BRONX, NY - The dark cloud that has hung over the Penn State football program lifted with the football that was kicked by senior kicker Sam Ficken. His extra point in overtime capped a comeback that toppled Boston College 31-30 in Saturday's Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium.

While the 7-win season does not erase the six tough losses, the bowl game win not only marks a return to a program that had been synonymous with the post-season, but an example of perseverance in an exciting Nittany Lion season."On the season, the game tonight, we have a way of starting the season in a dramatic fashion and ending the season in a dramatic fashion," Nittany Lion head coach James Franklin said, "starting in Dublin, Ireland, ending in New York City. Who could have drawn it up better than that?"In many ways, the game is a microcosm of the woes that had befallen the proud program that Joe Paterno built. Just when things looked to be at their worst, the crowd swelled with emotion and the student athletes responded.After two incomplete passes Christian Hackenberg and the Penn State offense faced a 3rd and nine from their own 38-yard line. Boston College looked to be in total control of the game with two third quarter scores that gave the Eagles a 21-7 lead. With senior captain Miles Dieffenbach sidelined with a leg injury, a punt surely could have spelled doom for the prospects of winning their first bowl game since the 2011 season.With the Blue and White faithful on their feet, the sophomore signal caller completed a 32-yard pass to Geno Lewis for a first down at the 30-yard line. That set up the duo connecting a few plays later as the third quarter ended to cut the lead to 21-14.The defense rose up and then shut down the Boston College offense, holding them to just seven yards on three straight possessions in the fourth quarter to set up a Hackenberg -to-DaeSean Hamilton score to tie the game.Just like the cloud of scandal that hung over Happy Valley, the moment a ray of sunshine started to show through, the cloud closed out and darkened the mood once again as the Boston College offense drove the field for a go-ahead field goal with 2:10 remaining in the game.Hackenberg, who drew criticism with erratic play but put on a masterful 371 yard, four touchdown performance, drove his team down the field in the final two minutes and set up a chance for Sam Ficken to tie the game."He's an example of things aren't always going to go exactly how you imagined it to go, but you keep working hard, keep a positive attitude, good things will come," Franklin said of his quarterback.Ficken, who notoriously missed four of five field goal attempts in the loss to Virginia in 2012, has turned his career around to become one of the best field goal kickers in the nation. His 45-yarder tied the game with 20 seconds left to send the game into overtime.In the overtime period, the Nittany Lions again battled back. After the Eagles scored to take the lead they missed the extra point. Hackenberg converted yet another third and long with a touchdown pass to to Kyle Carter to set up Ficken for the kick that sealed the deal."I couldn't have asked for a better way for my career to end," Ficken said afterward.It was also a fitting way to end the season for a fan base that dominated the baseball stadium that is laden with history and magical moments. The hugs and tears shared in the crowd were an emotional outburst of relief from a dark period that stripped the Penn State community of scholarships and post-season games but not their pride.But do not give the head coach credit for a restoration of the Penn State brand name. Franklin said that the players, former and current, the coaches, trainers, and the fans "that show up and sell out every single game" are responsible."We're all a part of this. I think we've been fractured," Franklin said, "But I think experiences and games like this has restored the hope. Everybody had a part in that."The Pinstripe Bowl win may be the marker that puts Penn State football back on the map,but it may overshadow the fact that it never left. The mark of the program for decades is the academic record of their athletes that speaks for the program.At the start of the bowl season, 16 members of the Penn State football team earned their degrees which ranks them in the top-10 percent of all 128 FBS institutions. According to the research by the University of Alabama Athletic Communications office, their 87 percent graduation rate is second to only Northwestern in the Big-10 Conference.These seniors have received a lot of praise from their coach."These guys will be remembered forever, for standing strong when we needed them to stand strong, to lay the foundation for great things to come," Franklin said. "Every win we have next year and for eternity will be on their backs."With Franklin's first full season recruiting underway with a full complement of scholarships to dole out, the ability to participate in post-season, and a huge bowl win under their belt, it is very easy for Franklin to see the cloud dissipating and the sunshine returning to Happy Valley."The future is very, very bright here (and I'm) very excited."NOTES ... The sellout crowd of 49,012 was the largest of the five Pinstripe Bowls ... Penn State's bowl record is now 28-15-2 ... Penn State's 28th bowl win ties them with Oklahoma for third all-time, trailing Alabama (35) and USC (33) ... Eight of Penn State's 13 games were decided by six points or less ... Penn State had 17 players make their first start in 2014, seven were true freshman ... True freshman Chris Godwin had his first 100-yard receiving day (7 catches, 140 yards, TD).