The Penn State Football Show

Wow. The Groton School may produce a bunch of dorks, but they certainly educate their students. Rudy nearly echoes my exact thoughts on this game. I too, think the key to the game for Penn State is going to be establishing a running game for Evan Royster. I also agree with Rudy that Penn State can use Royster in a similar way that Oregon State used Jaquizz Rodgers when he exploded for 186 yards against USC. If Royster can sneak through some holes and gain four or five yards per carry, it will open up the passing game for Clark. If Penn State is not able to run the ball effectively, the defense will be able to sit back and defend the pass, and it could be a LONG day for Clark and the boys.

I am very concerned about Penn State’s passing game in this one. Clark was tremendous all year, except for two games he played against the two top defenses the Lions saw: Ohio State and Iowa. He struggled in both of this games and I fear he may struggle again throwing the ball in this one.

If Penn State is going to have success throwing the ball, I think it is going to have to be Jordan Norwood on the receiving end. He is the only wide receiver on the team that I am confident can gain separation from his defender. He is so quick and shifty and always finds a way to get open. The same can not be said for Williams and Butler. Clark has been a great quarterback this year, but the one thing he hasn’t shown me is pinpoint accuracy passing the ball. When he has guys running all over the field wide open (Oregon State, Michigan State) Clark can find the open guy and get him the ball. It’s not always in stride, but it gets the job done. Against USC, he is not going to have this luxury, and will really need to stick the ball in there with some heat on it, and hit the receivers in stride. I hope he can do this, but I have not seen this from him consistently yet. That is the main reason I am worried about the passing game.

I am sure Joe Pa has cooked up a few trick plays for this game. I wouldn’t mind seeing a fake punt or field goal. I have heard that with Devlin gone, Williams will be running a lot of Wildcat plays at quarterback instead of just running with Clark so that he doesn’t get hurt. I am sure they have a few plays in there where D Will will throw the ball, but USC should be ready for this, since they recruited him and know he was a high school QB. I hope Penn State does not enter the game with one of those mind-sets where they try to force the ball to D-Will as often as possible. I don’t think that will succeed. He does not out-class the athletes on USC by any stretch of the imagination. Unlike Hottel, I don’t see him breaking a long return in this one either.

I have a feeling that there will be some unsung hero to step up for PSU with a huge play that most would not expect. Somebody like Andrew Quarless, Tony Davis, AJ Wallace, maybe Brandon Beachum on special teams. I think Quarless is a good pick, because he certainly has the talent to match up with USC. Also, since he hasn’t done much this year, they won’t have much film of him and he has kind of flown under the radar. The staff should try and catch USC off-guard by getting Quarless involved in the passing game. Also, he is an NFL-caliber player, but he now has only one year left and has done nothing in his career at Penn State. If he wants to play at the next level, he has to get serious about it soon, and what better time and place to start than this bowl game?

Tony Davis has had a great career with PSU and gets overlooked. He had a big fumble return for a TD two years ago against Tennessee, and he has been making huge defensive plays all week for me in NCAA 09 when I play against USC.

I had a dream that Beachum scored a TD on the first offensive play of the game, that’s why I picked him.

AJ Wallace is another guy with a ton of talent that he has not yet lived up to. He has one year next year to prove his worth. People often use bowl games to springboard their next season. Maybe Wallace can do that.

As I have said before I expect a very low scoring game in this one. I am sure both teams will come to play. These are two of the best coaches at preparing their teams for Bowl games. Unfortunately, Pete Carrol is perhaps the best big-game coach in the country. The only big game his team has lost in the last five years is the National Championship against Texas a few years back, when Vince Young single-handedly took over the game and won it in the waning seconds. Other than that, he has been flawless in big games (both regular season and bowl games). This scares me and should scare you as well.

With that being said, Penn State does feel like they have been ignored and disrespected, and I believe that the players are all very confident they can win. I really appreciate and respect the silent confidence this team has displayed all year long, not complaining about a lack of respect like some other teams do, but keeping quiet, going about their business, and taking care of their games. I truly believe they expect to win this game.

Penn State matches up favorably on the offensive line. PSU’s o-line may be the best in the country, and if they open up holes and protect Clark, they may actually be able to score points on this incredible defense. I have a feeling that the game-plan will be similar to the game against Ohio State, where they are very conservative and play the game very close to the vest, hoping USC will make the mistake that will cost them the game. I’m not sure if this is the best approach or not in this one. It worked against the Buckeyes, but USC could strike for a big pass or two that could put the game out of reach if PSU is playing not to lose. Scirotto will have to take some chances and go for a pick or two and risk giving up the big play.

I also expect Maurice Evans to have a big game. He has been a disappointment all year, but he can redeem himself with a big game in Pasadena. He is another guy that has as much talent as anyone on USC. If they put their attention on Maybin, Evans better take advantage and make them pay for it.

I can not wait for this game. Lee Corso said that if you can watch just one bowl game, including the national championship, this is the one to watch. Both teams will come to play, and I expect a close, low scoring game. I would not be surprised if either team won.

The keys for Penn Stat are to control the line of scrimmage (which I am confident they can do). Establish a running game, protect Darryl Clark, and limit the big play. Pretty much exactly what Rudy said. If Royster can go for 100 yards, that would go a long way. Clark will need to take off and run as well.

Key thing to watch: USC is one of the most penalized teams in the country, PSU is one of the least.

Remember: someone unexpected will come up with a signature play in this game.

Final thoughts: Penn State will not be intimidated, will not be scared, will not be nervous. They will come to play. They will have to play their absolute best game in order to win this one. Let’s see what happens, and LETS GO STATE.

There is no doubt that the average human will take a look at this game and suspect a USC victory. Many in fact will expect a blowout because Penn State happens to be a part of the Big Ten conference which USC has manhandled in recent years. Unfortunately these people are short-sighted and well....actually its not unfortunate at all. This is a huge advantage to the Lions, who will enter the game with nothing to lose.

USC has handled teams with ease this season with the exception of Oregon State and to some extent, Stanford. Both of these teams were able to establish a running attack and put some points of the board early. This is key number one to beating USC. What else is it going to take? USC wasn't able to come back against Oregon State because the Beaver defense didn't surrender the big play. USC's offense, much like the Florida offense earlier this year, relies completely on the big play. They will not have a 13 play touchdown drive, they will not run the ball up the gut every play (even if it gets them 5 yards a carry) because they're too flashy for that. It's almost as if this team wants to win only if they can do it in style. Penn State on the other hand will do whatever it takes. They will blow teams out (MSU, Oregon State, Syracuse) or they will grind out the game and put the game on their defense (Ohio State). This ability to adjust to the type of game is why I feel PSU has a good chance at winning New Year's Day.

Talent, speed, long flowing locks, cool Hawaiian names, Hollywood stars, and a coach that still thinks he's one of the boys will not guarantee a victory. This team is by far the most capable to win a national championship, but lack of discipline, over pursuit, and an overconfident attitude result in losses for the Trojan squad. Stupid penalties, open cutback lanes, and turnovers doomed them against Oregon State. With a very good back in Royster who has been praised all season for his vision, Penn State will be in good shape to recreate some of the offense that the Beavers were able to use to defeat USC. Traditionally USC has also had trouble with a mobile quarterback, and if Clark can hold onto the ball, I feel that he should be a big threat given the number of players USC tends to use in blitzes. There will also be a lot of 1 on 1 coverages for the wide receivers that Clark should be able to exploit. These are some weaknesses...of course USC has many more strengths, but I don't care about those right now. I just feel like informing the world (or the handful of people that will actually read this) that USC is not that good. Penn State has its flaws, but I am confident that the group will be well prepared and ready to take on this goliath. No one is giving them a chance, and the stage will be set for them to make a statement.

This is arguably the biggest game in Penn State football history since the 80's and once again (as for most Big Ten teams playing in bowls) this will be a veritable home game for their opponent. The odds are against them, but PSU is simply too balanced in every aspect of the game to be brushed aside like a second class football team. I don't care how flashy USC is, or how fast their players are because those things don't win football games. It will be a terrific game and the only shot PSU has to win will come if they play sound defense, and can be both smart and aggressive on offense. Turnovers in this game will be huge, and this can't be played like the game against Ohio State. Points will be hard to come by, but I have faith in this team and the coaching staff. I have been thinking about this game for so long and all of a sudden the time is upon us. Let's show the world how football is supposed to be played. Let's go state

Linebacker Bani Gbadu did not make the trip to Pasadena after failing to meet academic qualifications, just one semester after making the Dean's List. This is very disappointing to me. Gbadu is a player I like and I thought his speed could have been very helpful in this game against USC's trio of running backs. Look for extended playing time for Michael Mauti and Nate Stupar as a result.

