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PENN STATE vs. OHIO STATE
Buckeyes Nittany Lions Game Highlights Source: ESPN
Five Things: Penn State November 15, 2010 Source: Eleven Warriors - "...From Much Maligned To MVP: What a day for Boom Herron...Boom was also one of the few offensive Buckeyes who bothered to show up the first half carrying seven times for 69 yards including three for 20 on OSU's lone scoring drive in a decidly lackluster opening 30 minutes. For the game, Boom's 203 total yards accounted for 45% of OSU's 453 total yards on the day...Now, he's not only the clear cut starter, he has scored at least one TD in nine straight games and has proven himself to be the team's MVP through 10 games...
The State Of Things In State College: While the Lions were certainly game and punched OSU in the mouth during the opening half, don't you get the feeling this program is teetering on thin ice? I guess I'm just not used to (or admittedly can't remember) the classy Paterno bringing in a team with a few guys flapping their gums leading up to kickoff. McGloin's act was embarassing especially the part about how Pryor's lengthy process in determining which school to attend supposedly caused the kid not to get any legit FBS scholarship offers. Me thinks the "West Scranton Gunslinger" is a little separated from reality. To watch the kid's gestures toward the OSU sideline during his impressive half (against a timid "cover soft" defense), it's just not what I've come to expect from a Paterno team. Then, after hearing Paterno's post game interview, I was reminded why I shouldn't be surprised. The fact is, Joe Pa is so detached from this team and the in-game coaching/managing process that it's no wonder the team doesn't carry his stamp to the same degree it once did. Did you happen to catch the Paterno/reporter volley about the poor decision to pass up a 37 yard FG that would've given PSU a 17-3 lead with less than two minutes left in the half? I honestly felt sad for him as he talked about how the decision was easy because the FGA attempt would've been too long, calling it nearly 50 yards, only to backpedal a little when challenged on that blatant inaccuracy but still calling the kick too long...
Oh, Line: Boom's big day was again buoyed by an impressive run blocking performance, specifically Adams, Boren and Brewster opening up huge holes on the left side. Highly critical of Adams for chunks of the season, I feel compelled to give him some love especially for a few seal blocks allowing Boom, Saine and TP to get wide and do some damage...With Clayborn and company highly pissed off after losing to Northwestern, at least the offensive line should be a confident group. How well they perform next week will obviously be a huge factor as to whether or not this team is BCS bowl bound...
Second Chance For The Secondary: It looked like our worst nightmares were coming true in the first half as McGloin had his way with the OSU secondary completing 13/18 for 141 and two touchdowns...Needing to regroup at intermission, Torrence and his mates took their verbal lashing, crowded the receivers a little more at the line of scrimmage and switched to a cover-2 in hopes of stemming the tide. The plan worked to perfection withe the aid of some well timed blitzes...His confidence reduced from arrogant gunslinger to confused freshman, McGloin then engineered back to back 3 and outs with Travis Howard killing one possession with nice coverage on 3rd and 12 before Chekwa's tight coverage on a 3rd and 6 slant stopped the next..,Looking for the knockout punch, Howard played a 3rd and 8 rollout similar to Torrence, first rolling to cover one route in his zone before flashing up to grab the interception then racing 30 yards to paydirt making it 31-14 Buckeyes. The Bullets then forced the still reeling McGloin into two incompletions for another 3 and out, euthanizing his 2nd half stat line of 2/12 for 18 yards and two INT for touchdowns.
Pryor's Uneven Performance: Terrelle was hard on himself in the post-game, saying he played terrible, in looking back on his 8/13, 139 yard, 2 TD, 1 INT passing day. I'm not sure it was a "terrible" performance...but it certainly wasn't his best day under center. He simply couldn't find a rhythm early, completing just 4/8 in the first half with 49 yards coming on one connection with Posey...Pryor did manage to go 4/5 for 81 yards and 2 TD in the 2nd half but one of the TD's and 58 of the yards occurred on the fluky deep ball intended for Posey; hardly the product of Pryor's doing. He did, however, carry the ball five times for 36 yards in the 2nd half and made some good decisions on the read/option, including three times on the scoring drive cutting PSU's lead to 14-10 midway through the 3rd quarter. Leading just 17-14 and marching all the way down to the PSU 25, Pryor's worst play of the day occurred as he was picked off on 2nd and 12...I know one game seldom has much to do with the next but with Pryor's big game resume, I'd feel a little better if he was coming off a nice game heading into the matchup with Iowa. They sport the #4 rush defense in the country so it's highly likely Pryor's arm will go a long way in determining the outcome..."
10 Things We Learned from Tressel’s Biggest Comeback November 14, 2010 Source: The Ozone - "...1. Rose Bowl all but out of picture. It’s not over yet, but Saturday was not a good day for those hoping to see the Buckeyes back in Pasadena this January...
2. Buckeyes won the coaching battle. Early in the game it looked like the Ohio State coaches had over-thought themselves preparing for this game...the Buckeyes came out trying get cute in the first half...When they ran the ball with Pryor in the first half, they averaged 3.0 yards per carry. When they ran it with Brandon Saine, they averaged 2.7 yards. When they actually gave it to Boom Herron, he got them 9.9 yards a pop...coaches came together at halftime and formulated a new game plan that centered around Herron running the ball, and they adjusted their defense to counter what Matt McGloin had done in the first half...
3. Tressel’s fire saved the day...Ohio State’s 10th-year head coach had fire in his eyes as he sprinted to the locker room at halftime. Typically, he would come in and calmly tell his team what they had done wrong and what needed to be fixed in the second half. There was nothing calm about Tressel Saturday. Whether he was yelling, screaming or just speaking with intensity, Tressel showed his players a side of him they rarely see. From the sound of it, he did everything short of ditching his sweatervest as he rallied his troops like he was possessed by Woody Hayes. It worked. The players came out with a different kind of fire in the second half and they left it all on the field for their head coach.
4. 96-yard drive set the tone for entire second half. That started with the defense getting a stop of Penn State’s first possession of the game, but the Nittany Lions pinned Ohio State inside their five-yard line with a fantastic punt. It could have been the dagger they needed to finish the Buckeyes, especially after a false start on first down. Instead, Ohio State put together an 11-play, 96-yard touchdown drive that put the pressure squarely on Penn State...
5. Boom Herron becoming a star...Herron exploded for 190 yards on 21 carries against PSU. After gaining 69 yards in the first half, Herron went off for 121 yards in the second half...
6. Offensive line back to what it does best. While Herron certainly deserves a large share of the credit for the resurgence of the Ohio State running game, it all has to start up front. Not just with the five offensive linemen...but also tight end Reid Fragel and fullback Zach Boren. The Buckeyes completely controlled the line of scrimmage in the second half as they averaged 7.3 yards per carry on 43 rushing attempts...
7. Buckeyes better when Pryor does less. One other reason the offense was clicking in the second half was the fact they were asking less of quarterback Terrelle Pryor...he has not excelled when asked to take control of a game. He does not make crisp passes when he’s not calm and he tends to dance around instead of running hard and making guys miss. Give Pryor credit, he didn’t try to do too much in the second half, and that is the blueprint...
8. Defense got in McGloin’s head. It’s impossible not to be impressed with the job McGloin did in the first half against the Buckeyes. He was in a nice rhythm and had no fear making some of the throws he made. Brian Rolle compared it to the job Matt Barkley did last season, but Barkley finished strong. McGloin did not. The Buckeyes changed their coverages and brought more pressure in the second half and McGloin folded like an inexperienced quarterback making his first road start. He threw as many pick-6’s in the second half as he did completions and seemed completely rattled by Jim Heacock’s gameplan.
9. Torrence totally redeemed himself. One of those pick-6’s went to cornerback Devon Torrence, who had been picked on all day in the first half. McGloin went after him on the boundary a lot in the first half and Torrence finally made him play in the second half...
10. Dorian Bell’s return made big difference. One thing that went largely unnoticed with all the craziness of Saturday’s game was the job Ohio State did on kick coverage. A unit that has struggled all year facing one of the fastest return men in the Big Ten seemed like a recipe for disaster, but the Buckeyes never allowed a kick return of more than 26 yards. A big part of that was the return of linebacker Dorian Bell, who is head and shoulders above the rest of the coverage team. He was the first one down almost every time and made a great play to stuff one return at the 16-yard line..."
Tressel's fiery halftime talk jolts players, helps them rally from lethargic first half November 14, 2010 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "...Coach Jim Tressel thundered in the halftime locker room, a startling and rare occurrence, and his players responded with lightning bolts - 35 unanswered points that flipped a disaster around to a runaway, 38-14. "Well, the halftime locker room was not a fun place," Tressel said, "but it was not a place that looked like there was any quit in anybody. And our guys went out in the second half and took over." Said linebacker Brian Rolle, "We didn't talk about the boos. Boos let you know what kind of fans you have."
Though the point barrage came in the second half, Tressel felt the turning point occurred just before halftime. The Nittany Lions (6-4, 3-3) had their way with a proud Buckeyes defense for most of two quarters. Quarterback Matt McGloin backed up his brash pregame talk by throwing two touchdown passes and leading the visitors to 212 yards at the break. Late in the half, up 14-3, Penn State was again on the move, facing fourth-and-1 at the OSU 20-yard line. After a timeout, the Lions decided to go for it. Silas Redd tried to turn the left corner, but safety Jermale Hines grabbed him and teammate Orhian Johnson dashed up to finish off the stop. "He almost stiff-armed me," Hines said, "but I hung on for dear life and Orhian came and cleaned up." Tressel said that was huge, citing the potential to be facing the same 21-3 deficit Ohio State could not overcome at Wisconsin in a loss Oct.16.
In the second half, the Buckeyes adjusted, pressing up to challenge the Nittany Lions receivers more aggressively...McGloin completed just 2 of 12 passes in the second half, and the Nittany Lions were limited to 60 yards. "We played 'no prisoners,'" defensive lineman Cameron Heyward said. "Guys stepped up. We were disgusted we gave up 14 points."
