Penn State Nittany Lions, Dean Yockey
 

Dean Yockey loves his Penn State football. Like many Nittany Lions fans, he is ecstatic the program has returned to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 2008 season. He would love nothing more than to make the trip to Pasadena, but money is holding that back.

Until it isn't.

Dean's wife, Becky, went out and got the tickets. With help from the couple's four kids, Becky delivered the gift in a bowl of roses. Dean needed a moment to process what was going on, and when he figured it out, the waterworks hit.

"Mainly my wife and I talked about it, because she always wanted to go to the Rose Parade and I always wanted to go to the Rose Bowl," Dean told the Centre Daily Times. "We thought it'd be a good thing to do. Then we thought we'd save the money, because you never know what you can save it for. What if the girls get married?"

According to their daughter, Jennifer, Dean and Becky have only taken two trips as a couple in their 30 years of marriage -- both to Niagara Falls. Now, they will see the Nittany Lions play the USC Trojans in Southern California.

Becky works at Penn State's College of Medicine, and Penn State head football coach James Franklin tracked her down for one more surprise. Franklin gave Dean a call thank him for his fandom.


Dean is about to have a heck of a New Year's celebration in California.

-- Follow Jeff Eisenband on Twitter @JeffEisenband. Like Jeff Eisenband on Facebook.