On another note, the biggest Penn State football game in recent memory is a little over 48 hours away. You can expect some more posts in the next day or two.

I just wanted to wish everyone happy holidays!

Here is a video of Newsome announcing his decision. I can not stress how huge this is for Penn State. They were in dire need of a top quarterback after the Devlin transfer, and they end up getting one just a few days later.

Newsome seems like a great kid. He's an honors student, he's very well spoken, seems very bright. He will be a great fit for Penn State. I like having a mobile quarterback too, so that works great. Hopefully they will continue with a similar type of offense in years to come. He has a great opportunity to step in and get some PT right away, learn from Darryl Clark as his backup freshman year, and hopefully, if things progress well, he could start for three years, maybe even four if he redshirts, which I think is unlikely given Penn State's lack of depth at QB.

It's also great that he is graduating early and will enroll next month. Having this spring under his belt will do wonders in preparing him for next fall. It really showed with guys in the past like J King, D Will, and Dan Connor.

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/sports/sports_wavy_newsome_20081612

Quarterback Kevin Newsome has picked PSU over Va Tech and Boston College. This is a major signing for PSU. He and Clark will be the only two scholarship quarterbacks when spring practice starts. Newsome is a dynamic quarterback with great speed and should be able to handle the "Spread HD" If PSU can land Jelani Jenkins, the # 3 rated prospect in the country, this recruiting class could be very special.

This has become incredibly important now with the loss of Devlin. Lets keep our fingers crossed.

http://bwi.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=50973

I guarantee it, Williams will take one to the house against the bros of USC. This is one of the best video compilations of what USC will be seeing.




Also, I'm tired of the lack of respect to the Big Ten. I didn't even know USC played in a conference! D2 California University of PA would beat half those jokes. If PSU had the same recruiting class as USC, according to Rivals.com, PSU might've lost two games in the past five years... maybe two.

I was not shocked when this story broke last night. Devlin came to PSU as one of the most prolific high school quarterbacks in PA history and was beat out by Clark. His lack of playing time must've really ate on him. I wonder where he is going to transfer. He would have to sit out an entire year if he goes to another D1 school. I think Devlin is a very talented QB and it would not surprise me if he puts up huge numbers at his new school and gets drafted. I hope Clark stays healthy during the Rose Bowl!!!

Pete, I too am really itching to watch this game. It should be a great test for Penn State, and in my opinion (although it may even be a fact) USC has the best football players in the nation. For the past 5 years this has been true. They are the New York Yankees of college football, but instead of using copious amounts of money to get players to play for them, they use the grandeur of Hollywood to lure wanna-be stars to their program. These two schools may both be rich in tradition and long time powerhouse programs, but they could not be more different. Pete Carroll (up there with the likes of Steinbrenner for people I can't stand) is a great recruiter, but an extremely overrated coach. That team shouldn't lose games. Not to Oregon State, not to Stanford, not even to Texas in the 2005 National Championship. There are no excuses. Everyone keeps talking about how Carroll will have his boys ready for this game, but it was he who was the first to publicly state that USC didn't deserve to go to the Rose Bowl. Arrogance can be a terrible thing, and I know every member of the blue and white wants to shove it down Carroll's throat. If anyone is going to be ready, it's going to be the Nittany Lions.

Flashback to 2005. Pete Carroll (supposedly amazing at preparing his teams for big games) goes for it on fourth down with 2:05 left. They were on the Texas 45 yard line and winning 38-33. If they got the first, the game would likely be over, but if not, and this is what happened, Texas gets the ball with some momentum at midfield and can go on and win the game. Why not force Texas to go ~90 yards to beat you? Obviously the call to go for it was no mystery. That's how Carroll coaches. He's confident in his offense, but sometimes to the point of arrogance. His cocky attitude surely must light a fire under someone as humble as Joe Paterno. There are coaches out there that JoePa truly likes and respects, but two of those who are not on that list are Pete Carroll and Charlie Weis, and because of that, I really feel that Joe is even more motivated to show up Carroll and let him know not to disrespect Penn State. It will be a tough game to win, I know that much. USC has unreal athletes, but the both teams have defenses that should be able to keep this tight. Pete, I actually feel very confident in Rubin and the rest of the secondary, and even at linebacker Hull has progressed very well. I expect for Penn State to use Mauti a little more however because of his speed possibly on third down situations. I have complete faith in the game planning of PSU with a month of time to get ready. Should be dandy, and I can't even put in to words what a win over USC would mean to me. More to come later.

Now that the matchup has been officially announced, I would like to officially announce myself how incredibly excited I am for this game. Penn State vs. USC in the Rose Bowl. It doesn't get any better than that.

Herbstreit has pegged this as the bowl game he is looking forward to the most, and Mark Schlabach of espn.com ranks it as the 2nd best bowl game behind the National Championship.

There are so many different variables that make this match-up so great. The first is that its between two very storied, succesful, traditional college football powerhouse programs in Penn State and USC. When you think college football, these are two of the first schools that come to mind. Beyond that, this game features two of the best coaches in the game in Paterno and Carrol. Beyond being great overall coaches, they are both specifically noted for excelling at preparing their teams well for bowl games. This is going to make the game very intersting. You can be sure both teams will come ready to play.

This is going to be a very difficult game to predict. A lot of people who don't know much about Penn State think the Lions will get blown out just because it's USC and everyone thinks USC is far better than everyone else. I don't think USC is as good as most people think, but I do think their team matches up very well against Penn State. I think their defense is going to give Clark a very difficult time. I expect a close low scoring game, and can see either team winning. I have to give the advantage to USC, but I don't think it's as much of an advantage as most people are giving them.

Given how much Penn State struggled against the strong defenses of Ohio State and Iowa, I am scared of what USC's incredible defense will do against Penn State. In my opinion, Evan Royster is capable of having a big game against USC with his style of running. The way he squeezes through cracks and finds his way through when there is not much of a hole there is exactly how Jacquizz Rodgers torched the Trojans defense in their upset win. I think Royster can have a big day if they continue to feed him the ball and let him run between the tackles.

There are also some weaknesses on Penn State's defense that I worried about all year long but never ended up being a problem for the defense. As i repeated throughout the year, the performance of the defense really exceeded my expectations tremendously. However, I will never be 100% comofortable with Josh Hull, Ty Sales, and Mark Rubin all starting. They all performed well this year, but I still worry that at any moment they could be exposed. If anyone is going to expose them, it's USC, especially with a month to prepare. But Penn State's defense always performs well in big games, so I expect another strong performance and a low scoring game.

The best thing Penn State has in its favor is the fact that they are widely considered the underdog in this game, and that is when JoePa is at his best. I think he knows this and is purposely trying to promote the notion that Penn State is the underdog... Did anyone catch his quote from yesterday? He said "I hope we can go out there and be competitive with them. I'm a little bit nervous. This is a very, very impressive football team, Southern Cal. They do everything well."

I was shocked after reading that. I couldn't believe he would say something like that. Then, it became clear to me that the only possible explanation for a statement like that is that he is purposely trying to make USC think that PSU is scared so that they enter the game too confident...This almost reminds me of the 87 Fiesta Bowl against Miami when nobody gave Penn State a shot against the invincible Canes from Miami caoched by Jimmy Johnson. This is widely considered one of the greatest games in college football history. We all know that Penn State ended up pulling off the shocking upset, claiming their second national title in four years. I think Joe is hoping that USC enters this game as arrogant as Miami did, so he can take advantage. Unfortunately, Pete Carrol has a done a great job in past bowl games of getting his team prepared for the game, regardles of the opponenet or the bowl.

I'm sitting here right now watching the Monday Night Football game which unfortunately is resulting in the absolute demise of my fantasy football team. So, with my 49ers out of playoff contention (although they are playing better lately under Singletary), I have no reason to follow the NFL. Therefore, the only remaining football of interest to me is this bowl season. There are some great bowls outside of the Rose Bowl. I like Florida in the National Championship. I think Alabama-Utah will be a great game, a close game, but Bama will pull it out in the end. I don't care about Cincinatti vs Va. Tech and neither should you. I don't see Ohio State beating Texas, but if they do, it would do a lot for the Big Ten (as would PSU beating USC). Speaking of which, the Big Ten has a lot of very tough matchups this bowl season. They will be the underdog in every bowl except for one (Iowa vs. South Carolina). But bowls are always wacky and unpredictable, so we will have to wait and see what happens.

I may be alone, but I like Alabama in this one. Everyone loves Florida and it has just been widely accepted that they would take down the unbeaten and #1 Tide in the SEC Championship, but in the words of Lee Corso, "not so fast my friend."

I understand why everyone is so high on Florida. They look unstoppable, scoring about 50 points per game while only surrendering 13 or so. They just as much talent and speed as anyone in the country, and a great leader in Tebow. But they are only 1-1 against teams that are in the current AP top 25 (beat #17 Georgia and lost to #22 Mississippi), so it is easy to ovverrate their performance so far.

People have underrated and doubted this Alabama team all year. They are #1 and undefeated and they are A TEN POINT UNDERDOG in this game. Trust me, they are a great team, and they play their best in the big games when they are doubted. They will come to play. They do things the right way: run the ball, control the clock, play great defense.

In my opinion, if this game is close at the half, Alabama will win. They need to hold Florida's high powered offense down, which is easier said than done, but I thikn they can do it. The key is if they can get off to a good start. If they can force Florida to punt on their first few posessions and maybe get a score in there, even if it just a field goal, they can set the tone for the rest of the game. If they get down early, they are in trouble, because they will have to abandon their running game which is their strength. I think we will have a pretty good idea of how this game is going to go after the first quarter. If it's close and low scoring, Bama will win. If it looks like a shootout, Bama can't keep up with Florida.

None of the other championship games really excite me. I wouldn't mind seeing Missouri take down Oklahoma, but I don't see it happening.

One final note: I am loving how arrogant USC fans are about playing Penn State. It is almost a foregone conclusion even among the media that USC is going to easily win the Rose Bowl and its a shame they are not in the National Championship Game. Penn State is in a great position to shock some people, and that is when Joe is at his best.

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette


http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08337/932100-143.stm





What is the world comming to?

The BCS may be on its last legs after this season. The Big 12 has provided a difficult task for the system to unravel, but it is very faulty due to its heavy reliance on games that happen later in the season. Texas has one of the most difficult string of games I have ever seen a team play, and they came out of it all with one loss to Texas Tech, but more importantly, wins over Oklahoma, Missouri, and Oklahoma State, all ranked in the top 10 when they were played. But now because Oklahoma beat Texas Tech and Oklahoma State later in the season, they jump Texas in the BCS standings and will be representing the Big 12 in the championship game despite losing the head to head matchup. In my opinion, Texas is the #2 team in the country right now and Texas Tech should not be ahead of PSU. I don't care who you lose to, if you lose by 40 points to anyone, you don't deserve to be ahead of a team that has one loss and that loss being by one point.

Of course none of this really matters, since there is no hope left for a national championship, but it just shows the flaws that are present in the system. And for Texas fans, this must be truly aggravating, similar to the Auburn undefeated team a few years ago. Before this year I never really believed in a playoff system because it really takes away some of the validity of the regular season games and the prestige of the bowl games, but now I feel that a 4 team playoff is the best approach. This is really very unfair to Texas who lost one game at the last second, although they could have sealed the victory in that last possession when a sure interception went through the arms of a Texas defender. Regardless of that, at the end of the season there will be at most one legitimate undefeated team in the country, and after that what should be done with the one loss teams? I don't think that PSU should be considered since their loss was to an unranked (although very tough) team, and the fact that the conference is not very difficult this year, but how are people putting Florida above Texas and Oklahoma? Florida lost to an unranked team and their only victory over an AP top 25 team was Georgia who is in a tailspin. Wow, they win by lots of points! Who cares how you win. A win is a win is a win. I don't buy that. Why do teams have records that show wins and losses? Because that's the most important statistic. Not how many points you score.

http://cfn.scout.com/2/815076.html

He pretty much says what I said about PSU not getting enough mentioned for National Championship consideration... only in much fewer words.

Also, a record 4 Nittany Lions were selected by ESPN the Magazine as Academic All-Americans, and another as a second teamer.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/psu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/08-americans.pdf

One thing that stood out to me, was Tyler Roehl from North Dakota State who majored in Physical Education and only had a GPA of 3.38. A) That means he got many B's in Phys. Ed classes. B) How does that qualify him as a first team Academic All-American? The answer is that there are really no other qualified candidates since they organize this by position, and running backs are apparently the densest of the lot.

Also notable, Mark Rubin made first team DB, but Rhodes Scholar Myron Rolle was delegated to second team. Makes you wonder how smart he actually is...

http://bigten.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112408aag.html

In case you missed it, the All Big Ten Teams and individual honors were announced last night on the Big Ten Network. I was very pleased with the results, as Penn State was heavily involved in these honors. The two most distinguished awards received by Penn Staters were Big Ten Coach of the year (Joe Paterno) and Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the year (AQ Shipley).

Shipley has had an awesome career for Penn State, starting at center for three years. He came in as a highly recruited prospect out of Moon, PA. and he certainly lived up to expectations. I don’t know how much his height will affect his draft status and his performance in the NFL, but I expect him to have a future at the next level. The entire offensive line was incredible for most of the year (up until Ohio State and Iowa), and they were awarded with three first team All Big Ten selections in Shipley, Orhenberger, and Cadogan. I believe all three players definitely deserved these awards. In fact I was kind of surprised Wisniewski didn’t make the first team, but he was named to the second team as only a sophomore, and will have two more cracks at it.

For the rest of the offense, first teamers included Darryl Clark at QB, Derrick Williams at WR. I’m very glad that Clark was named to the first team by both the coaches and the media, because he definitely deserved it. He was without a doubt the best quarterback in the Big Ten this year, even with his drop off late in the year. He exceeded all expectations. I had heard mentions of it going to Juice Williams, and that would have just been ridiculous.

As for Williams, I was surprised he got first team (he was second team for the media picks). But, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. His stats as a receiver certainly don’t justify him being listed as one of the top two wideouts in the conference, but you have to look at the whole picture. First of all, Penn State had three great wide receivers this year, so the ball is going to get spread around pretty evenly, and his stats will be lower as a result. Secondly, you have to consider everything else he brings to the table. He had a great year on special teams, returning both punts and kicks. Also, he lined up as wide receiver, quarterback, and running back, doing everything from catching the ball to running the ball and passing the ball. He also is a tremendous downfield blocker. With all of these things taken into account, the pick makes a lot more sense.

One defense Maybin was an obvious selection for first team. Also on the defensive line, Odrick was a first teamer with the coaches and second teamer with the media. I was very glad to see this because he has been perhaps our best defensive player for the second half of the season and he goes widely unnoticed. He has been dominant lately and has really worked his way into being a dominant starter in the Big Ten. I knew he deserved this recognition but wasn’t sure if he would actually get it. I’m glad he did. I’m also glad he will be back next year. I expect Penn State to have the best defensive front seven in the ENTIRE COUNTRY next season. They only lose Josh Gaines, and get back Sean Lee, Devon Still, and Jerome Hayes from injury. Think about this line: Maybin, Ogbu, Koroma, Odrick, Evans, Hayes, Still. Then to the linebackers: Bowman, Lee, Mauti, Yancich, Stupar, Gbadu, Hull. There can’t possibly be a better combination of talent and experience anywhere else.

Among linebackers, Navarro Bowman was named to both first team lists, and I agree with this selection. I’m glad to see he got the credit he deserved. He had a great year and will only get better.

In the secondary, Scirotto was a first teamer and second teamer. I don’t really agree with this. I didn’t think he had a very good year. In my opinion, he really tailed off after his impressive sophomore season.

Other players receiving second team selections included Evan Royster and Deon Butler. Royster was our best offensive weapon all year and in my opinion could have and should have been used even more. He will have two more years to shine before leaving Penn State as the most prolific rusher in Penn State history. Butler had another great year to end a very remarkable and improbable career at Penn State.

Many more Penn State players received honorable mention. The one I was happiest about was Tony Davis. Another player that largely goes unnoticed but had a very solid career for Penn State. I’m glad to see him get some credit.

As for other teams, I agree with the pick of Shonn Green for offensive player of the year. I was hoping to see Maybin get defensive player or at least defensive lineman of the year, but those went to James Laurinaitis and Mitch King respectively. Maybin will have another two years to try and garner these accolades.

Other players to note: Eric Decker – WR Minnesota. I know Penn State didn’t play them this year, but I saw some of their games, and this kid is the real deal. He is a great wide receiver, and I’m glad he was awarded for his incredible season.

I have lots of thoughts to share on various subjects ranging from the BCS to the All Big Ten team. I guess I should start with the hot topic... the BCS.

I will preface my opinion by stating the following: You will NOT hear me cry/argue/complain that Penn State should be in the national championship game this season. The way I see it, Penn State had an inside track to the championship game, they controlled their own destiny and had three very winnable games left, and they blew it. A lot of people are starting to complain that Penn State is not being mentioned as a possible candidate for the championship, and while they do bring up some valid points, all the Lions had to do was take care of their own games and they could have avoided any controversies and gotten in without any problems. Since they failed to do this, they have no right to complain about whatever fate is decided for them.

