the game into overtime, but Derek Dimke’s 42-yard field-goal attempt bounced off the right upright as time expired.

In a common occurrence over his remarkable 46-year career, Paterno was honored again with a postgame ceremony. School president Graham Spanier and athletic director Tim Curley presented JoePa with a plaque that read, “Joe Paterno. Educator of Men. Winningest Coach. Division One Football.”

“It really is something I’ve very proud of, to be associated with Eddie Robinson,” Paterno said in a brief postgame ceremony in the media room broadcast to fans still waiting in the stands 10 minutes later. “Something like this means a lot to me, an awful lot. But there’s a lot of other people I’ve got to thank.”

Among all coaches, Joe Paterno now only trails John Gagliardi, still active at Division III St. John’s, Minn., with 481 victories.

via NY Times