Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
2 men shot during party in Fairlawn
Cancellation of Christmas not an option
Akron man killed in crash on his street
Akron Children's Hospital CEO, wife announce $1 million gift to support research
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Police: Pennsylvania man killed misbehaving puppy before Steelers game
Akron Circle K store robbed for second time this month
Several people hurt in Akron crash
KSU suspends basketball player
Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Blogs:
Pets:
A Dog Named Christmas – Pet for the Holidays
The Heldenfiles:
Viewing Notes
Patrick McManamon:
Of pass interference and alleged "fake" injuries
Akron Zips:
No. 1 Akron to play Stanford next
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Audio: Mangini disputes Poteat call, accuses Lions of faking injuries
Kent State Sports:
Flashes travel to Florida Atlantic
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeye Football – Present and Future
Varsity Letters:
Gulley to visit Central Michigan in December
All Da King's Men:
The Onion, By Any Other Name…
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Glaring Contradictions
Akron Law Café:
Don't Try to Have Fun if you are Depressed
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
What Automotive Thing Are You Thankful For?
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Faye Dunaway to be Evicted?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Monique asks how to get tickets for the Polar Express.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why I am Glad I live in NEO
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Big Ten showdown vs. No. 11 Penn State set in front of hostile crowd
By Rusty Miller
Associated Press
Published on Thursday, Nov 05, 2009
COLUMBUS: Two teams, both looking for a signature win, and neither can afford a loss.
That's what is on the line when No. 15 Ohio State travels to No. 11 Penn State in a showdown that may not determine the Big Ten champion but will almost definitely decide who it won't be.
''We know how important all these games are,'' Buckeyes wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher said. ''It's come to a point in a season where we have to win out and we have to play well in November to be a great team.''
Each team has played one ranked opponent this year and lost. The Nittany Lions (8-1, 4-1) fell at home to unbeaten Iowa 21-10 in their Big Ten opener. Since then, they have won five in a row.
Ohio State (7-2, 4-1) lost to Southern California 18-15 way back on Sept. 12. The Buckeyes followed that by winning six of seven games, the lone setback a shocking 26-18 defeat at Purdue.
The Buckeyes follow up the game against Penn State with one at home against Iowa (9-0, 5-0). So they still control their own destiny in their quest to capture a fifth consecutive Big Ten title.
''Maybe fans out there think Ohio State hasn't beaten anybody, a great opponent,'' Buckeyes linebacker Austin Spitler said. ''And neither has Penn State. But we're going to find out Saturday who the best is between Penn State and Ohio State.''
To beat the Nittany Lions, the Buckeyes will have to play perhaps their best game of the season and do it in the most hostile environment.
''There's so much energy and electricity,'' coach Jim Tressel said about the atmosphere in Beaver Stadium. ''It's a fun place to play. There's noise. There's excitement.''
Sometimes, the Nittany Lions faithful might carry that to the extreme. That becomes evident when visiting teams almost have to run a gantlet down a walkway underneath the stadium to get to the field.
''It's something. They're throwing stuff at you, spitting on you, yelling everything you can think of at you,'' Spitler said, smiling. ''But it doesn't bring you down, it really fires you up and gets you going. I think it's a positive in a way for us.''
The focal point of most of that venom figures to be Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor. He was heralded as the nation's No. 1 quarterback recruit while playing his high school ball in Jeannette, Pa. — about a 65-mile drive from Happy Valley. Pryor narrowed his final choices down to Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State before deciding to be a Buckeye.
Pryor knows he'll be a marked man. He was already talking about it moments after the Buckeyes polished off overmatched New Mexico State 45-0 Saturday.
''I'll probably get booed as soon as I go out to warm up,'' he said. ''I'm happy here, and we'll be ready to go.''
Tressel said on Tuesday that he didn't feel the need to prepare Pryor for the fans.
''I'm sure he's very aware of that,'' Tressel said. ''I'm sure as we go through the preparation for the week, we'll talk a lot about poise and patience because that's what you have to do. You have to be a poised guy. . . . That's what being part of a great environment is all about.''
Besides, the visiting team has won the last two games in the heated series.
''The last time they came here [in 2007] it wasn't very fun, because it was a night game and they really put it to us,'' Penn State linebacker Sean Lee said. ''We weren't even able to make their offense punt [in a 37-17 loss]. . . . But the atmosphere at both stadiums, especially Beaver Stadium, is unbelievable. It's something you dream of as a young kid, and finally as a fifth-year senior, now that I'm healthy, it's going to be great.''
A season-ending knee injury to kicker Aaron Pettrey, the Big Ten's leading scorer, puts a damper on some of the excitement for Ohio State.