With all of that being said, there are some aspects of the current BCS standings that I have major problems with. I was happy to see Penn State jump Texas Tech and Utah in the AP and Coaches Poll after their impressive performance over Michigan State. Then, I was both shocked and upset when I saw that they were still behind both teams in the BCS standings -- the only rankings that really matter at this point. Texas Tech just got absolutely embarassed by Oklahoma. They lost 65-21. I was watching the game and could not help but feel sorry for the Texas Tech coaches and players, there was absolutely nothing they could do to stop the Sooners. Comparatively, Penn State's only loss was by one on a last second field goal in difficult playing conditions to a good team. There is no way anyone can justify putting a team in the National Championship game just three weeks after they got demolished 65-21 in a prime time game in front of the entire country.

Now some of you may be reading this wondering why I'm even talking about the national championship. It's already been decided that PSU is going to the Rose Bowl, right? Wrong. While there are a lot of unlikely things would have to happen, it is not completely out of the question... at least it wasn't when Saturday ended. When the BCS standings came out on Sunday and PSU was somewhow still at #8, that most likely ended any chance PSU had of going to the National Championship- which is why I was so upset with the standings.

But looking at the top ranked teams, Alabama has their biggest rival this weekend in Auburn. While Auburn has been struggling this year, they once again have one of the top defenses in the country, and as a result, play almost everyone close. And you know they will be up for a game against Alabama, especially an Alabama team that is undefeated and ranked #1. I expect this game to be close, and if the ball bounces the wrong way, Alabama could easily lose this game. If they win, they still have Florida in the SEC Championship - so we know one of those two will lose a game. Speaking of Florida, they also have a tough game before the SEC championship, they face a Florida State team that has a very strong defense and could still win the ACC. If they are looking ahead to Alabama, they could lose to FSU.

In the Big 12, Oklahoma could lose to Oklahoma State this weekend. Oklahoma State beat Missouri on the road and nearly brought down the Longhorns when Texas was ranked number one. Coming off of such a dominant performance, I would not be surprised to see Oklahoma fall to State this weekend. Also, keep in mind that given the current craziness going on in the Big 12 South, Oklahoma is going into this game with the inention of not only winning, but winning big so they can pick up some style points. If they get off toa bad start, things could beging to unravel when it becomes apparant that they won't win it by as many as they had hoped. That's always a contributor for a let-down.

Another monkey wrench that could be thrown into the mix is if Missouri ends up beating the Big 12 South Representative in the Big 12 Championship Game. If this happens, it would give the Big 12 South Winner (Texas, Oklahoma, or Texas Tech) two losses, and effectively take them out of consideration. There are many people who argue that a team should not be able to play for the National Championship if they don't even win their own conference. I don't personally agree with this argument, but enough people do that it would be very controversial if it came down to this. Especially after Nebraska sneaked into the championship game and got blown out after not even playing in the Big 12 Championship. So, if this arguemtn gets enough backing, it would eliminate not only the Big 12 South Winner, but also the other two teams that don't win the Big 12 South. Likewise, if Oregon State wins this weekend, that would mean USC would not win its conference, and these voters who stick to their beliefs would also refuse to vote in USC.

This has led me on a tangent that doesn't even involve Penn State, but it is so interesting that I have to bring it up. In my opinoin if the following situation arises, it will create such an enormous controversy, it would effectively mark the inevitable end of the BCS:

Say Okahoma State beats Oklahoma this weekend. Then the Big 12 South winner would be Texas Tech, since they'd be tied with Texas but they beat them head to head. So Texas Tech would go to the Big 12 Championship Game, but would still be ranked below Texas. Even if they beat Missouri in that game, it is unlikely that would jump all the way from 7 to 2 over Texas, just a few weeks after that terrible loss. So Texas, sitting at #2 behind the Florida Alabama winner, would go to the national championship game over Texas Tech despite losing to Tech head to head and the not even winning their Conference (not even winning their division of their conference). Texas Tech would have a lot to scream about in this case, and I'm kind of hoping it happens just to see how it plays out.

Back to the Lions:

Once again, I'm not saying Penn State belongs in the championship game, because if they really wanted to be there, all they had to do was win their games and we wouldn't be talking about this right now. But, if Alabama does lose, then there are a bunch of one loss teams all deserving of a shot, and I think Penn State has as good of a team as any of them.

Florida's loss by one to Ole Miss is very comparable to PSU's only loss of the season. So, the only thing Florida has over PSU is that the SEC is better than the Big Ten, so they have more impressive wins. I will not argue against that, becaus I agree their schedule was tougher than Penn States. But, at the same time, it's not PSU's fault that the Big Ten is down this year. It's not Penn State's fault that Ohio State has gotten dominated in the National Championship the last two years (which I don't think should be used as reason to keep PSU out, even though it is being used that way.) So there isn't anything more that Penn State could have done this year to make themselves more deserving than Florida. (Except beat Iowa). All of their wins outside of Ohio State came by 14 points or more.

USC lost to an Oregon State team that Penn State dismantled 45-14. Beyond that, they have won all of their games in the Pac 10. I will not try to say the Big Ten is tough this year. It is not. There is no way to deny that. And that is what is hurting Penn State. But, I definitely don't think the Pac 10 is any better than the Big Ten. In fact, it is worse. So, in my opinion, Penn State is more deserving to go than USC, since they have comparible schedules and Penn State is 2-0 vs. common opponenets while USC is 1-1.

Wow. I'm exhausted. I just laid out many various scenarios that could arise within the BCS over the next few weeks. Some if it may have been hard to follow. It's a very complex process. The bottom line is there are many deserving teams and only two will get to go. It will be very interesting to see what happens.

I intended to talk about the All Big Ten Teams which were announced tonight, but I no longer have the energy. I will mention that they were completely dominated by Penn State on both sides of the ball, and it was very nice to see. I will write about that tomorrow.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/columnists/la-sp-plaschke21-2008nov21,1,4778523.column?page=2

Looks like Penn State is not enough competition for USC.

Each of the following seniors will score a touchdown on a magical senior day in Happy Valley: Derrick Williams, Deon Butler, Jordan Norwood, Anthony Scirotto.

Okay, well maybe that is a bit much. But I have high hopes for this weekend. I'm leaving for State College right now. Goodbye.

First of all I'd like to apologize for last weeks absence but I couldn't rightly show my face on this blog after making such a jagoff of myself in my Iowa post. Apologies all around.

For this week I'll keep it short because it's clear I don't know what I'm talking about. I think Michigan State is a very one dimensional team, and not only one dimensional but one player-one dimensional. Not only do they run the ball half the time but those runs all go to Javon Ringer. Ringer is an excellent back who will be playing on lots of Sundays but I don't see how a team can beat solid opponents with such an attack.
I think Penn State needs to keep the ball on the ground until Michigan State proves they can stop it. Even then some direct snaps and reverses should work. I think we've done well in the trenches so we need a big help from the d-backs to keep Ringer off the edge.

I would really like to see Paterno drop this whole macho we don't get cold thing. I don't understand this. Having heated benches is a 100% added advantage to your team. Penn State has top notch facilities all around and we get to the game and we skimp. It keeps your players loose and two steps faster. I mean your giving your players jackets, so why not get them the best jackets, and seeing Boone huddled between two tool boxes was just embarrassing. The same thing goes for the first few games of the year, the other teams have cooling fans and our guys don't. Guess who gets cramps in the 3rd quarter. I know this will never change under the Paterno regime but I would like it to.

I like a big game from Stephfon Green and Penn State brings home the Land Grant trophy with a 27-14 win.

If we do clinch the Rose Bowl spot I'm not sure who I would like to play. I would love to see USC get screwed out of it just to see if Will Ferrel, Nick Lachey, and Snoop Dogg go see them play in the Holiday Bowl or something. But I would enjoy more spanking them in front of said celebrities at their home stadium and watching Pete Carrol cry in his press conference afterwards that his team is still somehow better. It may also give the sporting world a look at what a class act team is and what a bunch of primadonna, cocky, pansies USC is.

Strike you gait and win...

After a long hiatus (since Art's Fest), I will be back in town for the regular season finale. I had plans to buy a ticket several weeks ago because I knew this would be a huge game, and back then, thought it might be the game that clinched our spot at the National Championship game. I found a ticket for $100 and contacted the guy immediately. Not a bad price for such a big game. I got in touch with a friend to make the transaction in State College. I sent a check for the cost of the ticket and was set. But alas, this friend never made the transaction. I contacted him a few days ago and found this out. Had Penn State beaten Iowa, I would have been a little upset because ticket prices would have likely gone up. But we didn't win...and due to his laziness/forgetfulness/whatever, I never paid $100 for a ticket. Now I am paying $50 and even had some offers for $40! Although I'm glad that I didn't have to pay more for my ticket, it astounds me that so many people are trying to just get rid of this ticket. This is a historic game that I wouldn't miss for the world.

As Hottel mentioned, it is senior day, and what a group they are. Who wouldn't want to be in attendance for Derrick Williams last game in Beaver Stadium? To send off Jordan Norwood and Deon Butler, Williams, and Gaines, and others that are the most class act players you will ever find? And then there are the questions that still linger about Paterno and this maybe being his last game, but I think he will be back for another year at least. Of course on July 30th at Fenway, I thought that Manny would be back at the park the next day and that didn't work out. If this is Paterno's last game, no one will know until next year. It will be a magical night regardless and the team they are playing isn't too bad either.

Michigan State is highly one dimensional and on paper, this should be a sure win for the Lions. But as Mr. Chalfin addressed, the game will be won or lost by Penn State and in particular Daryll Clark. I was not able to watch the game last weekend live, but I downloaded a recorded version and watched that the other night. My analysis on Clark was that on certain drives he played very well, made good throws with good timing and moved the ball down the field. Other times he short armed it, didn't use proper footwork, and occasionally held on to the ball too long. The interception wasn't terrible. There were two guys on Butler, but sometimes you've got to give it a shot. He clearly needs to secure that ball better, and he knows that. A lot of his fumbles even happen while he's got two hands on the ball because when he runs through the line, he has the ball held firmly with both hands, but at his chest and he runs straight up giving players a target to aim their hats at. Put those shoulders down so defenders can't even get a shot at the ball.

Hopefully these things will be addressed, but what some people also don't realize is that Penn State faced three very good defensive lines in the past three games. Four even if you include Michigan. Indiana has been near the top of the Big Ten in sacks for the past few years and are there again this year. Iowa of course was very elite, but MSU's defense is a little suspect. Clark should have some time back there, and I would like to see him run more because he's a great runner, he just needs to hold onto that football! The key to the game will be stopping the run, which I have no doubt PSU will be able to do (Ringer is second in the nation in rushing yards, but only averages 4.4 yards per carry), and also to keep the Spartan receivers in front of them. Last year they got burned by Hoyer in the second half, and as long as they don't give up the big pass, they should have a good shot at a win provided they don't turn the ball over.

I am extremely excited for the game this weekend and to just get back to everything that I miss so much. It will be a great atmosphere and will be emotional not only for the players, but the fans as well as we all say goodbye to some of the greats that we will likely tell our children about. This team has worked hard all season and has exceeded everyone's expectations. The Rose Bowl is in sight, and even though there is a good chance we could be matched with Oregon State in a no-win situation, there is also a chance we will get the opportunity to prove our worth and right the Big Ten ship against USC and Pete Carroll, the most overrated coach in college football. There is no reason that team should ever lose with the athletes it has, but I'll save that discussion for some other time. I can't wait for Saturday even if it's going to be less than 30 degrees and I don't have a winter jacket...it will be a weekend I may never forget. Fight On State.

I think it was a combination of the crushing loss at Iowa being followed up with a game against a struggling Indiana team that really put everyone in a lull when it came to Penn State football. Everyone I have spoken with was in the same boat as me for the last week and a half. The days went by slower and were not nearly as exciting, and there just felt like there was something missing. There was less to look forward to. This is the obvious cause for the lack of posts on this blog (that and my poor internet connection).

Well the purpose of this post is basically to say "Snap out of it!" Penn State has one game left on it's schedule, and it's a HUGE GAME. There is a lot to be excited about and a lot to play for. Both teams are fighting for a Big Ten Championship and a trip to the Rose Bowl.

I think the outcome of the game is solely based on which Penn State team shows up. If they come out and play like they did for the first eight games of the season, they should win handily. If they play the way the have for the last three games, they will lose... they will lose not only the game, but the Big Ten Championship as well as their first trip to Pasadena since 1994.

More specifically, I think Penn State's performance as a team hinges around which Darryl Clark shows up to the game. It's no coincidence the for those first eight games where Penn State was dominant, Clark played exceptional football. He was nearly flawless, throwing only two interceptions, and greatly exceeding even the highest of expectations. Then, something happened, I'm not quite sure what, but he has not been himself the last three games. His timing seems to be off, he is not stepping into his throws, he is not looking off of his primary target anymore, and his throws have been way off-target. Whatever it is, he needs to fix it and get back on track if Penn State wants to win this season.

When you take a step back and look at the entire situation, there are many things in Penn State's favor in this game. The first, and most obvious, is that it is at home. Beaver Stadium is obviously a very very tough place for anyone to play in. I have already mentioned everything that is at stake in this game. If this team can't get motivated for a conference title and a Rose Bowl berth, I don't know what will get them up.

In addition, as Hottel mentioned, it is Senior Day -- and this always serves to motivate the team. But as Hottel pointed out, this Senior Day in particular is even more special than most. That's because most people credit this class of seniors with turning the program around (and rightfully so).

Derrick Williams was the number one recruit in the entire country coming out of high school, and he shocked the world by committing to a school with just four wins. On national television he encouraged other high school stars to join him at Penn State and "wake this sleeping giant." All of us Penn State fans could see that Penn State was just a few players away from having a national title contender, but most high schoolers would just look at the poor record and disregard Penn State from consideration. It takes a very mature and wise person to make the bold move that Derrick Williams and Justin King did when they selected Penn State, and I think they, along with everyone else, would agree that their decision paid off tremendously. I have an incredible ammount of respect for both of them.

So you can bet that emotions will be riding high when Williams, Norwood, Butler, Scirrotto, and the rest of the seniors are announced on Saturday. And, as if all of that wasn't enough, there is one more Nittany Lion who very well could be in his last game at Beaver Stadium this Saturday...

I'm learning how to post videos on here for your entertainment!

DISCLAIMER

Photos and videos on The Penn State Football Show are used without permission but do not interfere with said owner's profit. If you own a specific image or video on this site and want it removed, please e-mail us.

There is not much to recap about the Indiana game. I predicted a 42 point win and due to the lackluster play in the first half I did not cover the spread. Hopefully, they can correct the mistakes and play a sharp game on Saturday because Michigan State will not bow down like Indiana.



Senior Day at PSU is always an emotional experience. My senior year at PSU, I said goodbye to Tamba Hali and Michael Robinson. No doubt their leadership abilities were passed down to the seniors we will be saying goodbye to on Saturday. It seems like only yesterday, I was watching Derreck Williams commit to PSU on ESPN news. I will be in attendance on Saturday and seeing D wheels, Butler, Norwood, Shipley, and Gains come out for senior rec is going to be tough. This is a special senior class and they have the opportunity to win two Big Ten Championships.






This photo, someday, should be compared to the four horsemen of Notre Dame, but King had to leave us early and miss his whole first season in the NFL with an injury. Twenty years from now, when you look back, you will mention this group as the greatest group of wide receivers to ever play at PSU without even blinking an eye.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L49-PKFKDIU&feature=related

As Pete said, it has been hard to even think about the Iowa game, but a combination of tentative playcalling, not executing offensively, and not finishing the game cost the Lions a shot at a national championship. Whatever. Now we play for the Rose Bowl and a matchup with USC most likely, where Penn State will be a huge underdog. Still, you've got to be excited about that. Beating USC would make me happy for a long while.

Now to Indiana. We were all terribly wrong last week, but I again feel that Penn State will dismantle this team. They should have no shot in this game, those Hoosiers. Last year Maurice Evans was an animal in this game, and I feel like he and the rest of the defense, which did a pretty solid job last week, will be fired up. Coming out hungry is necessary, and I think the offense will get going again after two poor performances on the road. The shot at a national championship is still there if some crazy things happen, and remember last year Ohio State at this point was ranked 8th and ended up jumping into the championship game. Doubtful, but possible....and made more possible with some slaughtering of opponents. Penn State will be mad, and they will score a lot of points at the expense of the worst team in the Big Ten.

Last night, I wasted about 30 minutes of my time writing my longest post of the year about how crushing the loss to Iowa was, only to lose the entire thing when my internet cut out. It was almost as upsetting and frustrating as the game itself. But not quite. I think the silence on this blog over the past week speaks for itself.

I simply don't have the energy to write it all again. In fact, I think if I spend any more time thinking about that game, I may develop an aneurism in my brain. So, all I will say, is that there are no excuses for that loss. Penn State had every reason to come to play and be motivated, and no reason to look ahead, and they still managed to lose the game. They even had a number of breaks go their way and still could not take advantage. They had a golden opportunity for an unbeaten season and they blew it. No excuses.

Obviously it was upsetting that they lost, but the bottom line is they lost the game themselves. If they had lost on a bad call or a fluke play, then I really would have been upset. But they could have and should have won that game, and they didn't. It happens. So they will not be going to the national championship this year, and they don't deserve to. I can feel that aneurism coming on right about now, so I'm going to stop.

