BIG TEN: Still Plenty at Stake For Lions and Buckeyes

Paul Smith - View From the Midwest

Friday, 06 November 2009 00:36

Michigan City, Ind. — The stakes may be slightly lower this time around. Last year, both Penn State and Ohio State were jostling for position for a possible run at college football's biggest bauble as they lined up in Columbus and staged a defensive classic won by the Nittany Lions, 13-6, earning them a trip to the No. 2 Bowl Championship Series matchup, a trip to the Rose Bowl to play Southern California.

Only a last-second loss at Iowa kept the Lions out of national title game consideration.

A gritty, slobber-knocking 21-10 loss to the Nitts' personal nemesis Hawkeyes has probably taken Penn State out of the national championship chatter, but when the 15th-ranked Buckeyes (7-2 overall, 4-1 in Big Ten play) line up against No. 11 Penn State (8-1, 4-1) at 3:30 Saturday (2:30 Chicago time, ABC-TV), there will still be plenty at stake.

Most noticeable, of course, would be Year Two of Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor, the Jeannette, Pa. native who spurned his home state's superpower to wear Scarlet and Gray.

Pryor had taken a pounding in the Bucks' 45-0 rout of visiting New Mexico State — "He has ice bags everywhere," coach Jim Tressel told the statewide media Tuesday.

One reporter pursued the recruiting rivalry angle, one Tressel preferred to avoid. But he acknowledged Penn State will not lack for motivation Saturday, particularly given Pryor's presence.

"I'm sure he's very aware of that," Tressel said. "I'm sure as we go along through the preperation for the week, we'll talk a lot about poise and patience because that's what you have to do, you have to be a poised guy, whether you're an offensive lineman and you can't hear the snap count and they're yelling at you when you're sitting on the bench that you might not look as lean as you should or whatever. That's what being part of a great environment is all about. So we'll talk a lot about poise and patience."

Pryor's passing numbers against New Mexico State — 14-for-33, for 249 yards and two touchdowns to Dane Sanzenbacher — weren't dazzling, but with a 310-yard running attack, including nine carries for 83 yards and a touchdown by Pryor, they didn't have to be.

But against Penn State, which will be after him as the notes of the National Anthem fade, there will be a whole different atmosphere.

"I think (Ohio State's) done some things a little differently in the offense to take advantage of (Pryor's) tremendous ability," Penn State's coach, Joe Paterno, said Tuesday. "He started a little bit slow, to be frank with you, but the last few games he's been very, very overpowering, really."

Paterno knows his grudging defense will have to be at its best to slow down the Bucks, whose 279 points rank them second in the Big Ten. "He's running well, he's throwing the ball well deep; I think he's improved," Paterno said. "But he was pretty darn good as a freshman and he's better as a sophomore and will continue to get better because they do a good job."

As could be predicted, few trade secrets escape the inner sanctums in State College and Columbus. But as the usual 110,000-plus Beaver Stadium sellout will see early, this will be typical Penn State/Ohio State fare. The two teams aren't 12-12 for no reason.

ELSEWHERE: No. 4 Iowa continues to roll toward its last real challenge, Nov. 14 at Ohio State, but thoughts of a possible stumble against defensively-challenged Indiana were very real for three quarters in Iowa City.

It took Tyler Sash's 86-yard interception return late in the third quarter to jump-start the sluggish Hawkeyes (9-0, 5-0), who trailed I.U. 21-7 at that point. Quarterback Rick Stanzi, who's had an outstanding year, had thrown five interceptions as the Hoosiers led 24-14 going into the fourth quarter. Then he and the Hawks turned the foruth quarter into a touchdown festival, scoring 28 points to win going away.

"No matter what happens, we know there's still time left on the clock," Stanzi told Luke Meredith of The Associated Press. "There's a chance to win, so you can't give up."

Not bloody likely, given what may be at stake for this year's Hawkeyes. "I've never been in a game like this," coach Kirk Ferentz said. "I've never seen a game like this. I can't say enough about our players."

They're saying plenty all by themselves. And now, so are the national media.

About Paul Smith

Paul Smith covers the Big Ten, Notre Dame and the rest of the national college football scene with his View From the Midwest.

About Paul Smith

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