Tressel then got his players' attention by raising his voice in the locker room. "When coach Tress comes out and screams at us, we really know we need to pick it up," cornerback Chimdi Chekwa said. "That got us fired up. I'm glad he did it." Ohio State responded with an 11-play, 96-yard drive on its opening possession of the third quarter. Running back Daniel Herron was the key, catching an 11-yard pass to get the initial first down and later bursting 5 yards up the middle for a TD to make it 14-10. Led by Herron's career-high 190 rushing yards, the Buckeyes rolled up 314 yards on the ground...
"We always say we're playing for each other," center Michael Brewster said. "It doesn't matter what anybody says or whoever boos, it's these guys in the locker room that are staying here all year round, busting their butts, out there fighting every play. "And sometimes stuff doesn't go right, but we're just going to keep plugging away and something good will happen, and it did."..."
Coaching Adjustments Make Difference in OSU Comeback November 14, 2010 Source: The Ozone - "For two quarters Saturday the Penn State coaching staff had Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and his assistants off balance and on the ropes. Coming off a big come-from-behind win against Northwestern the previous week, it was the Nittany Lions who liked like the team that had two weeks to prepare and not the other way around. Joe Paterno scrapped his typically hyper-conservative game plan against the Buckeyes for a nearly flawless, and often aggressive, attack in the first half. Offensive coordinator Galen Hall seemed to have OSU defensive coordinator Jim Heacock’s lunch, sure as shootin’, and former walk-on quarterback Matt McGloin was put in the position to best use his talents to pick apart the highly-rated Buckeye defense. "I saw pretty much everything they were going to do in the first half, which is why we had a lot of success," said McGloin, who completed 13-of-18 passes in the first half of his first career road start.
With the Buckeyes focused on taking away junior wideout Derek Moye—the team’s leading-receiver with 615 yards and four touchdowns—McGloin completed big plays to Justin Brown and Brett Brackett. That included a 23-yard touchdown pass to Brown, who was wide open after beating outside linebacker Andrew Sweat on a wheel-route. "Honestly, he reminded me of playing USC last year and Matt Barkley coming in here," linebacker Brian Rolle said. "He didn't really care about the defense, he was out playing his brand of football."
It looked like Ohio State’s run of Big Ten titles and BCS bowl was about to come crashing to an uninspired halt at the hands of a kid nicknamed the "West Scranton Gunslinger." Then halftime came...
"They did a great job of making adjustments at halftime and we kind of kept with the same thing," said McGloin. "We tried to just play the game out and keep control of the ball, but unfortunately we weren't able to do that. Their defense stepped up."
The Buckeyes opened the game in a cover-3 defense, where they used their two corners and a safety to cover the three deep zones. As a result, McGloin was able to pick them apart on the underneath routes to the boundary side of the field. "The first half we got our quick outs going," McGloin said. "Then they switched up their coverage. They played a lot of two-deep in the second half and took the short stuff away. I think we tried to run those routes a little too much there the second half."
The Buckeyes also did a much better job of getting pressure on McGloin, which was something they failed to do in the first half with the exception of a few plays. "I just feel like our d-line got after him," Rolle said. "We blitzed him a little bit and he made mistakes. You could tell after the d-line blitzed him a little bit that he was just trying to get the ball out of his hands and not get hit. Sometimes we weren't blitzing and we acted like we were and that pressure we got on him earlier weighed on his mind." That turned out to be the case on McGloin’s two second-half interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns. "He felt like he could get those quick throws off. We knew he couldn't challenge us to the field, so we made the halftime adjustment to come out on cover-2," said corner back Devon Torrence, who gave the Buckeyes a 21-20 lead with his 34-yard interception return. "He thought he was going to get one off and I just rolled up and made a play."
McGloin tried to hit running back Mike Zordich on an out route in the left flat and he never saw Torrence, who had baited him into thinking he could make the same throws he had been making in the first half. "Their kid made a great play," Penn State quarterbacks coach Jay Paterno said. "He started to drop like he was going to take away a deeper route then at the last second jumped up and made a great play on it. You've got to give him credit, and maybe us going to the well one too many times on that one, but he made the play and you have to give him credit on that one."
After getting creative with their game plan in the first half, the Nittany Lions were anything but unpredictable in the second half as they made very few adjustments to what the Buckeyes were doing defensively. "We didn't execute as well in the second half, didn't make some adjustments maybe we should have," Jay Paterno continued. "It's a combination of things. I don't think we did as good a job coaching in the second half. I don't think we made some plays that we made in the first half."
McGloin certainly didn't. After looking poised in the first half, he was just 2-of-12 passing in the second half for 18 yards. He had the interception to Torrence in the third quarter and similar one to corner Travis Howard in the fourth. "We were in cover-2 formation. I saw the quarterback roll out, so I just waited for him to throw it. I saw him releasing and I couldn't believe it," said Howard, who bolted 30 yards to the end zone to give OSU a 31-14 lead with 8:57 left. "I knew I was going to score. I was too close to the end zone. All the talk this week was how he was going to come after our DB’s. We were ready."
The Buckeyes also made major adjustments on the offensive side of the ball in the second half, where they ran for 225 of their 314 yards on the ground. "I think they (OSU offensive line) started to pick up some of our stunts a little better (in the second half) than they did in the first half," Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said. "We started to miss some tackles. We missed Terrelle a couple of times on the zone read option. Basically, it comes down to some tackling. We weren't tackling well in the second half."...
"We didn't execute quite as well. Ohio State played the run better. I didn't think they did much different but maybe played with more intensity," Joe Paterno said. "I give Ohio State some credit. They played better in the second half." That’s because they executed the timely adjustments set forth by the Ohio State coaches, who once again got the better of Paterno and his staff..."
One-liner:: PSU stands for Pick Six University. (The two interception returns for TDs gave Ohio State six in the last seven meetings with Penn State.)
National leaders:: With two picks against Penn State, Ohio State is tied for the national lead in interceptions with 17, tying Tulsa, Florida, Alabama and Boston College. ...
Star of the game: Daniel Herron, the running back who once couldn't reach 100 yards in a game, has surpassed that total in two straight games. He even toyed with 200 before settling for a career-high 190 on 21 carries, including a 5-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Herron's yards on the ground against Penn State weren't just the fifth-most rushing yards in Jim Tressel's 10 years at Ohio State and tied for the 21st-best rushing game in OSU history, they were also the most rushing yards a Buckeye had ever hung on a Penn State defense. Ohio State is 17-3 when Dan Herron scores a rushing TD in his career.
Turning point: Coach Jim Tressel said it was the fourth-and-1 stop by Jermale Hines and Orhian Johnson in the second quarter that kept Penn State from building on a 14-3 lead. But a 34-yard tip and interception return for a TD by Devon Torrence at 4:29 of the third gave the Buckeyes the lead for good, 17-14.
Telling stat: Matt McGloin started 11 of 13 for 116 yards and two touchdowns. After that, he was 4 of 17 for 43 yards and two interceptions returned for touchdowns.
It was over when...: Devon Torrence's interception return gave the Buckeyes the lead and momentum.
Gameball goes to...: OSU's D, which took two interceptions back for scores and pitched a second-half shutout.
Stat of the game...: Three. Penn State's three road losses have come to teams that won BCS games last season.
The view:
How the team sees it: We needed to wake up sooner, but at least we put the Nits to sleep.
How the pollsters will see it: Nice win, but still 45 short of Wisconsin.
How Buckeye Nation will see it: We can't root for Michigan to win next week (against Wisconsin), but we can root for Wisconsin to lose.
Did you know: The comeback from an 11-point deficit was the biggest in coach Jim Tressel's 10 years in Columbus. Previous was 10 (Penn State, 2003; Michigan State, 2005)
Did you know II: The TD pass by Penn State was their first thrown in Ohio Stadium since joining the Big Ten in 1993; they ended up throwing two on the day. Penn State also had two passes intercepted and returned for touchdowns. The two defensive scores gave Ohio State six interception returns for touchdowns in the last seven meetings with Penn State.
Did you know III: The Buckeyes have won seven of the last nine meetings against Penn State. The Nittany Lions are 2-9 all-time in Columbus.
Did you know IV: Ohio State has won 12 straight home games.
Did you know V: The Buckeyes rolled up 315 rushing yards against Penn State. It was the sixth time rushing for more than 200 yards this season and the second 300-plus yard rushing game of the year.
Did you know VI: The Buckeye offense ended the game with 453 yards of offense. After being limited to 147 in the first half, the squad had 306 in the second half. The Buckeyes had just five first downs in the first half, but went in to tally 15 in the second. Additionally, they were 0-for-5 on third-down conversions in the first half but 4-for-4 in the second half.
Did you know VII: Penn State entered the game 15th in nation in fewest sacks allowed and did not allow a sack against Ohio State's top 5 defense.
Career High: Orhian Johnson recorded a career-high tying eight tackles on the night to lead the Buckeyes.
His First: Travis Howard returned his first career pick for a score, marking the first time Ohio State returned two interceptions for touchdowns since 2009 vs. Wisconsin. Devon Torrence had the other in the third quarter.
Numbers for dummies: 9: References to "moxie" delivered by ABC broadcast crew
212/60: After allowing 14 points and 212 yards of offense in the first half, Ohio State shut out the Nittany Lions and limited them to 60 yards in the second half.
Cameron Heyward, Sr DE, said it: "We had great penetration up front. The corners got it in the backfield. We just shut it down." - On stopping Penn State on fourth and one. (See our play of the game.)
