A look back at why Penn State beat Ohio State

So last night showdown was just as I expected it would be; a defensive battle that the Nittany Lions pulled off. It was obvious that Penn State was the better team and a team that is much more ready to make a run at the national championship.

Not to hate a on Terrelle Pryor because he is a great player, but being a freshman showed by the mistakes he made and the play calling of Ohio State. Yes the game was close, but Ohio State really couldn't move the ball on offense. I'd say this is because Pryor is a freshman and they weren't willing to stretch the field as often as Penn State. Even though Penn State didn't complete many long passes they were at least willing to try which opened up the running game.

Ohio State on the other hand constantly looked conservative and it showed as Chris Wells couldn't get anything going on the ground because Penn State just had to focus on him. Without Wells being able to run Ohio State was going to be in trouble.

As far as defense the game went just as I expected it would. I knew the game would be won by the defense that was able to force mistakes or slow down the other offense. I figured Penn State would give Pryor a lot of trouble because they are the best defense Ohio State has faced all year. A freshman mistake is what ultimately cost Ohio State the game. With the lead in the 4th quarter and a 3rd and 1 Pryor was expected to just sneak it up the middle and get the first down. However, he tries to bounce it outside and make the big play which he fumbled away when defensive back Mark Rubin knocked the ball loose with his left hand. This will certainly be a mistake Pryor will learn from especially with a strong defense and the lead. As for the interception it's really not a big deal because he just threw the ball to the end zone with little time left hoping to tie the game up. Amazing that it takes desperation for Ohio State to throw the ball down field. If they did it a little more earlier the game could have turned out better for them.

Overall, this game did show the nation that Penn State is for real and Ohio State has a long ways to go before it can be considered a national contender. At this rate they would lose to any SEC or Big XII team because they lack the ability to move the ball if "Beanie" Wells isn't able to get his 100 yards. They showed last night that they aren't going to spread the field and even though they have big play receivers in Brian Hartline and Brian Robiskie they haven't been a factor since Pryor became the starting quarterback. This makes their offense predictable and they have to rely on their defense to score or give them good field position.

Penn State is the team to beat in the Big Ten and I couldn't be happier to finally give another team a chance to prove themselves on the national stage rather than seeing Ohio State get blown out again. I hope Penn State makes the national championship and I believe they can win it to restore faith in the Big Ten.

Week 9 Picks

So last weekend I was an upset pick away from having a perfect week. This weekend I'm looking for perfection and this weekend could be one of the toughest to pick. The top two teams will face off in Columbus. Can Wisconsin win a Big Ten game or will they continue to fall? Can Minnesota keep it up or will they continue like every other team in the Big Ten that has had a bye and lost the following week? The Michigan-Michigan State rivalry takes place and Michigan State looks to rebound after being smacked in the face by Ohio State. Will be an interesting weekend and the Big Ten Title could be decided this weekend.

Lets get it started.....

Northwestern at Indiana- This is an intriguing game because I'm just waiting for the Indiana offense to explode. Will CJ Bacher continue his hot streak and keep the Wildcats rolling? I see Northwestern struggling on the road but Bacher and Sutton prove too tall a task for a struggling Indiana secondary.
Northwestern 38, Indiana 21

Minnesota at Purdue- What happens here? Does Curtis Painter continue to struggle and lose his teammates? Or does he respond to his running back Korey Sheets calling him out? Sheets has been solid all year long but he can't carry the whole team. Minnesota has been surprising all year and they could already be destined for a loss as every team has following a bye week in the Big Ten this season. Quarterback Adam Weber has been able to lead the offense well all year and has been in control. The defense also looked strong against Illinois and forced turnovers to beat Illinois in Champaign. I think Purdue responds at home and Curtis Painter responds to adversity.
Purdue 28, Minnesota 17

Illinois at Wisconsin- This game is a tough call because Wisconsin is capable of being a good team and they are always tough at Camp Randall. The issue is that they haven't been able to protect their home field this season. The Illini have been inconsistent all year and they looked spectacular against Indiana last weekend but who hasn't. Juice Williams is capable of beating anyone anywhere but Wisconsin is hungry. The Illini have a lot of weapons and Jason Ford emerged as a solid running back last weekend. This game all depends on Wisconsin's defense as they have not played very well of late. I'm going with Wisconsin to finally get a Big Ten win because no way do they lose again at home and go 0-5 in the Big Ten.
Wisconsin 28, Illinois 21

Michigan State at Michigan- The rivalry continues as Michigan State looks to prove they are a solid team after being dominated by Ohio State. Michigan is just looking to find their identity as they looked like they were capable of playing with Penn State for a half and then they just fell apart. I'm not saying they are even close to Penn State but still they were able to play with them for a half. Michigan is at home and will be fired up for this game. The defense is strong and they must focus on stopping Javon Ringer. I'm not sure where to go with this one but I'll go with Michigan State just because I feel they are the better team.
Michigan State 21, Michigan 17

Penn State at Ohio State- So it's down to the Big Game with so many implications on the line. The Big Ten Title a possible National Championship birth. This game looks to be a classic as the top defense of the Big Ten faces the top offense. Penn State's offense has been unstoppable and Ohio State is always tough on defense. However, I think Penn State's offense is better than USC's and has more weapons which could be a problem for Ohio State. Penn State also has a solid defense but they have to face Chris "Beanie" Wells who always plays good in big games and Terrelle Pryor continues to impress me as he shows much more maturity than his age. The game is at Columbus but I see Penn State forcing a couple of costly turnovers that gives Penn State the victory.
Penn State 38, Ohio State 27


Season Record: 28-11

A look back at Week 8

Alright so last weekend was good because it showed that there are two teams that separate themselves at the top. In my opinion Penn State is the clear cut number one and Ohio State is number two. Of course these two could swap places after this weekend but there's no way anyone is going to jump over them no matter who loses.

But lets take a look back at my picks last week as I tried to be bold and make an upset pick. However, it back fired on me and kept me from my first perfect weekend. My overall record this season now stands at 28-11.

Ohio State vs. