EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Penn State and Michigan State are headed to bowl games, but the winner of today's regular-season finale likely will receive a bigger prize.

And we're not talking about the Land Grant Trophy.

The 13th-ranked Nittany Lions (9-2, 5-2 Big Ten) need a win at Spartan Stadium to stay in the running for an at-large berth to a BCS game, and the Spartans (6-5, 4-3) need a victory to inch closer to a spot in the Alamo Bowl.

"It's kind of something that's in the back of our minds, but we got to focus on Michigan State," Penn State wide receiver Derek Moye said of a possible BCS berth. "We can't have the same thing happen that happened two years ago.

"We could have went to the Outback Bowl and we lost and ended up at the Alamo Bowl."

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Scouting report

• Matchup: No. 13 Penn State (9-2, 5-2 Big Ten) vs. Michigan State (6-5, 4-3), 3:30 p.m. today, Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Mich. The Nittany Lions are favored by 3.
• TV/Radio/Internet: WTAE; WEAE-AM (1250) and Penn State Sports Network; www.GoPSUsports.com.
• Penn State: Seeking 21st 10-win season under coach Joe Paterno. ... Has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in past 14 games. ... P Jeremy Boone is second in Big Ten with 44.1-yard average. ... Has allowed 5 rushing TDs. ... LT Dennis Landolt has made 37 career starts.
• Michigan State: Is 6-2 in November under coach Mark Dantonio. ... Five losses are by a combined 23 points. ... RB Larry Caper is the top rusher with 411 yards, 6 TDs. ... Nineteen seniors playing final home game. ... Schedule ranks No. 20 among most difficult.
• Hidden stat: For the first time since 1994, the Lions have a chance to go 4-0 on the road in Big Ten play.

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Michigan State, which started the season 1-3, rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit in 2007 to beat the Lions, 35-31, and send them to San Antonio for the holidays. Penn State is 4-8 all time at Spartan Stadium.

"We have the opportunity to win seven games and that's important for this program," Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. "You want respect, win your last football game against Penn State.

"People start talking about you across the country. I guess that's the message to our football team. It will be a challenge."

Penn State needs to avoid another slow start. The Lions' offense has produced just 16 points-- a touchdown and three field goals -- in the first quarter of the past five games.

That concerns coach Joe Paterno.

"Well, yeah, I have a little concern, obviously," he said. "Do I have an explanation? No. I really don't know. Your guess is as good as mine.

"Obviously, I'm just glad we were able to learn from the slow starts and go on from there."

Michigan State has a big edge over Penn State on the special teams.

Brett Swenson has 92 points this season, tying him for third in the nation among kickers. He has booted 18 of 20 field goals and is 38 of 39 extra points. He is first among active Division I-A kickers in career points with 368.

Punter Aaron Bates is fifth in the Big Ten with a 42.1-yard average and has placed 18 of his 50 punts inside the 20-yard line. Keshawn Martin ranks third in the Big Ten in kickoff returns (31.7 avg) and punts (8.2).

He had a 93-yard kickoff return against Minnesota this season and an 85-yarder last week against Purdue, which set up Swenson's winning field goal in the Spartans' 40-37 win.

"Every week has been challenging, one way or the other," Paterno said of his special teams. "They have an excellent kicker, return game and an excellent punter. This kid kicks the ball high, right down the middle of the field. They cover well. We just can't make any mistakes. The kicking game will be a big factor in how this game goes."

Quarterback Kirk Cousins leads the Michigan State offense, which is ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in passing (274.1 ypg) and total offense (413.8 ypg). He has completed 61.9 percent of his passes (169 of 273) for 2,305 yards. He has thrown 17 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

Wide receiver Blair White is fourth in the Big Ten with 61 receptions for 854 yards and eight touchdowns.

"Cousins is a good quarterback," Paterno said. "You know, they've beaten some pretty good football teams. They've been in games where they scored a lot of points, maybe not enough to win, but they've been very competitive because of their quarterback."

Michigan State middle linebacker Greg Jones, the Big Ten's preseason defensive player of the year, leads the conference in tackles with 126. He also leads the Spartans in tackles for loss (11) and sacks (7 1/2).

"He's a great linebacker," said Penn State outside linebacker Navorro Bowman. "It will be a fun game. We get to watch him and he can watch us."

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