Travis Howard, Soph CB, said it: "We were in Cover 2 formation. I saw the quarterback roll out, so I just waited for him to throw it. I saw him releasing and I couldn't believe it. I knew I was going to score. I was too close to the end zone. All the talk this week was how he [Matt McGloin] was going to come after our DB's. We were ready." - On how he read the Penn State's quarterback prior to the interception
Mike Adams, Jr OT, said it: "We knew we needed to come out and play smash-mouth football. That's what we were able to do. We got a couple of big plays and moved the ball effectively and turned the game around." - On the team's second half adjustments
Translating Tress:
What he said: "The halftime locker room was not a fun place."
What he meant: "I actually raised my voice. No kidding."
Repercussion: The Buckeyes are tied for the Big Ten lead with Wisconsin and idle Michigan State. Their next opponent, Iowa, dropped after a loss at Northwestern. Winning a tiebreaker for the league's bid to the Rose Bowl seems remote for Ohio State, but a spot in another Bowl Championship Series game is a strong possibility if the Buckeyes win out.
They said it: As heard on TV: Brent, Herbie and Erin Andrews must earn an extra $1,000 each time they say "moxie." As for Musburger, one viewer noted that, on several occasions, the ABC announcer "checked out for his own mental commercial break."
As heard during skull session: "Play like soldiers." -- Tressel addressing his team
Pregame buzz: Most attention was on the next opponent -- Iowa. But the Buckeyes did notice the squawking by Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin, who walked the walk the first half before coming up lame. McMoxie, say hello to McMucksie.
The $70 question: For two quarters you wouldn't have paid $5 to watch Wisconsin, the Sequel. The crowd obviously agreed, turning the Horseshoe into Three Yards and a Cloud of Boos late in the first half. But the B-movie went to A-plus faster than you can say "Sanzencatcher." Plus, 70 degrees in mid-November? Get outta here.
Just wondering: If a strength can be a weakness, why can't a weakness be a strength? Jim Tressel often gets knocked for playing it safe, but his patience paid off against Penn State. When Ohio State fell behind early, Tress stayed the course by pounding it on the ground. He realized there was still plenty of time to get back in the game. Of all the things The Vest does not do, not panicking is among the best of them.
Bowl Picture: Win out and the Buckeyes probably lose the Rose Bowl tiebreaker unless Wisconsin gets upset by Michigan or Northwestern. But the Buckeyes would be a popular at-large BCS candidate for either the Sugar Bowl or Orange Bowl. If they don't get picked for a BCS game with one loss, the Capital One Bowl would snatch up Ohio State.
(Sources: Cleveland Plain Dealer/ESPN/OSU Official Site/Columbus Dispatch)
Dan Herron turns in a top-grade performance: Doug Lesmerises' Buckeyes Report Card October 30, 2010 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Ohio State running back Dan Herron: A+: In the Buckeyes' previous game two weeks ago, Herron had his first 100-yard rushing game as he carried 17 times for 114 yards. This game put that one to shame. Herron carried 21 times for 190 yards, made a huge third-down catch on the Buckeyes' first touchdown drive early in the third quarter, and continued to look like a go-to running back. Every week Herron does the same thing, every week the Buckeyes say he's their spark and every week his numbers get a little better. On a beautiful day, and with what Terrelle Pryor had done this season, it certainly seemed like the Buckeyes might pass more this November than they did a year ago. Nope. They ran for 314 yards and threw for just 139 yards, and the running game spurred the comeback. "Running the ball is going to be a key part of winning in November in the Big Ten," Herron said...
Ohio State's offensive line: A: It paved the way for the running game in the second half. The Buckeyes put up 147 total yards in the first half and 306 yards in the second half. "I think we just kind of got in the groove," center Mike Brewster said. "We found a scheme that was working for us and kept running it all the way down the field."
Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor: C: Pryor was 8-of-13 for 139 yards with two touchdowns and an interception and also ran the ball nine times for 49 yards. The Buckeyes obviously called some more running plays for him than in previous weeks, but really, when Ohio State was down at the half, it was the running game and the defense that saved the day in the second half, not the quarterback. With Ohio State ahead, 17-14, early in the fourth quarter, Penn State's Malcolm Willis intercepted a Pryor pass at the 2 yard line. Pryor threw his helmet to the ground on the sidelines and then dribbled it like a soccer ball. "I was down, I can't lie," Pryor said. "But the guys were like, 'Come on, Terrelle,' and once I heard that, they say a quarterback can't be looking at the last play so I had to suck it up." That pick could have been a game-changer, but the Ohio State defense forced a three-and-out and then Pryor threw a 58-yard touchdown pass into double coverage that bounced off DeVier Posey and two defenders and landed in the hands of Dane Sanzenbacher. He also threw a 3-yard touchdown to tight end Jake Stoneburner with 3:59 to play. "I played terrible but we got the win," Pryor said. "That's the only thing that matters."
Ohio State's first half: D: Jim Tressel took a bit of offense to the idea that the Buckeyes were flat while falling behind Penn State, 14-3, in the first half coming off a bye week. They were something. Maybe they were too cute on offense, trying to do too much with two weeks to game plan. Maybe they were shocked by Matt McGloin's ability to throw the ball. But Pryor had said after the Minnesota game two weeks ago that the week off would cause the Buckeyes to miss football and make them come out with a "ferocious attitude" against the Nittany Lions. That wasn't exactly how it went. "I don't know, it might have been the hangover from the week off," senior offensive lineman Justin Boren said. "Guys came out flat," senior safety Jermale Hines. That's three times against the only three decent Big Ten teams they've faced -- Illinois, Wisconsin and Penn State -- that the opponent jumped on Ohio State early. They survived at Illinois, went down at Wisconsin and played a great second half Saturday. But they can't think they'll get away with it again at Iowa next week..."
The Bottom Line November 13, 2010 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "...Offense (3 leaves): No doubt who gets the game ball -- Boom goes the dynamite, Daniel Herron perhaps being the only man in scarlet to play 60 whole minutes. The passing game was spottier than a leopard with measles but benefited from the Buckeyes' luckiest bounce of the year. Hey, they'll take it.
Defense (3 leaves): To paraphrase the old joke about Terry Bradshaw, the OSU defense had so few answers in the first half that it couldn't spell cat if you gave it the C and the A. But OSU changed schemes and brought the D after halftime, and a pair of pick-sixes fueled the rout. Second-half completions allowed: two.
Special teams (3 leaves): Ohio State's kicker and punter types played Penn State to a draw, which pretty much counts as a win. Ben Buchanan averaged almost 44 yards per punt; Drew Basil's kickoffs sailed inside the 5, on average; and coverage was solid. Mostly, the specialists made no news, and no news is good news.
Coaching (3 leaves): The plane will take off for Iowa with the Buckeyes still in the Big Ten hunt, so the big-picture goals remain intact. But the first-half performance had to chafe the skin under the Vest. We're told that the OSU locker room at halftime served no Happy Meals, only burning intensity from J.T. Good...
Opponent (3 leaves): QB Matt McGloin ran his mouth early in the week, then backed it up with a 13-of-18, 141-yard first half. The 2-of-12 second half exposed some flaws, but how much of that was JoePa (or whoever calls the shots) abandoning the game plan? Going for it on fourth down, up 11 in the second quarter, was silly.
Officiating (3 leaves): Tress hinted at his charged emotional state when he raced onto the field to object to a noncall when McGloin threw away a pass to avoid a sack. (It was close.) Otherwise, there were few complaints about the crew, though Herron wanted a face-mask call after a tackle; at least he asked politely..."
Ohio State vs. Penn State Report Card November 1, 2010 Source: Mansfield News Journal - "Offensive line -- A: Outside of a handful of penalties, the front five played well. The running game averaged over 6 yards in the first half when Penn State led 14-3. The problem was the Buckeyes only had the ball for 11 minutes. Time of possession flipped in the second half and the line really exerted itself, paving the way to a final total of 314 yards on the ground.
Running backs -- A: "Boom" Herron finally looked like the "difference maker" Jim Tressel called him earlier this week. He had a career-high 190 yards on 21 carries and was really the only bright spot offensively until the entire team got untracked in the second half. Up until Saturday Herron had only three gains of more than 20 yards on 140 touches, but he had bursts of 33 and 47 yards against the Lions. The Buckeyes are probably going to need homeruns like that next week in Iowa City.
Passing game -- C: Just when everyone was wondering if Dane Sanzenbacher dressed for the game, he catches a deflected bomb off DeVier Posey for a 58-yard touchdown. As bad as everything went in the first half for the Buckeyes, that's how much their fortunes turned in the second half. Terrelle Pryor (8-of-13, 139 yards, 2 TDs) still has not had a great passing game against the Lions, but it doesn't matter when OSU defensive backs are scoring twice on "receptions."
Defensive line -- C: Walk-on QB Matt McGloin's three-step drop helped neutralize OSU's pass rush, but it was yet another game where nobody up front made an impact play. Cam Heyward had seven tackles, while Dexter Larimore and John Simon made four stops between them, but the Buckeyes had only three tackles for loss and no sacks. What the front four did well was force Penn State to the air. Ultimately, that proved costly for the Lions.
Linebackers -- B: Ross Homan was back after missing essentially the last three games with a foot injury and finished with seven tackles. Penn State ran 65 plays, nine more than the Buckeyes, without committing a fumble. If there's one complaint with this crew, it's that they haven't made the jarring hits that everyone identifies with linebackers.
Defensive backs -- B: It was "Pick on Devon Torrence Day" until the cornerback exacted revenge with maybe the play of the game -- the 34-yard interception return in the third quarter that put Ohio State in front for the first time -- and for good. When Torrence wasn't getting beat in the first half, he got flagged for pass interference to set up Penn State's second TD. He was even a step late on the blitz on the Lions' first score, a 23-yard pass from Matt McGloin to Justin Brown. So redemption was especially sweet.
Special teams -- B: When the kicking game is one of the only bright spots in the first half, you know OSU is struggling. Ben Buchanan averaged 43.8 yards on four punts -- all in the first half -- and Drew Basil boomed his first kickoff into the end zone for a touchback, which hasn't happened much this year. Drew Basil converted his only field goal attempt, from 26 yards.
