The 1994 Indiana game was the difference! 

35-29 score was misleading!
Fact was, Penn State was leading by 3 TD's in the 4th Quarter. Joe Pa put in his 2nd string to get some game time experience when Indiana scored a late touchdown. With 2nd stringers in the game.. Indiana got the ball back, and with no time on the clock, scored on a hail Mary pass and then scored the 2 point conversation to bring the final score to 35-29. Joe Pa would say later that putting in his 2nd stringers caused the misleading score... which in turn caused Pollster's to wake up Sunday morning, see the close score and voted PSU #2 in the Polls instead of their  #1 ranking prior to the victory in Indiana. Nebraska was then voted #1 and the rest is history...or as we like to say...Bull$hit!

Note to Husker fans...Joe Pa has never nor ever would run up the score JUST to look good in the polls. I guess Husker fan would say that if your going to play the game, then you should play to win. I'd rather have sportsmanship and winning any day over holding a trophy you didn't deserve AND looking like a PUNK doing it. ...Just our take.