In regards to the game today: Penn State should win big. In 99 after they lost to Minnesota, they collapsed and dropped the last two. In 05 after losing to Michigan, they responded with their most dominant performance of season, crushing Illinois 63-10. Hopefully this team is more like the 05 squad than the 99 team. I guess we will find out today.

Once again, Penn State found a way to break the BCS Championship dreams of their fans. This ranks up there with Michigan 05 and Minnesota 99 with one of the most disappointing losses I can remember. There are too many problems with this game to name them all, but I will go over a few.

1. 23 minutes and change to 6 minutes. That was the time of possession in the first half. How your high powered offense only puts 13 points on the scoreboard with this is unacceptable. The conservative play calling on away games has been a major reason PSU has sucked on the road since 2ooo. If it wasn't for Pryor fumbling the ball, I doubt they would've won the Ohio State game.

2. Ricky Stanzi is not a good quarterback. Watching the Iowa-Pitt game earlier in the year, I thought this would be an easy game for the defense to dominate an over matched inexperienced quarterback. That did not happen. Shonn Green is one hell of a running back, but so is Chris Wells and we kept him in check. How do you not play bump and run coverage on Iowa's wide receivers? Instead, our cornerbacks gave the wide outs eight yard cushions. Watching Iowa's recievers during the final quarter run freely off the snap is the reason they marched down the field to set up the game winning field goal. Where was the pressure from the linebackers? They dropped back into zone coverages and all they covered was grass. It was very frustrating seeing our defense play soft. It looked like a funeral on our sideline. Where was the intensity? Where was the Senior Leadership? Why didn't we have heaters on the sideline in a 33 degree game?

3. Daryll Clark 9-23 for 86 yards 1 interception with an average of 3.7 yards a pass is not going to win you a big ten road game. Derrick Willams one completion went for 23 yards. Clark was under considerable pressure most of the game. I thought it would've been a good idea to let Devlin take a series and air it out. It worked at Florida with Tim Tebow and Chris Leak, so I don't want to hear you can't rotate quarterbacks, especially with how ineffective Clark was.

4. Evan Royster 26 attempts for 90 yards and Stephfon Green 3 attempts for 31 yards. Why didn't Green have more rushing attempts. He brings the element of the big play every time he touches the ball. I'm not trying to bash Royster, he is a fantastic running back, but I thought mixing a little Green couldn't hurt. Hell, they put D wheels back at quarterback and ran direct snaps with him, could've did the same thing with Green.

Even though I am extremely disappointed with this loss both on a coaching and player performance level. I will still be very proud of an Big Ten Championship 11-1 squad going to the Rose Bowl to take on a extremely talented USC team. No one, not even myself, predicted this at seasons start. Lets take care of business in these next two weeks!

For the Glory

Yes MSU will be a top 15 team when we play them in Happy Valley, but that game will not be close. With a possible National Championship appearance on the line, at home against a one dimensional team...not as dangerous as Iowa. With all that said, Iowa is not that much of a danger. As has been said, PSU is coming off a bye week and have had ample time to prepare for the Hawkeyes who are always very stout on defense, and as always very marginal offensively. The do have a terrific running back in Shonn Greene, but their other skill positions are fairly weak. At quarterback Stanzi is having a decent year, but he is nothing special and neither are the wide receivers. Penn State should be able to focus on stopping the run without much concern for the passing game. I do remember times when I was afraid when Penn State played in Iowa City, and I can see how people perceive it to be a tough place to play, but not now, not this year, and to have the nerve to say that it's harder to play there than in State College, Madison, and Columbus is just ludicrous.

I've always respected Iowa and think very highly of Kirk Ferentz, the Iowa head coach, and like the typical Penn State team, they are very defense oriented. It will be a good test for the Lion's offense and I will be paying very close attention to the offensive line to see how they respond to a talented group of linebackers and a top-end defensive line. They came out slow against OSU two weeks ago against a group that may not be as good as they see on Saturday. Now that all the formalities are complete, I truly think that Penn State is going to send a message with this game. Yet again the Nittany Lions have been disrespected, this time at the hands of the BCS Poll, and although these rankings mean nothing at this point, don't tell that to the Blue and White.

Week after week commentators and analysts criticize Penn State and the Big Ten saying that we aren't as good as the SEC or Big 12, blah blah blah. Well I don't care. The SEC is a disgrace this year and the Big 12 decided not to play defense this year. In my opinion, Big Ten football is real football. Teams that can score and more importantly, teams that can hit you in the mouth and stop you from scoring. I am tired of this nonsense where people look at a conference as a whole and then say that a specific team doesn't deserve a shot at a National Championship because some other team from that conference had a poor showing the past two seasons. That's like judging the Red Sox based on the performance of the Baltimore Orioles. Give me a break. Iowa, Indiana, Michigan State...they're going to lose, but they should know that their losses will not be in vain. This is the year that Penn State rights the ship, not just for themselves, but for the conference as a whole. This team is destined for great things and with a little help from LSU and Oklahoma State, that destiny came come into fruition. Even if PSU wins by 40 points the next three weeks, they will continually be looked down upon by these media types, and that disrespect will continue to fuel the fire. I have never in my life been so excited about Penn State football, but I also realize there is a long way to go, and a lot of things have to happen. These players will be prepared Saturday afternoon, and the week after that and the week after that. Disciplined football from a team that is physically one of the best in the business. You can't go wrong. In my next piece I will elaborate on the lack of discipline in some other teams that may end up costing them a National Championship appearance.

I'm surprised by the number of times in the past week that I have heard people refer to this game as a really tough test for Penn State and their most difficult game remaining. I'm not sure why people think the Iowa game is more difficult than a top 20 MSU team. I guess it's because Iowa is away and MSU is at home, but this team has proven that it doesn't have a problem playing on the road this year.

There is something else I heard a few times this week that I almost thought was a joke because it is so ridiculous. I heard TWO Big Ten Network commentators state that Iowa is the toughest place to play in the Big Ten. Are you kidding me? Tougher than Beaver Stadium, The Horse Shoe and Camp Randall? Not even close. I heard it again this morning on the radio. , No clue where that came from.

Anyway, Drew, in response to your post: Trust me, I know this team is good. Real good. I have more confidence in this team than any other Penn State team I've ever watched. But this blog would be pointless if we all just came on it each week and said how the Nittany Lions were going to dismantle every team that comes in their way. Plus, if there is any lesson learned from college football in the past two years, its that any given team can beat any other team on any given day. (A lesson that was instilled into my brain at a very young age by my father.) So, to completely dismiss the possibility of an upset would be foolish, and quite poor journalism might I add. So, what Rudy and I attempt to do, is outline the strengths and weaknesses of each opponent so our many listeners/readers have a good idea what to expect.

With that being said, Iowa is as good of a candidate as any to pull of an upset of this Penn State team. Iowa likes to play a good old-fashioned style of football: strong defense, good running game, ball control, control time of posession. So, if they can somehow find a way to play their game, and keep Penn State's explosive offense off the field by maintaining long scoring drives, they have a shot.

All of their losses have come by seven points or less, so they always keep it close. On the other hand, if you exclude Ohio State, all of Penn State's wins are by 14 points or more. So they tend to make sure it's not close. Clearly something has to give. In my opinion, it will be Iowa's streak that will come to an end.

Penn State is too focused, too determined, too rested, and simply too good to lose this game -- or even keep it close. They haven't played in two weeks, so they will be anxious to get out there and play. I say Penn State comes out fired up and takes it to Iowa -- which would be a great statement to all of the analysts who have predicted an upset. Personally I'm glad that people are making this game out to be a challenge for Penn State rather than just chalking it up as a guaranteed win. This way when the Lions come out on top, it looks more impressive.

Like I said, the only way I think Iowa wins this game is if they are able to dominate time of possession and keep Clark and Co. off the field. They do have a strong defense, so if they can force a few three-and-outs early, sustain a few long drives, and get on top and get the crowd into it, it could turn into a game. I haven't seen much of Iowa this year, but from the highlights of Shonne Green, he looks like a good back and I'm excited to see what he can do. The key for Penn State is for the defensive line to continue playing like it has been and keep Green under control. I think Maybin will continue to have success rushing the passer, and Royster will pick up some big yardage in the fourth quarter.

Elsewhere: Alabama will take care of LSU. Oklahoma State will hang with Texas Tech, and maybe even knock them off. They played well at Missouri, so they are capable of going on the road and beating a good team. They shut down Missouri's high powered offense in that game, so they might be able to do the same to the Red Raiders.

Chaz Powell takes a kick to the house. Penn State 34 Iowa 10

I'm honestly getting pretty frustrated reading this thing every week. When will you guys just come to terms with the fact that we're good? Every week its the same thing "Yeah we played well last week but we're playing Purdue on the road and it's at like 11 am", "Oh I don't know, Camp Randall is such a hard place to play", "Oooohh I'm so scared of that pink visitors locker room at Iowa." CAN IT ALREADY! We've had two weeks to prepare for a 5-4 team that just lost to Illinois. What else can we ask for? Iowa is a team with a decent ground attack and a respectable defense. It is a shell of the Iowa teams of the past few years.