Coaching -- B: After a sorry first half, Jim Tressel was beginning to think there really was something to his 2-4 record coming off bye weeks. Then crazy things started to happen, like a pair of pick-6s and a touchdown bomb deflecting off the hands of one receiver into the mitts of another. You can't draw this stuff up. The complete reversal of fortunes bailed out a defensive staff that made a tactical mistake by playing a "three deep" zone in the first half and giving up the short passes..."
Herron rushes to new career high; Ohio State tailback gains 190 yards in win November 14, 2010 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Running back Daniel Herron was about the only thing going right for an Ohio State offense that otherwise went all wrong in the first half yesterday against Penn State. But when the Buckeyes finally got going in the second half, Herron was at the core. The junior running back, who had topped 100 yards only once in his career, flirted with 200 against the Nittany Lions, finishing with 190 on 21 carries, including a touchdown, in a 38-14 win. He also had an 11-yard catch to convert a third down and keep alive a 96-yard drive on Ohio State's first possession of the second half.
"That was a big play," quarterback Terrelle Pryor said.
A 5-yard touchdown run by Herron completed the drive, cutting Penn State's lead to 14-10.
At the end of the day, OSU coach Jim Tressel said, the 5-foot-10, 202-pound Herron came up big when the Buckeyes needed him. "Boom - 21 carries for 190 against Penn State, that's pretty good," Tressel said. "As we've talked for quite some time, Boom just has that ability to lift the group. He breaks tackles, and then the other guys come in, (Brandon) Saine breaks them, (Pryor) and so forth. But, you know, Boom is a special player."
As he stepped into the interview room, the first thing Herron sought was a chair. He admitted he was a little tired, but he was smiling..."
Big Ten helmet stickers Week 11: Ohio State RB Dan Herron: There's no doubt about the identity of Ohio State's top running back. It's all about Boom. Herron continued his strong second-half push with 190 rush yards and a touchdown on 21 carries as No. 9 Ohio State rallied past Penn State for a 38-14 win. The junior has eclipsed 100 rush yards in each of his past two games. Source: ESPN
Devon Torrence returns interception for TD to help Ohio St. edge Penn St. November 13, 2010 Source: ESPN/Associated Press - "As the Ohio State Buckeyes left the field trailing 14-3 at halftime on Saturday, their fans really let them hear it. By the end of the game, those boos had turned to cheers. Devon Torrence tipped and snagged an interception and returned it 34 yards for the go-ahead touchdown, and the Buckeyes (No. 9 BCS, No. 8 AP) ran off the final 35 points for a 38-14 win.
"We know how much our fans are obsessed with Ohio State football," said wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher, who caught a ricochet off a defender for a quirky 58-yard score in the 21-0 fourth quarter. "Booing us? I probably would have booed us."..."Obviously, I didn't pay attention to it," defensive end Cameron Heyward said of the boos. "It's going to happen. But we had to respond in the second half."
They certainly did. The two defensive scores gave Ohio State six interception returns for touchdowns in the last seven meetings with Penn State (6-4, 3-3 Big Ten).
"There were a lot of things involved," Paterno said of his team's second-half collapse. "I didn't think they [the Buckeyes] did much different in the second half."
The comeback from an 11-point deficit was the biggest in coach Jim Tressel's 10 years in Columbus. "They played their fannies off in the second half," Tressel said of his Buckeyes. "I'm awfully proud of them."
The game swung on one play. With a 14-10 lead on second-and-9 at the Nittany Lions 37 midway through the third quarter, Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin fired a pass into the left flat meant for Michael Zordich. Torrence, a former outfielder in the Houston Astros system, had slipped off coverage of another receiver, sliding inside and streaking in front of Zordich. "I saw it and jumped it," Torrence said. "I had to tip it to myself." He flicked the ball up in the air once, juggled it off his shoulder and then finally collected it, racing for the touchdown and a 17-14 lead. "He kind of baited me," McGloin said. "At first he was rolling with Derek [Moye] and he came off. He just made a nice play."
Ohio State then forced a punt and on second-and-23 from his own 42, Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor lobbed an arching pass down the middle of the field for DeVier Posey, with D'Anton Lynn and Drew Astorino pounding him as the ball arrived. But the ball squirted directly to Sanzenbacher trailing the play. Lynn stood, hands on his hips, stunned as the Buckeyes celebrated in the end zone.
Howard then stepped in front of McGloin's pass to end any drama.
Pryor, who was 8 of 13 for 139 yards with one interception and two scores, also hit Jake Stoneburner with a late TD pass.
The Buckeyes, down 14-3, were pinned deep in their own territory in the third quarter. But they covered 96 yards -- actually 98 because they had a false start penalty before they ran a play. For the most part, they stayed on the ground, with Boom Herron, who had a career-best 190 yards on 21 carries, going the final 5 yards through a gaping hole for a TD.
Then came the interception that flipped the game...
The Nittany Lions, angry that they were listed as 2 1/2-touchdown underdogs, appeared to be the team that was rested and focused early. McGloin, who finished 15 of 30 for 159 yards with the two interceptions, hit Justin Brown on a 23-yard score and Moye on a 6-yarder. They were the first touchdown passes Penn State had thrown in Ohio Stadium since joining the Big Ten in 1993, and gave the Lions the most points they've scored there in that span.
Ohio State Captains Postgame Penn State Source: OSU Official Site 11/13/10
This week we selected two plays, both on defense, as the plays of the game from Saturday's Ohio State Penn State tilt:
With 4th and 1 at the Buckeyes' 20 and 1:46 left in the 1st half, Joe Paterno disdained a short FG attempt and went for the 1st down. As Lee Corso would say, "Not so fast my friend." Enter Orhian Johnson and Jermale Hines who stopped Silas Redd for no gain, which averted a potentially even larger Buckeyes' deficit before the half.
Coach Jim Tressel called it the turning point of the game.
The Columbus Dispatch wrote: When the Ohio State defenders were urged to go out and make plays during a trying first half, safety Orhian Johnson took it to heart. He and fellow safety Jermale Hines held up running back Silas Redd on a key fourth-and-1 play from the Ohio State 20-yard line late in the second quarter to help keep Penn State's lead at 14-3. Johnson said it was just one victory needed at the moment. "Coach just told us this week to try to win each and every play," said Johnson, who led the team with eight tackles. "I just took it as like a one-play series and made sure I tried to win that play."
In the 3rd quarter, with Penn State still leading 14-10, on 2nd and 9 from the Lions' 37, Devon Torrence intercepted Matt McGloin's pass at the Penn State 34 and returned it for a TD with 04:29 left in the quarter. It gave the Buckeyes their first lead of the game, one they never relinquished.
The Associated Press wrote: The game swung on one play. With a 14-10 lead on second-and-9 at the Nittany Lions 37 midway through the third quarter, Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin fired a pass into the left flat meant for Michael Zordich. Torrence, a former outfielder in the Houston Astros system, had slipped off coverage of another receiver, sliding inside and streaking in front of Zordich. "I saw it and jumped it," Torrence said. "I had to tip it to myself." He flicked the ball up in the air once, juggled it off his shoulder and then finally collected it, racing for the touchdown and a 17-14 lead. "He kind of baited me," McGloin said. "At first he was rolling with Derek [Moye] and he came off. He just made a nice play."
ESPN said of the play: It was over when...Devon Torrence's interception return gave the Buckeyes the lead and momentum.
Pryor says he 'played terrible': Terrelle Pryor improved to 28-4 as Ohio State's starting quarterback yesterday, but it was more in spite of his play than because of it. Pryor completed only 8 of 13 passes for 139 yards in OSU's 38-14 win over Penn State. The yardage was his second-lowest output of the season, ahead only of the 76 he totaled at Illinois, when he missed about a quarter because of a thigh injury.
"I played terrible," Pryor said. "But I played terrible and we got a win, that's the main thing. That's the only thing that matters. I'd rather be on this end with a win while playing terrible than (with) a loss."
Pryor threw two touchdown passes, but one has to be described as fluky. It bounced off both a Penn State defensive back and receiver DeVier Posey before ricocheting directly to Dane Sanzenbacher for a 58-yard completion. Pryor also threw an interception in the third quarter on an ill-advised pass. From the right hash mark, he threw long and way left across the field. Malcolm Willis made the interception to end a promising drive that could have extended a 17-14 lead.
"I just think I had a bad game today, personally," Pryor said.
On the positive side, he seemed to run with more authority than in any game since he suffered that injury at Illinois on Oct.2. He finished with 49 yards on nine carries, and a 40-yard sprint was negated by a penalty."Source: Columbus Dispatch 11/14/10
Pryor talks about Jim Tressel's halftime "speech", Boom Herron's improvement, his view of the Posey to Sanzenbacher tipped touchdown and much, much more!
GoPSUsports.com catches up with a number of players and highlights Joe Paterno's postgame press conference following the Ohio State game.
Buckeyes blowout eats at Lions; Team's second-half collapse confounds Wisniewski, Royster November 15, 2010 Source: Pittburgh Post Gazette - "
Penn State's second-half collapse Saturday at Ohio State did not sit well with Stefen Wisniewski. The Nittany Lions' senior right guard was miffed after the Buckeyes scored the final 35 points in a 38-14 rout. "We had the game in our hands and we blew it," said Wisniewski, a graduate of Central Catholic High School. "We dominated the whole first half ... and we gave it back to them. "Most people are going to think Ohio State dominated this game, but they didn't. We had it and we blew it."
Talk about a role reversal. One week earlier, Penn State had scored 35 unanswered points to beat Northwestern at home, 35-21, to earn coach Joe Paterno his 400th career coaching victory. "It kind of lets us know how [Northwestern] feels," tailback Evan Royster said. "It's tough. It's not a good feeling." After being limited to 147 yards total offense in the first half against the Lions, the Buckeyes exploded for 306 yards in the second half while scoring five touchdowns, two on interception returns.
"Things were looking good for us," Royster said. "I don't know how things changed so quickly. It was just like that, and it's tough to change momentum once you lose it."..."
Question markWith the Nittany Lions facing fourth-and-1 from the Ohio State 20-yard line with 1:46 left in the first half and leading 14-3, they decided to go for the first down instead of kick a field goal. The play call - a handoff off left tackle to Silas Redd - was a bit mystifying. Ohio State's defense is tough to run wide against, so why not give the ball to the more experienced runner, Penn State's all-time leading rusher, Evan Royster? Royster has always had a knack for making the most of small holes and getting tough yards. That was the time for Royster, not Redd. Source: Columbus Dispatch 11/14/10
PENN STATE vs. OHIO STATE
Saturday's game will be a matchup of the two winningest coaches in major college football. Joe Paterno, 83, became the first major college coach to hit the 400-win plateau last week in Penn State's come-from-behind victory over Northwestern. Jim Tressel, 57, is second to Paterno among active coaches with 237 wins. "There is a huge disparity between one and two," Tressel pointed out. Source: Columbus Dispatch
Five Key Factors November 12, 2010 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Rust buildup?: Under coach Jim Tressel, Ohio State is just 2-4 in games after bye weeks. Considering that he only has 22 losses at OSU, the fact that 20 percent have come after a bye raises questions about how he handles the team over a break. In terms of readiness for a tough test, Ohio State has not been helped by its schedule, which has served up six cupcakes in nine games. Penn State, in contrast, has some serious momentum, winning three straight after a 3-3 start.
Set the tempo: Building off that first key, and based on the teams' strengths, watch who best establishes their preferred pace early. The Buckeyes are high-scoring (42 points per game) and might want to come out throwing, possibly even with some no-huddle. The Nittany Lions, in contrast, average 24.2 points. They will want to run the ball, control the clock and protect their relatively inexperienced quarterback. A slower, lower-scoring game helps Penn State.
The McGloin factor: Penn State QB Matt McGloin has emerged in the past two weeks and will start today. The team clearly now believes in him, which is hugely important. It's too simplistic to say that Ohio State eats up inexperienced QBs - the Buckeyes nearly lost to Iowa last year in James Vandenberg's first start. Still, this is by far the best defense McGloin has faced this year after thriving against Michigan and Northwestern.
Royster vs. Herron: Each team has a tailback who is really starting to feel it: Evan Royster for Penn State, who has 284 rushing yards the past two weeks, and Daniel Herron for OSU, who clearly seized control of the job in October. As mentioned, the Lions are going to want to establish Royster early, while the Buckeyes would prefer to pass first to set up the run later. Both teams need their backs to be effective when called on.
Field position: Confession: This is just a new way of harping once again on OSU's poor special teams this season. The Buckeyes say they worked extra-extra hard over the break on kick coverage, so let's see if that helped. Penn State has talented returners, led by Chaz Powell, who leads the Big Ten in kickoff returns (28.1-yard average), including a 100-yard TD. Penn State also has a significant edge in net punting (39.1 to OSU's 32.9)."
On the Edge: Dispatch beat writers Ken Gordon and Tim May predict which team has the edge in this week's game. See if you agree..."
What to watch for: Can Penn State muster any kind of running game against a defense that gives up just 2.7 yards per carry? ... Can Penn State's offensive line slow Buckeye D-tackle Cameron Heyward, a monster who destroyed the Lions last year? If his damage can be mitigated, that would go a long way toward the Lions staying in the game and maybe giving McGloin time to try some deep throws. … And, can McGloin hit a couple of those home run passes, as Lions will need one or two “easy” scores? … Can Penn State slow the Buckeyes’ traditional running plays to put the game solely on Pryor with his running and throwing – noting that he does have seven interceptions? Source: OSU themorningcall 11/12/10
What to watch for today when Ohio State plays Penn State November 13, 2010 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "1. The return of Ross Homan: Ohio State linebacker Brian Rolle leads Ohio State with 47 tackles in nine games, which has him tied for 39th in the Big Ten. That's right, 38 others have more tackles than any Buckeye.
"We don't have any stars," Rolle said. "I feel like we just have guys doing the job. Guys were looking at the stats [this week] and none of our guys are at the top. We have guys pretty much even on the team. That means you have guys competing. If you've got a guy with 170 tackles and the next guy with 25, that let's you know how good the competition is there. I just feel like we have guys doing their job and not focusing on am I No. 1, am I No. 2?"
One of the reasons the Buckeyes don't have a tackler any higher is because the old No. 1 has been out for a while. Senior weakside linebacker Ross Homan was Ohio State's leading tackler before his foot was stepped on at Wisconsin, causing him to miss the past two games. Despite the absence, he's still second on the team with 41 stops. The linebackers weren't having a good night in Madison before Homan went out, and Andrew Sweat played well in his place on the weakside against Purdue and Minnesota.
But Homan's return is a big one. He's a guy who some thought might be the second-best linebacker in the Big Ten this season, behind Michigan State's Greg Jones, and if he can play near that level in November, it will make a difference for this defense.
"I always kid him about having him back," defensive lineman Cameron Heyward said. "I don't feel safe without him. But having him back is definitely a key thing. He's a ballhawk."
The coaches this week said Homan responded well to back-to-back practices. But watch to see how freely he runs and how often he's around the ball. The Buckeyes this season won't have anyone reach 100 tackles for the first time since Mike Doss led Ohio State with 87 tackles in 2001. Since then linebackers Matt Wilhelm, A.J. Hawk and James Laurinaitis made sure the Buckeyes always had a 100-tackle guy. Even Homan led the way with 106 tackles last season. He's not going to reach those numbers. But he can play to that level..."
Tressel Thursday Update Source: OSU Official Site 11/11/10
Next game : Penn State
Where : Ohio Stadium
When : Nov. 13, 3:30pm
TV : TBA
Radio : WBNS-AM/FM (1460/97.1)
Penn State (6-3, 3-2) at No. 9 Ohio State (8-1, 4-1): This year's matchup lacks the hype of the previous two meetings, but Penn State's recent surge has added some intrigue to the rivalry. The Nittany Lions come in on a three-game win streak and are getting better play from an offense led by quarterback Matt McGloin and Royster. Ohio State is rested after an open week and begins its quest for another Big Ten title in its signature month under coach Jim Tressel. Source: ESPN
This week's challenge: Take advantage of the three R's - rest, recuperation and 'rithmetic (academics). Tressel added another one: return to fundamentals when practice resumes. As he said, the team has plenty to improve as it tries to win its sixth straight Big Ten championship.
Pryor on Penn State Source: OSU Official Site 11/11/10
Two Quarterbacks, Two Paths: STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -Two players who have traveled divergent paths to high-profile quarterback jobs will face each other Saturday at the Horseshoe..." Source: Associated Press 11/11/10
Pryor on McGloin: 'I never heard of him' November 11, 2010 Source: Altoona Mirror - "...Pryor recently learned who McGloin is because his Ohio State team is playing Penn State this week. Up until then, the former superstar high school recruit knew nothing about his counterpart, a former walk-on who's now in charge of the Nittany Lions' offense. "We've got pictures all over the place on him, but besides that, no, I never heard of him," Pryor noted. "I'm usually focused on the defense. I've heard a lot about [Rob] Bolden, though." That may come across as a rude or cocky statement by Pryor, although Penn State fans looking at it that way should consider this: Before this spring, when he played a lot in the Blue-White Game, McGloin was an unknown even to a huge number of Lion faithful...
All of that makes the quarterback matchup this week in Columbus truly remarkable...It's the five-star recruit versus the no-star recruit...
Pryor, a junior in his third year starting, has no regrets about his decision to choose Ohio State. "I would make this choice 100 out of 100 times," Pryor said. Explaining why he chose the Buckeyes, Pryor noted, "I kind of wanted to go with [Jim] Tressel because I got a better feeling about him, like I got an understanding like he's a stand-up guy. And to this point I trust him the same way I trusted him when I signed here."...
One reporter tried to prod Pryor by jokingly asking, "State College isn't big enough for you?" but the quarterback didn't take the bait. "Nothing against that," Pryor said. "I just like to be in a city environment. Nothing against Penn State at all; no disrespect to their university."..."
From Plain Dealer's Starting Blocks: "Any success for Penn State against the Buckeyes will come down to Penn State's defense, especially some sort of pass rush, writes Bernard Fernandez of Philly.com. Fernandez points out how Penn State went 11-2 and registered 39 sacks last season, which ranked 10th among the nation's 120 Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Through nine games, the current Lions have only 13 sacks and rank 91st. "These guys are going to try to ram it down our throats," Penn State linebacker Michael Mauti said of the Buckeyes. Penn State hopes a win over Ohio State is in the sacks Philly.com 11/11/10
Penn State Nittany LionsOhio State Buckeyes By The Numbers
Who's Hot: 6. Penn State
Has QB Matt McGloin earned a scholarship or what? During the Nittany Lions’ current three-game winning streak, which got JoePa to 400 career wins, the former walk-on has thrown seven touchdown passes and just one pick. He was instrumental in Saturday’s emotional comeback win over Northwestern, rallying his team from a 21-0 deficit to score the game’s final five touchdowns. Source: CollegeFootballNews.com 11/07/10
Buckeye Seniors talk November Source: OSU Official Site
"We take every November very seriously. We're going in definitely taking it one game at a time realizing this is a good Penn State team that's getting better."
- Buckeyes running back Brandon Saine
Bye? Sort of
The Buckeyes flew home yesterday and will not practice again until Wednesday. But when asked about taking a nice break, receiver Dane Sanzenbacher, a senior, grinned. "Oh yeah, but I don't think that's how it's going to go down," he said. But, Sanzenbacher was reminded, Tressel said you're off until Wednesday. "Yeah, 'Off,'" Sanzenbacher said, making air quotes with his fingers.
The frustration has faded, but Terrelle Pryor says he's a better QB because of his fumble against Penn State in 2008 November 11, 2010 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "...Playing young quarterbacks comes with a price. Ohio State's price for playing Terrelle Pryor in 2008 was the Penn State game..The Buckeyes went 10-3 in 2008 and 8-2 once Pryor took over for senior Todd Boeckman. The second loss was to Texas in the Fiesta Bowl, when the Buckeyes pushed the Longhorns to the wire playing both quarterbacks. No shame in that loss. Pryor's escapability, big-play talents and general avoidance of interceptions helped the Buckeyes win games like the road victory at Wisconsin in 2008...But Penn State was the bump in the road. Boeckman may have allowed Ohio State to avoid the loss after playing the best game of his career at Penn State in 2007. Instead the Buckeyes lost, 13-6, after the sneak went wrong, when Pryor tried to bounce a third-and-1 quarterback run at midfield to the outside and was met and stripped by Penn State safety Mark Rubin...
"If that guy doesn't luck out and get his hand on it, he's still running around the corner and it might be one of those plays everyone remembers, that 'Wasn't that creative?'" coach Jim Tressel said, though Rubin actually made a fine play to read Pryor's decision, square up the tackle and punch the ball free. Above all else, it was a great lesson learned, that, hey, we didn't need that at that moment, we just needed a yard, and he's the first to admit he understands that and we haven't had to harp on it," Tressel said.
Saturday, then, is part of the payback, as the Nittany Lions return to the scene of the sneak. Pryor relieved many of his frustrations last season in a 24-7 win at Penn State, but he wasn't quite himself that day, coming off a knee injury against New Mexico State the week before. And that was at Beaver Stadium. Now Pryor can make up for one of his two losses at Ohio Stadium, a loss that, in the end, was worth the price...
If another sneak is needed Saturday, the Buckeyes have no doubt what would happen. "He'd get the first down," Siciliano said. "First downs lead to touchdowns," Pryor said with a smile. "First downs lead to touchdowns. Without a doubt, I'd go get that first."..."
Terrelle Pryor has been a much improved pocket passer this season, and he's throwing more balls from inside the pocket. Pryor has attempted 82.3 percent of his passes in Big Ten play from inside the pocket, up from 71.5 percent in 2009. In those conference games, Pryor is completing 69.6 percent of his passes inside the pocket with eight touchdowns and a quarterback rating of 163.7. Last year, Pryor completed just 55.2 percent of his passes inside the pocket in Big Ten games with seven touchdowns and a rating of 122.5. Source: ESPN 09/12/10
Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor on staying four years
Pryor On Returning: 'I want to have a legacy here': Previously, Pryor has intimated he plans to return for his senior year with the Buckeyes in 2011. He reiterated that desire again tonight on the conference call and said the same when questioned by members of the local media. "I don’t think anything would change that (plan),” Pryor said. “I enjoy being here at Ohio State. I want to get my degree. I can finish that up. I want to have a legacy here. Maybe someday I can get my jersey hung up there. But I know I’ve just got to develop." ..."Source: Bucknuts.com
SERIES RECORD • The Buckeyes’ series with Penn State shows Ohio State with a narrow 13-12 advantage. The series is tied 5-5 in all games played in Happy Valley. Ohio State has an 8-6 advantage in all games played in Columbus and an 11-6 advantage in games since Penn State began Big Ten football participation in 1993.
AFTER A BYE WEEK • Buckeyes are 12-9 all-time after an open date in the middle of the schedule, dating back through 1971. Ohio State under Coach Jim Tressel is 2-4 after a bye week.
GAMEDAY RETURNS TO COLUMBUS • ESPN College Gameday makes its return to Columbus this weekend, marking the 13th time Ohio State has hosted the broadcast. Ohio State’s record is 9-3 overall. Its only losses are to Penn
State, Texas and Southern California. The last time 'College GameDay' had the Buckeyes on, and it was an away game, Ohio State lost to Wisconsin.
FIRST AND 10 • Ohio State leads the Big Ten and ranks third in the NCAA in total defense (234.2 ypg) while also leading the league and ranking seventh overall in scoring (42.0 ppg)
• Tressel is the only coach in NCAA annals to win 100 games at two different schools
DID YOU KNOW? • Ohio State is 27-1 when it hits triple digits on the ground, and 1-4 when it doesn't.
• Saturday will be the 15th game in NCAA history between two FBS coaches with at least 200
career wins. It will be the fourth such meeting between Ohio State’s Jim Tressel and Penn State’s Joe Paterno.
• While Joe Paterno is the all time leader, Tressel took over second place earlier this season and has a one-win lead over Virginia Tech’s Frank Beamer. The Buckeyes coach is 237-79-2 in 25 seasons between FCS Youngstown State and Ohio State. He earned his 100th victory with the Buckeyes this season and is 102-22 since taking over for John Cooper in 2001.
• Woody Hayes is the winningest football coach at Ohio State, but if the Buckeyes beat Penn State Saturday, Jim Tressel will tie Hayes with 238 wins overall. Woody Hayes won 205 games and three national championships at Ohio State. In 10 years with OSU. Jim Tressel has 102 victories and onenational championship..
• Ohio State has always had a steady flow of great players from Pennsylvania. The current Buckeyes are a case in point. The list includes: Terrelle Pryor from Jeannette, LB Andrew Sweat from Washington. LB Dorian Bell (Monroeville), DB Corey “Pittsburgh” Brown (Monroeville), WR Corey “Philly” Brown (Upper Darby), LS Bill Caplan (Pittsburgh), DB Chad Hagan (Canonsburg), RB Jordan Hall (Jeannette), OL Andrew Miller (Washington) and TE Kyle Schuck (Selinsgrove). "Coach (Earle) Bruce would tell you it started with him," Tressel said earlier this week. "Coach Bruce was the Pennsylvania recruiter back with (Brian) Baschnagel and Jan White and Fred Pagac."
PLAYER TO WATCH • QB Terrelle Pryor lost his only home game as a starter the last time the Nittany Lions came to town two years ago. Pryor, a Pennsylvania native, did little more than hand the ball off to Brandon Saine and Dan "Boom" Herron a year ago in the Buckeyes' 24-7 victory. This time he's itching to show the people back home he can also run and throw it.
THE SILVER BULLETS • Among FBS teams, Ohio State ranks third in total defense (234.2), first in TO margin (+1.44), fourth in
rushing defense (84.0), fifth in pass defense (150.2) and third in scoring defense (13.5 ppg).
• The Ohio State defense is averaging an FBS-best 5.88 three-and-outs per contest this season.
HONORARY CAPTAIN: Dustin Fox
PENN STATE AT A GLANCE • The Nittany Lions are coming off a 35-21win against Northwestern last Saturday, giving head coach Joe Paterno his 400th career victory to become the only coach to win 400 games at
the FBS level.
• Two of its three losses have come to ranked teams (Alabama and Iowa) and the third against Illinois.
• Senior running back Evan Royster is coming off back-to-back 100-yard games, rushing for 134 yards on 25 carries against the Wildcats
and 150 yards and two touchdowns against Michigan. He is now the school’s career rushing leader with 3,652 yards, which was previously held for nearly three decades by Hall of Famer Curt Warner.
• Defensively, senior linebacker Chris Colasanti leads the team and is second in the Big Ten with 83.0 tackles, an average of 9.2 per game. He had 11 tackles, including one for a loss, against Northwestern.
DID YOU KNOW • Since Joe Paterno took over as head coach in 1966, no Penn State team has scored more than one touchdown in Columbus. No quarterback has tossed a touchdown pass there in that time, either. In total, Paterno is 2-8 at Ohio State, with his teams scoring an average of 9.2 points per contest.
• Penn State is 25-2 when it runs for at least 130 yards the last three regular seasons and 2-4 otherwise.
OFFENSIVE TURNAROUND • In the three games since the bye week, the Penn State offense has made considerable progress compared to the first six games. The Lions scored 109 points in their first six contests and have scored 109 in their last three.
KEY MATCHUP • Sophomore Matt McGloin, a former walk-on, gets the start at QB for Penn State. He'll face pressure from an Ohio State line coming off its best game of the year two weeks ago at Minnesota, when it had five sacks and forced three turnovers in a 52-10 win.
PLAYERS TO WATCH • Penn State: LBs Michael Mauti, Chris Colasanti and Bani Gbadyu lead a defense that seems to be regaining its footing. DL Pete Massaro, Ollie Ogbu, Devon Still and Jordan Hill still must stop the run to force Ohio State's hand.
YOUTHFUL LIONS • Just seven Penn State seniors started the Michigan game, four on offense and three on defense.
ROAD SUCCESS • The Nittany Lions have an 9-3 record on the road the past three seasons, including an 8-2 mark in Big Ten road games.
TV: ABC (ESPN mirror) will televise the game with Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit in the booth and Erin Andrews on the sidelines.
Radio: WBNS (97.1 FM The Fan) is the flagship station for the 73-station Ohio State radio network. Paul Keels will call the play-by play with former Buckeye Jim Lachey in the booth and Marty Bannister on the sidelines. The game can also be heard on Sirius satellite radio 125 and XM 102 and on Touchdown Radio with Gino Torretta, Frank Frangie and Roxy Bernstein.
Money Ball: November is Ohio State's time to shine. It's proven it time and again under Jim Tressel November 8, 2010 Source: ESPN - "Ohio State doesn't control what happens in the Big Ten title race right now. Like the other three Big Ten teams with one conference loss, the Buckeyes have little to no margin for error the rest of the way. And while winning is great, winning impressively is even better as Ohio State's ranking in the final BCS standings could determine whether it returns to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl.
Jim Tressel has an impressive 26-4 record in the month of November as head coach of the Buckeyes.Might Ohio State's reign atop the Big Ten be coming to a close? Don't bet on it. November is the Buckeyes' time to shine. They've proven it time and again during Jim Tressel's tenure as head coach.
