Penn State redshirt freshman linebacker Tyrell Sales is enjoying the limelight of the Orange Bowl now.

He also recognizes what might have been.

Sales had an all-state caliber career as a linebacker at Butler. Nittany Lions teammate Paul Posluszny, an All-American linebacker, could have lined up alongside him on the Golden Tornado defense.

Posluszny was born in Butler. His grandparents and numerous relatives still live here, but his family moved into the Hopewell school district before Posluszny ever reached high school.

"We've talked about our Butler connection a few times during practice," Sales said. "I tease him about it. I know we would have been to the playoffs a few times at Butler if Paul was on some of those teams."

There is more of a Butler connection at Penn State — and in the Orange Bowl game vs. Florida State at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Miami — than meets the eye.

Butler graduate Missy Fogel is a sophomore cheerleader at Penn State and will be cheering for the Nittany Lions on the sidelines at the game.

Butler graduate KayLeigh Vodenichar is a sophomore cheerleader at Florida State and will be cheering for the Seminoles on the opposite sideline.

In fact, Sales, Fogel and Vodenichar all were members of Butler's 2004 graduating class.

"We hung out together. We're good friends," Vodenichar said. "Tyrell's a great player and I wish him well — but I'll be cheering for Florida State. That's where my loyalty is now."

She also hopes to visit with Fogel, a former teammate on a Butler competitive cheerleading squad that placed third at the 2004 Universal Cheerleading Association High School National Championships.

"I'm hoping we get a chance to grab lunch or dinner together, just talk for a bit," Vodenichar said. "Missy is so talented. She's a great person and I miss her."

Knoch graduate Kelli Weleski, the 2003 Butler County Junior Miss pageant winner, is a majorette at Penn State and also will be on the field at the Orange Bowl.

The odds of Vodenichar and Fogel cheering on opposite sidelines at a major bowl game are astronomical. Both had to make their respective cheering squads, which involves surviving numerous roster cuts.

Both had to make their respective travel squads, which includes a little more than half of each school's cheerleaders.Finally, Penn State (10-1) had to match up with Florida State (8-4) at the Orange Bowl. This is only the third meeting ever between the two historic programs that sport college football's winningest coaches in Bobby Bowden (359-106-4) and Joe Paterno (353-117-3).Penn State and Florida State haven't played each other since the inaugural Blockbuster Bowl 15 years ago."It's really exciting. … This is so cool," Fogel said of the Butler connection. "I've enjoyed following Tyrell's career and KayLeigh is an incredible talent."The fact we're all going to be out there together as part of the Orange Bowl … it shows the quality of young people Butler can produce."Sales had 18 tackles this season, including nine solo stops, and had eight tackles against Cincinnati in an early-season game while starting for then-suspended teammate Dan Connor.When Connor returned, Sales became more of a role player on defense while seeing extensive special teams work."My career's just beginning, the way I see it," Sales said. "We've got a few more bowl games coming our way."This one is kind of special because of the Butler people involved. It's cool. Hopefully, we'll all put on a show."Posluszny led the Nittany Lions with 111 tackles this season and captured the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker and Bednarik Award as the nation's best defensive player.

"We may only be a play away from the national championship game," Sales said, referring to Penn State's final-play loss at Michigan, its lone defeat all season. "It's hard to say that, though, because the BCS rankings might still look the same."We just know how close we are to the top."Fogel and Vodenichar have gone from cheering in front of a few thousand fans in Butler to cheering in front of 100,000 and 84,000, respectively, in State College and Tallahassee."Fans at Penn State are amazing," Fogel said. "When we do the 'We are Penn State' cheer and 100,000 people do it with you. … It sends shivers up your spine."Butler High School cheering coach Randi Stoner said she's not surprised Fogel and Vodenichar have gotten where they are."Proud, yes, but surprised? No," she said. "They're intelligent, they're talented, they're beautiful and they're go-getters."Those two girls are relentless in the pursuit of their goals. They're such good people who came from great roots. They are the heart of what our cheerleading program is about," Stoner added.