And yet all I hear from everyone is "Well I'm still worried about Iowa." Of course you're still worried about Iowa. Its a football game. If you didn't have some degree of worry you're an idiot. We are just fans and we're concerned, imagine how the players feel. They know what is at stake. They are not going to slip up. We've had two weeks to come down from a big road win, get healthy, and prepare for this game. There is no look ahead left. It's not like we're looking past Iowa because we're afraid of the Hoosiers. We can focus one game at a time, take care of business and let the cards fall as they may. As for you Mr. Chalfin, I am going to have to disagree when it comes to margin of victory. While we could win every game left by a combined three points and still get to the championship provided Alabama or TT loses, it will go a long way in the writers votes if we dismantle everyone left. Penn State rolls 35-13. Odrick and Mayben continue to impress stopping Shonn Greene and forcing many three and outs. After a few quiet weeks I'm expecting a big game out of D-Will in the form of some special teams magic.

On to the rest of the college football world, I actually did some research for this part and am not shooting straight from the hip. Bama goes down. Writers want to to talk about Penn State having an easy schedule and not playing anybody but they fail to note that Alabama has only played three teams with a current winning record: Georgia(7-2), Kentucky (6-3), and Ole Miss (5-4). Georgia is the only team they have played that is currently ranked. Of those three teams with winning records that they played, they beat UK 17-14 and should have lost had that UK d-back not booted that fumble out of bounds. They beat Ole Miss 24-20, and Georgia 41-30. Do these numbers impress you guys because I am not amazed. I think this game would have been best played at 8 p.m. but things can happen at LSU. I like the Bayou Bengals. As for TT I'm not sure which game you guys watched. While the Texas defense should be downright embarrassed of their play especially their pass rush, I don't see Tech losing with the way defense is played in the Big 12. I see a Lions-Raiders championship looming. Also UK takes down the Bulldogs.

On another note, did anyone see college football live the other night where they had clips from Pete Carrol's press conference and Joe Paterno's press conference? Talk about one guy looking like a class act and another guy looking like a schmuck. JoePa resounded how he was focused on Iowa and come the end of the season he is going to whatever bowl they tell him to and Pete Carrol basically cried that he should be ranked number one because he has the best team right now. I am so sick of this guy and his freaking arrogance. And screw Will Ferrel too and their dumb little pranks, its getting tiresome. This team does anything and everything to get media coverage and I hope they all die in a hotel fire.
Chad Greenway is a punk...

Penn State didn't play, but there were a lot of great games this weekend, especially in the Big Ten. All Big Ten games were decided by seven points or fewer, and the Michigan-Purdue game and the Northwestern-Minnesota game both had unbelievable finishes with the winning touchdown coming on a big play in the last few seconds. Michigan State also won on a last second field goal.

Outside of the Big Ten, the Texas vs. Texas Tech game was won of the most exciting college football games I have ever seen. I will be honest, I did not thing Texas Tech had a chance to win this game, but they came out and dominated the Longhorns. Michael Crabtree is probably the best wide receiver in the country, and Harrel is a great QB. I was really impressed with thep lay of their defense. With that being said, I don't think they will win out. In fact, Oklahoma State is a very very good team that is underrated and I expect them to beat Texas Tech this weekend.

The fact that Texas Tech won was very very good for Penn State. Rudy hit the nail on the head. Tech still has OK State and Oklahoma, so there is a very good chance they could lose won of those games. Texas is unlikely to lose again.

For those of you upset about Penn State being ranked third in the BCS: relax. To tell you the truth, the fact that TT is ahead of Penn State right now means absolutely nothing. It means nothing. They have to face two top 10 teams in Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in the next few weeks. So either they will lose one of those games, and Penn State will pass them (as long as PSU wins), OR they will win both of those games, in which case they would have eventually jumped Penn State in the standings anyway. So the BCS standings right now really aren't important. And to tell you the truth, I personally don't have much of a problem with TT being ahead of PSU. After all, they did just beat the #1 team in the country. If I had to make a ballot I'd probably have 1. Alabama 2. PSU 3 Texas Tech, but if Tech wins out, I would definitely move them ahead of Penn State after a win over Oklahoma.

So, all we can do is sit back and watch. Given the way things have gone the past two years, I would say it is very likely that one or maybe both of the top two teams will lose a game this month. In fact, both could lose this weekend. I really don't see Texas Tech wining their next two games, but I didn't think they would beat Texas either. Playing at LSU is always tough, so Alabama could lose. However, LSU is down this year, and I think Alabama is better than most people give them credit for. That will be an interesting game to watch.

I will write my Iowa preview in the next few days. Iowa is a dangerous team with a great defense and an excellent running back. So, it will be a challenge for Penn State. I think the bye week will help though, and the Lions should come out ready to play.

One final note: I disagree with anyone who says that Penn State needs to blow out their opponents in their remaining three games. All they have to do is win them. No style points are needed. Either Bama and/or TT will lose, or they won't. If they don't Penn State won't go the Championship. If they do, an undefeated Penn State will go. It's as simple as that. Just take care of their business and they will be fine.

This past Saturday Penn State had an off week, so most would figure that I would jaunt over to Bobby Dodd Stadium and see my first Georgia Tech game. But no. Georgia Tech was even playing Florida State (in the top three of schools that I despise the most). But here I sat, in my apartment, watching every college football game that I could, not because I liked the teams, but because every game could feasibly help Penn State secure a National Championship bid.

Michigan State - Wisconsin....if MSU keeps winning, by the time we play them, they very well could be in the top 15. A victory over them would provide Penn State with another legitimate win, and in the event that Florida beats Alabama in the SEC Championship, it would also protect against a one loss team jumping ahead of PSU.

Texas - Texas Tech....I was very confused watching this game. Texas I would have to say is my second favorite college football team, and I have great respect for them ever since 2005 when Mack Brown and the boys got together with the Penn State coaching staff and basically told us how to run the spread. A couple months later, Penn State won the Orange Bowl, and Texas the National Championship. Fast forward to here and now. Texas' remaining schedule is about as difficult as Penn State's. They will not lose another game. Had they beaten Texas Tech, the only chance we would get to play for a national title would be if Alabama lost, which is very possible, but not as possible as Texas Tech's chances of losing. Texas Tech will face two more top ten opponents in the next two weeks, Oklahoma State and then at Oklahoma. They are very likely to slip up in one of these two games, and thus propelling PSU to Miami, Florida (of course PSU would need to win its games).

So that is what college football has become for me. It's no longer about which team I "want" to win; it's about which scenario betters Penn State. In the case of the Texas game, I found myself wanting Texas to win, but had to remind myself that a Texas Tech win would be far better for my Alma Mater. And so, that is how the rest of the season will go. It feels like fantasy football where I have Peyton Manning on my team. I hate the Colts, but hey, I need the points.

There are still some games on Saturday where I was able to root for the team I wanted to win since the outcome didn't affect Penn State at all. Florida State, Michigan, and Notre Dame all lost, and for Michigan, that means that they won't be going to a bowl for the first time in 34 years. Keep in mind as well that the last time they didn't go to a bowl, they had a 10-1 record (the Big Ten only sent one team to a bowl back then).

I figured I'd add a little bit more now that I've had time to calm down and think about the events that unfolded Saturday night.

I still think it was a great win, but still truly believe Penn State is a superiour team than Ohio State and could have scored more points and won by more than they did. Clearly they went into the game with a conservative game-plan (similar to the way they did in 05). It worked, so I can't complain. A win is a win, and they did exactly what they had to do. But had the ball bounced the other way, we easily could have lost that game, and just imagine what we would be saying on this blog had that happened. We all would be complaining about the conservative offensive gameplan, certain that PSU could have scored more had they only tried. Like I said, the gameplan worked perfectly, but I really hope Penn State doesn't take a similar approach to future games -- especially a potential bowl game.

Drew, while I like your confidence and enthusiasm, I agree with Rudy. Let's not get ahead of ourselves and never forget the debacle that was 1999. I really trust the leadership of this team and don't see them falling apart like that, but you never know what's going to happen. Of course, if Alabama and Texas both win out, Penn State will not play in the national championship game. Everyone keeps saying one of them will lose, but I'm not so certain. Both teams have really impressed me. The fact tha Alabama has had some close games does not imply they are weak and are due to lose any day now. To me, it makes me fear them more, because it shows they know how to win the close games. I think Saban has done a great job with them, and I would not be surprised to see both teams win out. However, if Florida keeps playing the way they have been, Alabama will have a really really difficult opponent in the SEC Championship game.