Ohio State's Big Ten dominance is directly tied to its success this month, and if the Buckeyes' amazing run ends, it likely will be because of a November stumble. Here are the particulars: Ohio State is 26-4 in November games in Tressel's previous nine seasons as coach ..."
Underdogs are unhappy: Nittany Lions say they'll use 17-point spread as motivation vs. Buckeyes November 10, 2010 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "...Penn State senior running back Evan Royster didn't pretend he and his teammates didn't notice that's the margin by which Ohio State is favored Saturday. "It was actually brought up yesterday," Royster said in a conference call yesterday. "It's kind of insulting."...
But not all the Nittany Lions are offended. "We haven't played well against really good teams this year," defensive tackle Ollie Ogbu said, referring to lopsided losses at Alabama and Iowa. "So there's no reason for anyone to have any confidence in us. But that's a good thing. That's us having a chip on our shoulder knowing we have to give it our all. "We're up to the challenge. We've gotten better and better as the season has gone on."
While Paterno is pleased with his team's progress, he doesn't seem convinced that it has taken enough of a leap to beat Ohio State. "Obviously, I'm pleased they think they are (feeling slighted) and that they think they're going to be competitive against Ohio State," he said. "But talk isn't going to get it done. "We've got to go out and play our best game by far just to be in it - not to win it but just to be in it. You like to have kids talk with some confidence, but false confidence isn't going to do it. We've got a tough game ahead of us."..."
Injury Update:LBs Ross Homan and Dorian Bell will be back for the Penn State Game...others who haven't necessarily missed much time but have been greatly aggravated by nagging injuries will use this two weeks to rest up and recharge. Those players would include:
Terrelle Pryor - Our top dog has been carrying around dead weight in the way of left quad (omg,rehab photo!). For the first time since injuring it, he ran relatively free of limp or drag against the Gophers. I would suspect he'll be at or near 100% against Iowa which is welcome.
Devon Torrence - Kneed in the head against Minnesota and hip problem earlier in the year. Returned to action but the time off should help him with any lingering soreness.
Brian Rolle - Exited stage left in Minneapolis with a left foot/ankle issue. Like Torrence, Rolle also returned but with a slight limp. Perfect time to get fully healed again.
11/09/10: Homan returns: Senior linebacker Ross Homan said a sprained foot he suffered when he was stepped on at Wisconsin has sidelined him for Ohio State's past two games. But he feels much better and will start against Penn State on Saturday. "I feel good," Homan said Tuesday. "I'm kind of getting over it but I'll be 100 percent by Saturday for sure." Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
11/10/10: Backup linebacker Dorian Bell also is expected to be active again this week after extended time off because of a concussion. Though he hadn't played much on the regular defense, "he is a huge, huge asset for us special-teams wise," Homan said. On kickoff coverage especially, Bell was one of the men who ripped up the middle, and his absence was obvious on some of the long returns the Buckeyes relinquished this year. "You see No.11 - he's not the fastest guy on that kickoff team, but he's always the first one down there because he just has that (edge) mentality-wise," Homan said. Source: Columbus Dispatch
JB Shugarts - He has had foot problems and will likely play with pain all year. However, the extra time should help relieve some tenderness and put him in better position to match up with Iowa's defensive line including occasional tussles with Megatron Adrian Clayborn.
Jake Stoneburner - First reported has high ankle sprain that wasn't going to be much of a problem but here we are a month later and Stoneburner hasn't been himself since the injury.
Travis Howard - Unclear of the nature of his injury but was caught wincing in pain at least twice against the Gophers. Considering the way our secondary has been riddled with injury, Howard may be needed down the line more than we know.Source: Eleven Warriors 11/03/10
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said he thinks the new orthotics in the shoes of right tackle J.B Shugarts are helping, and he was glad the junior played more against Minnesota nine days ago than in some previous games. Shugarts took some extra time off during the bye week, and Tressel seemed optimistic for the rest of the season Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer 11/07/10
Ohio State vs. Penn State Preview November 12, 2010 Source: The Ozone - "...Helping Royster out is freshman tailback Silas Redd, who rushed for 131 yards on eleven carries last week. He provides the homerun potential of the two backs...Ohio State comes into this game with the nation's fourth-ranked rushing defense, allowing just 84 yards rushing per game. Despite Penn State's recent successes on the ground, this will be the best front seven they have seen since September...Getting to McGloin won't be easy, however. Penn State is 15th in the nation in protecting their quarterback, allowing just 1.11 sacks per game. The Buckeyes haven't gotten to the quarterback very often this season...The Penn State secondary lost starting safety Nick Sukay to injury a couple of weeks, so they've been going with redshirt freshman Malcolm Willis in his place. Cornerback Chaz Powell has also moved into the starting lineup recently, replacing Stephen Morris. There are definitely issues here for the Buckeyes to attack..."
Adam Rittenberg looks at the keys to Saturday's Penn State-Ohio State game.
GAME OF THE WEEK: Penn State (6-3) at Ohio State (8-1) November 11, 2010 Source: College Football News - "Here’s The Deal … It’s time for Ohio State to show why it was the No. 1 team in the nation. The Buckeyes held the top spot for a heartbeat, lost to Wisconsin, and fell totally off the map as the BCS computers have no interest in the schedule and the résumé. With double-digit wins over everyone but the Badgers, OSU has flexed its muscles throughout the year and dumped the mediocre league teams beating Indiana, Purdue, and Minnesota by a combined score of 139 to 20, but it’s time to go to work. Penn State is fine, coming back to beat Northwestern to give Joe Paterno his 400th win last week, and it’s bowl eligible, but this is a mediocre team by comparison to the title contenders of the last few years and it needs to come up with its best game of the year to avoid being whumped. If the Nittany Lions can somehow pull this off before closing out with wins over Indiana and Michigan State, they’ll end the year in the Big Ten’s top three and will be off to another January bowl. That’s a big if, though, while Ohio State is still pushing for the Rose Bowl. Style points count as the three-way Big Ten tie-breaker is BCS ranking, and it’s time to turn things up several notches to impress the voters again.
Why Penn State Might Win: The offense has suddenly found itself. It took a little while against Northwestern, and blowing up the Michigan and Minnesota defenses is hardly anything to chirp about, but Penn State has finally started to score again with 109 points in the last three games after scoring 109 in the previous six. The defense has been decent all season long, and while it hasn’t been a brick wall, it has kept every game but the Illinois loss in range. The offensive line has been fantastic all season long in pass protection, and it’s now lathered up for the running game and needs to control the clock and the action from the start. The OSU offense can’t stay on the field for long periods of time.
Why Ohio State Might Win: Penn State might have won both games, but it didn’t do a thing to stop the running of Denard Robinson and Dan Persa over the last two games. Northwestern’s Persa owned the first half of last week’s game and finished with 109 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Robinson tore off 191 yards and three scores, and Illinois QB Nathan Scheelhaase ran for 61 yards. Penn State has a hard time with running quarterbacks, and while Terrelle Pryor isn’t carrying the ground game, with Dan Herron doing more and more, he’s still the team’s second leading rusher. He ran for 50 yards and a sore in last year’s win over the Nittany Lions, and he should be able to rumble as much as he wants to this week past the average Penn State linebackers.
What To Watch Out For: Some of the draft types had Penn State’s Evan Royster ranked among the top running back prospects a few years ago, but he never seemed to develop into a special back and never got much help from his offensive line. While he’s having a mediocre year with 734 yards and four touchdowns, he became the school’s all-time leading rusher and currently has 3,652 yards with 27 scores, helped by a hot few weeks. After running for 100 yards in just one of his first seven games, he tore off 150 yards and two scores against Michigan (but who hasn’t?) and he followed it up with 134 yards against Northwestern. It’s all about carries. Over the course of his career, Royster has been fed 20 or more times in seven games, and he has rushed for 100 yards or more in six games, and he gained 90 yards in the other (the classic 2008 loss to Iowa). Penn State is 14-0 when Royster hits 100 yards.
What Will Happen: Royster won’t hit 100 yards. Ohio State is going to be the frothing at the mouth version with the defense swarming around quarterback Matt McGloin, who’ll see a whole new world from the last two weeks, while the Buckeye attack will be balanced and ruthlessly efficient. This will be the performance that’ll set the stage for the showdown in Iowa City next week.
CFN Prediction: Ohio State 38 … Penn State 10 … Line: Ohio State -17.5..."
Preview: Penn State at #9 Ohio State November 12, 2010 Source: Eleven Warriors - "...The rushing attack is obviously led by the senior workhorse Royster (#22) and he's coming off arguably his best game of the year. Against Northwestern, he amassed 179 total yards rushing for 134 on 25 carries (5.4) in addition to catching four passes for 45 yards and a TD. His big day brought his season totals to 734 yards and he's already tied his career high with 17 receptions as the PSU staff breaks in their young QB's. Behind a suspect line, Royster's averaging 5.2 ypc but against 'Bama (3.6) and Illinois (3.2), he's ran into tough sledding...Though the offense appears to have found a bit of traction, it still ranks 8th in the conference in Total Offense, 9th in Rushing Offense, 8th in Passing Offense and 9th in Scoring Offense. Of even larger concern could be their red zone offense which ranks 10th in the conference, scoring just 78.8% of the time, registering 17 TD and 9 FG in 33 trips...Defensively, the Lions are led by LB's Michael Mauti (#42) and Chris Colasanti (#48)...Strangely, they are 2nd best in the conference at stopping 3rd downs. The PSU special teams has posted solid numbers - at least compared to what we've seen in Columbus. They lead the conference in KO Coverage, over five yards better than OSU and they #2 in punting with a 39.1 net off the leg of Anthony Fera. Kicker Collin Wagner has connected on 16/20 FGA's including 7/8 from 40-49 yards...PREDICTION: Ohio State 30, Penn State 13..."
