Might as well get this one going.... I say OSU will be favored by anywhere from 2 1/2 to 4 points. My prediction on the game is OSU 27 PSU 24 I liked the way Michigan had success running vertically vs. PSU in the first half by using Brandon Minor. His style more closely resembles what Beanie can do than Sam McGuffie's style except Beanie can do it better with that Buckeye offensive line. I am certain Tressel paid attention to that as well and then you have the Pryor factor for the Lions to be concerned with. If the Buckeyes do not take down Penn St we will have another Big Ten team in the BCS title game for certain because no other Big Ten team is capable of much it appears. One other note: "Penn State entered Saturday having played the nation's 84th toughest schedule, according to CollegeBCS.com.)" I would say that has dropped to around #90 now that 2-4 Michigan has been added to the mix. The only two tests of any sort for PSU this year will be OSU ......and MSU to a much lesser degree.
.....and I don't have a problem that he thinks that. However, it's the stubborn, steadfast notion that ONLY the SEC provides its conference teams with tough "tests" on a regular basis that is silly.....that said, as I stated previously, I have no doubt that Ole Miss waltzes through the Big 12, Big 10, PAC 10, etc and dominates......
He'll declare games vs Kentucky and Vandy as tough tests that's for sure. No disrespect to those programs intended. Looking at the UF schedule other than Georgia, they should be heavily favored against the rest of them. FSU is a good team this year but consider that the whole ACC is sort of down this year, they might as a conference not be as strong as the Mtn West.
Penn State's opponents to date record is now very miserable..... I gave you the CollegeBCS ranking of that sickly schedule and I assure you that no other ranking services will have much better. You act like I make these things up.....but all you have to do is look up the records of their opponents to date and see for yourself. Yes Florida has a had a much tougher schedule and still has to play several teams that are much more competitive than who PSU has played or has left. Ga and OSU is a tie but the Semis are ranked and would at least be TD favorite over MSU.... and SouCar would beat any of the other teams on the Nits schedule who are left. To even debate this is ridiculous.
But back to the topic Penn State vs Ohio State. I think the X-factor is not T.Pryor but the Ohio State defense. If they play very well then I think they can handle the Penn State offense and if so then the Ohio State offense doesn't have to have a lights out type of performance, it will allow them to be conservative and keep Pryor from feeling like he has to win the game. He's no doubt growing by leaps and bounds and probably can handle it as he showed on the road in East Lansing. Also it appears Beanie Wells is 100% now and that should also take pressure off of Pryor and allow the Buckeye offense to be very ball controlling. Right now I think PSU is not as good as their ranking, and I also don't believe JoePa's headsets are connected to anything during the game other than the PSU radio broadcast!! Terry
I think many of us Ohio State fans were shocked by USC's margin of victory over us, even with out Wells playing. Our offense has struggled with Pryor trying to adjust to the college game. The defense has bot been as solid as many of us hoped, based on returning starters. The Purdue game was very discouraging, with no offensive scores at all. Now with the win over MSU on the road, the picture appears to be much brighter. I like our chances at home and we have been very successful in our night games here in Columbus. Like Terry, I think our defensive play will dictate the outcome of the game. Go Bucks! Don
I agree with that....the Nits will be far and away the best offense we've faced since our ill-fated trip to LA. They've got playmakers at all skill positions and the QB Clark is playing as well as anybody. They are very versatile on offense. They can run power from the I, Clark is very adept at running the option and they can spread you out. This is far from the Sparty I formation power running offense we stuffed in E. Lansing - of course they don't have Javon Ringer either, but all things considered, they are much more difficult to defend, imho. Historically, Joe has come into Columbus and buttoned up his offense trying to play a very conservative, ball control type ball game. A game that plays right into our hands defensively for sure.....we'll see this year if he's willing to let his kids play. Offensively, Pryor continues to make strides. He is still very hesitant to pull the trigger in the pocket and as a result takes alot of sacks, but is by far the better decision than firing wildly downfield - the good news is that he's only had 2 picks in 90 attempts. That's the good news....the bad news is Coach T is only letting him use less than 1/4 of the playbook and is rightfully limiting his risk exposure with safe throws and reads and trying to maximize his threat. D coordinators know that as well... Beanie is not 100% and likely not going to be all season - until bowl time. He still has to wear bigger, heavier linemen-type shoes with ortho supports that don't have near the flexibility he would like and it does limit his mobility, but not his power. He still has the vision and power and almost the straight-ahead speed, but it's clear that he's not as nimble and shifty as he was pre-injury. Maybe 85% - but an 85% Beanie is still a pretty good running back and I hope PSU will get a solid dose. I'm still not sure he didn't get the foot dinged up again in E.Lansing.
Ohio State....especially on the road will be a huge shock to the Lion's system. PSU has seen no one like OSU this season and I think the Buckeyes jump out to a 17-0 lead before PSU knows what hit em and then Joe Pa settles them down for the rest of the game.
Buckeyes open as 2 point dogs at home.....interesting to see how this line moves in the days ahead. I honestly don't remember the last time we were dogs at home.....maybe when VY's Texas group showed up a few years back but I honestly don't remember.
I could see that after the Purdue game, but after going on the road and destroying MSU, I would have thought you guys would at least be slight favorites. But I imagine that PSU high ranking has something to do with this, even though I don't see the guys in Vegas really caring about the rankings. I think that Ohio money will jump all over that and move the line back to even most likely.
It blows me away that most people just do not account for the schedule a team plays when making assessments of that team's abilities. Not fans...not pollsters....not computers....not media....and last but not least not Skyboxers! Here is CFN's take on the big game and I see where playing a 2-5 Michigan has had it's impact on Penn St's schedule ranking: "Outside of a major meltdown, these two will likely end up in the BCS in some way, shape or form with the winner almost certainly to be Rose Bowl bound, at worst, while Penn State is shooting for more. A lot more. After a sluggish start last week, the Nittany Lions blew past Michigan for a 46-17 win and yet another dominant, impressive victory. Next week’s trip at Iowa will be dangerous, but the final two home games are against Indiana and Michigan State. A win this week would show that the national title really is within reach, while a loss would likely mean a BCS game other than the Rose. The offense is cranking out 482 yards a game, the defense is the best in the Big Ten, and the confidence and execution have been there from day one. However, getting past Ohio State in Columbus is a whole other ball game for a team that has faced the 100th ranked schedule so far." From MCG: I am strongly of the belief that when you line up all season and never see any of the top teams in country you get lulled into thinking a big game is going to pan one way and when reality hits....it hits hard when the caliber of competition is elevated to elite levels. I do believe Ohio State belongs in the top 7 or 8 teams in the country at least and PSU is in for a rude awakening. I'll be here to eat crow if it doesn't turn out that way come Saturday.
Yep, Red Out, ESPN Game Day and Buckeyes basketball scrimmage at 3:30 P.M. Unfortunately rain showers are in the forecast for Friday and Saturday. Don