I still think Ohio State will lose to Illinois. I believe I forgot to mention this in my post-game analysis, but it needs to be said: Jared Odrick played an incredible game against Ohio State. He made some great tackles, stuffing Beanie behind the line of scrimmage on a few different occasions. Also, I'm still surprised that Penn State's O-line performed so poorly in the first half. They came out strong in the second half, which was promising, but it's discouraging to see that a strong d-line can do that to an O-line that I thought was one of the best in the country.

I think the bye week comes at a perfect time for this team. That was a brutal three game stretch and the team can use some rest. Clark will be fine for the next game. Any guys that are banged up will have some time to heal. They will come into Iowa ready to go, and I don't anticipate a let down that I might have feared without the bye week. This will also give the coaches some time to take a look at some of the younger guys and see what they are capable of. I would not be surprised to see some younger guys get more involved after this bye week. Joe Pa mentioned this possibility at the press conference. Hopefully they can find some ways to get Powell the ball.

How about Big Game Pat Devlin!

Although the road ahead is much easier than it was in 1999, let's at least acknowledge that there are still some tests ahead. Alabama and Texas are going to the BCS National Championship right now, and unless they lose, we will be left out. At the same time however, I have a feeling that we will win our three remaining games, and that either Texas, or Alabama will lose. If Texas loses to Texas Tech however, things could get pretty crazy and the Red Raiders could very well leave us at No. 3. I will admit that I have been looking at ticket prices and plane tickets for a month now. This team is good, and what they did on Saturday, although not what any of us expected, was a thing of beauty.

They altered their game, they adapted, and they went old school on us, and I liked it. That defense was unreal. The linebackers played phenomenally, and I was impressed by the way that Hull and Sales stepped up. Obviously Rubin and Bowman were out of their minds, but overall the team tackled extremely well against two players who are two of the toughest men in college football to bring down. Maybin had a huge sack, and Mo Evans played great at end as well. Evans was the man who punched the fumbled football back about 5 yards, allowing PSU defenders to pounce on it. Had he not done that, this football game may have a different ending. About Clark...yea he was very upset on the sidelines, but I don't think that he was all there either. After the hit he took, A.Q. Shipley went up to him holding up two fingers asking how many he was holding up. Minor concussion, and with this week off, he will undoubtedly be back and ready for Iowa. Devlin did his thing, and more importantly, when he came into the game, no one was scared. I was worried about Clark's health, but not worried about our offense. It is an extremely fortunate luxury for us to have two outstanding players at the most vital position on the football field. Teams like USC have great depth at places like running back, wide receiver, and on defense, but no one in the country has two better quarterbacks.

Kevin Kelly...yea he missed the FG, and it was makeable, but hey, it's a 45 yarder and he nailed the one at the end that put PSU up by 7. I have confidence in him. It's a tough position to play, and yes he has missed some FG's he could have made, but they weren't shanks, he just pushed them a little. He's fine. Scirrotto, the next item. He has missed some tackles, but again, I feel comfortable with him, and the rest of the secondary. They got beat a few times last night, but when you're selling out against the run like that, it's going to happen. Pryor did impress me though as he was able to complete a solid percentage of passes, but as I have said all along, he's a weak runner. He weighs 235 pounds but Jordan Norwood runs tougher than him.

From the very beginning of that game, you could just tell that the defense was going to make a statement. The penetration was unreal, they played with great speed, intelligence, and tackled well. They have gotten better every game, and I don't see them giving up more than 10 points in any other regular season game from here on out. They can win the shootouts, and they can win the defensive struggles. They can spread you out, or they can grind it out. No matter who this team comes up against in whatever bowl they play in, they won't see a defense akin to Ohio State's. If they do make it to the BCS Championship, they will most likely face either Texas or Texas Tech who have great offenses, but defenses that are suspect. People continue to ask if Penn State belongs in the same sentence as Texas and Alabama, but in my opinion Penn State is the best team in the country. I am truly proud of that program and could not be happier to say that I graduated from the Pennsylvania State University. Let's take it all way

Put it on the board, championship! If you read back to my last post there were two components to a national championship season that we were missing and we got them. The knock down drag out game and Rubin poking that ball away will be seen on every Penn State montage for the rest of the season. I can't say how big that play was. Ohio State had the ball and that clocked seemed like it was in fast-forward. I was worried. I went to my mom's liquor cabinet and saw a bottle of Jim Beam that had my name on it if we lost. One play and the entire game changes. We get great field position and Devlin steps in and does what he needs to do to get in the endzone.
Ya know, for as little as we actually know we are proven right an awful lot. Pete I believe it was you that lamented on Kevin Kelley's propensity for choking... spot on. That field goal he missed was make-able and could have put us up huge. He missed and Ohio State gets a big momentum swing. Poor. Also going way back when we talked about conservative play calling on the road. WTF? It became evidently clear that Ohio State's offense was not going to burn us for 35 points. We were also struggling because we were not doing what we normally do. Doug Flutie even noticed this at halftime and encourage Penn State to open it up. We never did and luckily we got it done running between the tackles. I'll take a win against the bucks anyway I can take it but I really think we could have gone to throw the ball more. Too many wide reciever screens and it was plainly obvious when the ball was going to Williams. I obviously don't have the stats but the passes where we went vertical usually resulted in a catch or a pass interference. Their D-line was applying good pressure but you can't rush 8 and cover 4. Get rid of the ball and make them pay.
But I'm doing an awful lot of complaining after such a game. This team has mettle and it was tested. That was a big win on the road and all but secured Penn State's undefeated season. I would have liked to see Darryl Clark be a little more supportive on the sidelines. I definitely understand how upset he was but it took him a little too long to get to the front of the sidelines and cheer on his team. Back to positives though, I thought the defensive line played absolutely outstanding. Wells was absolutely bottled up and they were getting penetration on almost every play. I'm wondering why we didn't see Mauti much though.
On a personal note, does anyone else get a little psyched up to see Larry Federhoff be the first man to the ball on every punt? Cuz I know I do.
This is a big season. We could end up getting screwed but thats out of our hands. I know I will go broke on a ticket for the Orange Bowl and will never allow myself to regret it. Also I would love to see a Penn State-Alabama national championship purely for the old film footage. I think we all need a bye week just as much as the players so I'll be thinking only of upsets for this next week.

You're better off with Fedrhoff.

What an incredible game. What a great win. After a game like that, I can't get my mind off of Penn State football for a few days, so I figured I'd write something up for the blog right away.

First of all, I must admit, that game did not go AT ALL like I had expected. I was completely wrong. Penn State's offense could not get anything going, but the defense was phenomenal. They completely shut down the run, which is what I said they needed to do. Bradley game-planned perfectly. Shut down Chris Wells and Penn State wins... they shut down Chris Wells and they won.

I'm surprised PSU couldn't put up more points. It seems like every time these two teams meet, points are at a premium and its a struggle to even get a field goal. I don't know why this is, but it happens almost every year. This defensive struggle was much like 05.

I think I will just throw out my thoughts in no particular order:

-There were at least 5 plays where OSU was blatantly holding and it was never called.

-PSU: No penalties, no turnovers. That's huge.

-Rubin tackled very well. Bowman played a great game.

- Scirotto still can not tackle.

- O-line really struggled in the first half. Clark saw more pressue in those 2 quarters than he saw all year. They picked it up in the second half.

- I was hoping for a double reverse all game. Could have been a big play.

- Devlin showed a lot of poise coming in like that.

- Clark showed tremendous strength running the ball.

- Pryor really really impressed me. Much better than I thought he would do. Found the open man (why were they so wide open all game?) He converted on many third down conversions. He handled himself well and he's going to be tough for the next three years. He still throws like a girl though. And just as I predicted, he could not beat PSU through the air. Holding the Buckeyes to just two field goals at home is a huge accomplishment for this defense. They really have played tremendously.

- Royster had a bad first half. Made some bad cuts. Redeemed himself in the fourth quarter though.

- Where was Jordan Norwood? Where was Andrew Quarless?

- Ty Sales played great, and Hull played a good game as well.

-Coverage by the secondary was not good. Guys were wide open all game and I saw Rubin, Davis, and Sargeant get turned around a few times. Not sure what was going on there.

-GREAT WIN. Iowa is next.

Another note I meant to bring up but it looks like I forgot to mention... I've heard a million times this week that Penn State has not won in Columbus since 1978, which means they have never won there since joining the Big Ten. Well Whoopdie Freakin Doo.

Two weeks ago we heard how Penn State can't win at Camp Randall. They beat Wisconsin.

Last week we heard how Penn State has lost 9 in a row to Michigan. They beat Michigan.

Clearly this team writes its own history. Tomorrow night is a big chapter.