2010 Penn State Nittany Lions Game Preview November 11, 2010 Source: Buckeye Planet - "...Nittany Lions Defensive Preview...Defensive Line...The loss of Jared Odrick has had the same effect on the Penn State pass rush that the loss of Thadeus Gibson had on Ohio State. Last year at this time the Nittany Lions had already recorded 32 sacks. Entering their game against Northwestern last Saturday, the Blue and White had but 9...Linebackers...None started vs. Ohio State last year Though purported to be "Linebacker U", Penn State is struggling in their attempt to replace Sean Lee and Navorro Bowman (and Josh Hull for that matter). The 2010 starters have been solid and productive, but won' be mistaken for last year's starters any time soon...Secondary...Last year, Penn State's defensive backfield was expected to be the team's weak link. Instead, they replaced the 4 starters from the previous year and actually improved their national ranking in both pass efficiency defense and pass defense. Some of that improvement however, was probably attributable to the schedule the Nittany Lions played last year. This year, on the other hand, the improved Iowa and Michigan offenses (not to mention the Crimson Tide offense) seriously tested the Penn State backfield. As a result, this unit, unlike last year's, is probably better than the numbers suggest...Overall Defensive Analysis Last year at this time, Penn State had a defense that looked great on paper. Then they gave us 228 rushing yards to the Buckeyes. This year is different. The 2010 Nittany Lions are actually better than the statistics indicate, though admittedly they are not as good as last year's stop troops. Having faced better offenses than most teams, Penn State is still the 28th best scoring defense in the nation, so clearly they are better than average. The Buckeyes on the other hand, while not measuring up to some fans' lofty expectations, are still very close to matching the standards set by previous groups of Silver Bullets. Having had a week off to get healthy, the Buckeyes have the far better defense this year. Overall Defensive Rating: B-...Special Teams...ST Rating: B+..."
Preview: Penn State vs. Ohio State November 10, 2010 Source: ESPN - "...McGloin has thrived as the starter the past two weeks, throwing for 475 yards and five touchdowns without an interception. The Nittany Lions had four TD passes in their first six games. "I don't want to take anything away from (Bolden), but obviously (McGloin) has come in here ... and made some big plays," Paterno said...Penn State is 25-2 when it runs for at least 130 yards the last three regular seasons and 2-4 otherwise. Ohio State is 27-1 when it hits triple digits on the ground, and 1-4 when it doesn't..."
Preview: Ohio State vs. Penn State November 10, 2010 Source: The Buckeye Battle Cry - "...Penn State has been looking better in recent weeks, but that was at home against “11 guys off the street could play better defense than us” Michigan and Northwestern, who managed to go up 21-0 in the first half before crumbling...Optimism: •Ohio State is better than Penn State and should win as long as they are focused and fired up, •Playing at home plus the recent history of the series should result in motivation and focus from the Buckeyes...Pessimism: •Ohio State hasn’t preformed well after bye weeks under Jim Tressel, •Penn State has looked much better in recent weeks, •Ohio State’s secondary is injured and inexperienced, •The natural pessimism that comes with being a Buckeye fan and knowing that anything could happen any week..."
Penn State's Air Attack Could See Success vs. OSU November 12, 2010 Source: CSNPhilly.com - "...not one of them has been able to throw a touchdown pass in the Horseshoe. Eight games. No TD passes. If ever there was a time that should finally happen it's Saturday. Penn State has nothing to lose. It's bowl situation is pretty well set. For just the second time it’s starting a former walk-on whose style is part “happy just to be here” and part “let's see how far I can throw it.” Nerves don't seem to enter into Matt McGloin's makeup. And if Ohio State's defense has a weak link, it's certainly the secondary. The big question: Will PSU coach Joe Paterno finally ditch the turtled-up offense he's always ordered in this place and allow McGloin to let 'er rip on early downs?..."
"Let's go beat Ohio State"
- Joe Paterno after he won his 400th game as Nittany Lions came back from being down 21-0 to win 35-21
Big Ten stock report: Week 11 STOCK UP: Penn State's red zone offense: The red zone was an absolute dead zone for Penn State earlier this season, but Evan Royster and the Nittany Lions have turned things around. Penn State scored touchdowns on all four of its red zone chances against Northwestern, none bigger than Brett Brackett's leaping grab in the back of the end zone with three seconds left in the first half. Penn State is 12-for-13 in red zone scoring chances the past three weeks with 11 of those conversions being touchdowns. Source: ESPN
"They have a very loud crowd, and when you can’t hear the snap count, you’re late flying off the ball. That can hurt you as an offense, a lot more than a lot of people think. That’s one of those things we really need to learn to deal with." - Nittany Lions RB Evan Royster
Matt McGloin Interview
What to watch in the Big Ten: Week 11: 2. Matt McGloin at the controls: Once an afterthought in Penn State's quarterback competition, McGloin has earned the starter's tag, and deservedly so, for Saturday's game in Columbus. The former walk-on has a distinct swagger and confidence about him that seems to be rubbing off on his teammates. McGloin has 475 pass yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions in his last two games. He faces a much tougher test Saturday in Ohio State, which is tied for sixth nationally in interceptions (16) and will challenge Penn State's improving offensive line with steady blitzing. Source: ESPN 11/11/10
COACH PATERNO: Well, I don't know how to answer that, to be frank with you. I think both kids (Rob Bolden, Matt McGloin) are doing a good job, practicing and working hard. They've both been effective up to a point. And, in all fairness to Bolden, he was in there when we were having more troubles holding on to the ball, running the football and all those kinds of things. We were working with an inexperienced offensive line. So, I don't want to take anything away from him. But obviously the other kid's come in there in a couple of football games and made some big plays. But I'm hoping that Bolden will be ready to play. In fact, I had Bolden all set to play just before the end of the first half. Told him to get ready and (then) we made that drive. Obviously, McGloin had a hot hand and I wasn't about to change at that stage.
Q. You played against two very good running quarterbacks in the last two games. How does that help prepare you for a guy like Pryor who can hurt you running the ball?
COACH PATERNO: I don't really know. They can run the football. It isn't as if ...and they want to run the football. I think if you play Ohio State and you don't think they can run the football because the quarterback can make some plays, take your eye off that kid playing quarterback. They've got a couple of running backs (Dan Herron, Brandon Saine) that can run it down your throat. The one kid was the Ohio State sprint champion, 100 meters in high school. Now he's 195, 200 pounds at that time. He's now a 215-20 pounder and the other big kid, the other kid who is a real good blocker. So you've got to have a balanced defense, I guess that's the best way to put it. They're well coached. They know what they're doing. They're well organized. They have good personnel everywhere. And so their quarterbacks, when we talk, we talk all the time about the quarterback..." Source: Penn State Official Site
Penn State Football: Jr. Chaz Powell Scouting Report of Ohio State
Penn State Football: Sr. WR Graham Zug Scouting Report of Ohio State
Ohio State 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite of 10.5 or greater.
11-1 ATS in their last 12 home games.
10-1 ATS in their last 11 games as a home favorite.
6-1 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
6-1 ATS in their last 7 games in November.
6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater.
9-2 ATS in their last 11 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
9-2 ATS in their last 11 games following a SU win of more than 20 points.
11-3 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
14-4 ATS in their last 18 games following a ATS win.
7-2 ATS in their last 9 games on fieldturf.
10-3 ATS in their last 13 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
10-3 ATS in their last 13 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
28-11 ATS in their last 39 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
41-17 ATS in their last 58 games as a favorite.
36-15 ATS in their last 51 conference games.
46-20 ATS in their last 66 games overall.
40-18 ATS in their last 58 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
38-18 ATS in their last 56 games following a S.U. win.
35-17 ATS in their last 52 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
3-7 ATS in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Penn State 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
7-2 ATS in their last 9 games following a ATS win.
3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games on fieldturf.
5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games.
3-8 ATS in their last 11 games as an underdog.
1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as an underdog of 10.5 or greater.
2-8 ATS in their last 10 games as a road underdog of 10.5 or greater.
1-6 ATS in their last 7 games as a road underdog.
OU Trends Ohio State
Over is:
6-1 in Buckeyes last 7 games as a home favorite.
6-1-1 in Buckeyes last 8 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
6-1 in Buckeyes last 7 home games.
5-1 in Buckeyes last 6 games as a home favorite of 10.5 or greater.
4-1-1 in Buckeyes last 6 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
4-1 in Buckeyes last 5 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
4-1-1 in Buckeyes last 6 games following a ATS win.
Under is
8-2-1 in Buckeyes last 11 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
7-2-1 in Buckeyes last 10 games on fieldturf.
6-2-1 in Buckeyes last 9 games overall.
3-1-1 in Buckeyes last 5 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
6-2-1 in Buckeyes last 9 games as a favorite.
6-2 in Buckeyes last 8 games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater.
8-3 in Buckeyes last 11 games in November.
Under is 18-7-2 in Buckeyes last 27 games following a SU win of more than 20 points.
Over is 5-2-1 in Buckeyes last 8 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
Under is 11-5-2 in Buckeyes last 18 games following a S.U. win.
Penn State Under is 5-1 last 6 games as an underdog of 10.5 or greater.
Under is 5-1 last 6 games on fieldturf.
Under is 23-5 last 28 games in October.
Under is 4-1 last 5 games after accumulating less than 170 yds passing in their previous game.
Under is 4-1-1 last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 4-1 last 5 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
Under is 6-2-1 last 9 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
Under is 3-1-1 last 5 road games.
Under is 6-2 last 8 games as a road underdog of 10.5 or greater.
Under is 24-9-1 last 34 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 38-16-1 last 55 conference games.
Under is 9-4-1 last 14 games following a S.U. win.
Head to Head Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Ohio State.
Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
Home team is 9-3 ATS in their last 12 meetings.
Nittany Lions are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 meetings in Ohio State.
