This time, for a change, the spotlight was squarely on Larry Johnson.

He came into the final regular season game of his college football career needing "just" 267 yards to become the ninth player in Division I history -- and the first from Penn State -- to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.

Johnson's Heisman ballot

ESPN.com asked each of the Heisman finalists for their vote (excluding themselves). Here's Larry Johnson's take. 1. Byron Leftwich, QB, Marshall "He played hurt. He jeopardized not only winning the award, but his future in the NFL. And in a way, that's what the Heisman is all about -- doing whatever it takes to help your team win. I was shocked when he wasn't on the list as a finalist." 2. Brad Banks, QB, Iowa "Brad brought Iowa football back to where it belongs -- at the top of the conference. And it's hard to go undefeated in conference, I don't care what conference you're in. You can't say enough about the way he led that team." 3. Willis McGahee, RB, Miami "Gotta go with a fellow running back. He's a great runner and I really enjoy watching him play."

Twelve weeks earlier, he was the anonymous son of an assistant coach with a volatile temper and the inability to control his emotions on the field.

Yet, suddenly here he was, the sole focus for college football fans looking for something unrelated to the BCS to cheer about. In his previous three games, he rushed for 297 yards against Illinois, 251 against Virginia and a school-record 327 against Indiana.

It made 267 seem more than attainable. But while everyone in Happy Valley was optimistic, if you would have climbed into the mind of Larry Johnson before the game, you would have found a man preparing himself for a letdown.

"I was contemplating that I might not get it because I didn't want to be disappointed," Johnson said. "So I was preparing myself for it to not happen."

It happened by halftime.

He had over a 100 yards after eight carries. 200 yards after 13 carries. Before the half was over, he'd score on runs of 11, 78, 11 and 38 yards, carrying the Nittany Lions to a 48-0 halftime lead over Michigan State.

But no run was more memorable than the last, the 38-yard score that put Johnson over the prestigious 2,000-yard barrier.

"The whole time, I'm trying to keep it low key. I don't want to go out there and choke," Johnson said. "I didn't want to get all hyped up and then nothing really happens.

"But during the course of the game, everybody was getting jacked and they were like, 'You need this or you need that.' Or, 'Hey, you're getting close to this thing.'"

Everyone in the stadium knew he was inching closer. Including the Michigan State coaches. On the run that put Johnson over 2,000, the Spartans stacked nine men on the line of scrimmage. Penn State coaches called a sweep to the short side of the field.

"Against that front, that is not an easy play. Especially with the tight field," Johnson said. "But as soon as I got the ball, I saw a crease. Everything opened up for me and all I saw were flashbulbs that blinded me. It was a great feeling."

When Penn State got the ball back with a minute left, coaches sent Johnson and the first team offense back onto the field before calling Johnson back for a much-deserved standing ovation in front of the Nittany Lion fans.

"He was like a man playing against boys out there," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. "He was absolutely spectacular."

Wayne Drehs is a staff writer at ESPN.com He can be reached at wayne.drehs@espn3.com.