Pettrey was blocked on a first-half kickoff last week, tearing the medial collateral ligament in his right (kicking) leg. He had surgery Tuesday.
In his place, the Buckeyes will go with 26-year-old former Major League Soccer player Devin Barclay, a former walk-on who beat out scholarship kicker Ben Buchanan for the No. 2 spot behind Pettrey. Barclay missed two of his three field-goal attempts in his college debut last week after Pettrey went out.
Buchanan, sick last week, is expected to battle him for the job this week.
''We were very comfortable with Aaron from anywhere,'' Tressel said of Pettrey's range. ''These guys aren't quite there.''
COLUMBUS: Two teams, both looking for a signature win, and neither can afford a loss.
That's what is on the line when No. 15 Ohio State travels to No. 11 Penn State in a showdown that may not determine the Big Ten champion but will almost definitely decide who it won't be.
''We know how important all these games are,'' Buckeyes wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher said. ''It's come to a point in a season where we have to win out and we have to play well in November to be a great team.''
Each team has played one ranked opponent this year and lost. The Nittany Lions (8-1, 4-1) fell at home to unbeaten Iowa 21-10 in their Big Ten opener. Since then, they have won five in a row.
Ohio State (7-2, 4-1) lost to Southern California 18-15 way back on Sept. 12. The Buckeyes followed that by winning six of seven games, the lone setback a shocking 26-18 defeat at Purdue.
The Buckeyes follow up the game against Penn State with one at home against Iowa (9-0, 5-0). So they still control their own destiny in their quest to capture a fifth consecutive Big Ten title.
''Maybe fans out there think Ohio State hasn't beaten anybody, a great opponent,'' Buckeyes linebacker Austin Spitler said. ''And neither has Penn State. But we're going to find out Saturday who the best is between Penn State and Ohio State.''
To beat the Nittany Lions, the Buckeyes will have to play perhaps their best game of the season and do it in the most hostile environment.
''There's so much energy and electricity,'' coach Jim Tressel said about the atmosphere in Beaver Stadium. ''It's a fun place to play. There's noise. There's excitement.''
Sometimes, the Nittany Lions faithful might carry that to the extreme. That becomes evident when visiting teams almost have to run a gantlet down a walkway underneath the stadium to get to the field.
''It's something. They're throwing stuff at you, spitting on you, yelling everything you can think of at you,'' Spitler said, smiling. ''But it doesn't bring you down, it really fires you up and gets you going. I think it's a positive in a way for us.''
The focal point of most of that venom figures to be Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor. He was heralded as the nation's No. 1 quarterback recruit while playing his high school ball in Jeannette, Pa. — about a 65-mile drive from Happy Valley. Pryor narrowed his final choices down to Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State before deciding to be a Buckeye.
Pryor knows he'll be a marked man. He was already talking about it moments after the Buckeyes polished off overmatched New Mexico State 45-0 Saturday.
''I'll probably get booed as soon as I go out to warm up,'' he said. ''I'm happy here, and we'll be ready to go.''
Tressel said on Tuesday that he didn't feel the need to prepare Pryor for the fans.
''I'm sure he's very aware of that,'' Tressel said. ''I'm sure as we go through the preparation for the week, we'll talk a lot about poise and patience because that's what you have to do. You have to be a poised guy. . . . That's what being part of a great environment is all about.''
Besides, the visiting team has won the last two games in the heated series.
''The last time they came here [in 2007] it wasn't very fun, because it was a night game and they really put it to us,'' Penn State linebacker Sean Lee said. ''We weren't even able to make their offense punt [in a 37-17 loss]. . . . But the atmosphere at both stadiums, especially Beaver Stadium, is unbelievable. It's something you dream of as a young kid, and finally as a fifth-year senior, now that I'm healthy, it's going to be great.''
A season-ending knee injury to kicker Aaron Pettrey, the Big Ten's leading scorer, puts a damper on some of the excitement for Ohio State.
Pettrey was blocked on a first-half kickoff last week, tearing the medial collateral ligament in his right (kicking) leg. He had surgery Tuesday.
In his place, the Buckeyes will go with 26-year-old former Major League Soccer player Devin Barclay, a former walk-on who beat out scholarship kicker Ben Buchanan for the No. 2 spot behind Pettrey. Barclay missed two of his three field-goal attempts in his college debut last week after Pettrey went out.
Buchanan, sick last week, is expected to battle him for the job this week.
''We were very comfortable with Aaron from anywhere,'' Tressel said of Pettrey's range. ''These guys aren't quite there.''
Comments
Click here to post your comments
