When Dan Connor thinks back on Penn State’s 2005 football season, he mostly recalls the examples set by the team captains and other upper classmen.

“There was unbelievable leadership,” Connor said Thursday. “They just handled themselves like grown men. I looked at them almost like they were part of the coaching staff, which showed how mature they were and how well they were able to lead.”

The Nittany Lions went 11-1 that season, won the Big Ten championship, beat Florida State 26-23 in triple overtime in the Orange Bowl and finished third in the polls.

Penn State will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 2005 team between the first and second quarter of the non-conference game Saturday against Villanova at 3:30 (TV-FS1).

Connor, a high school star at Strath Haven, now is an assistant

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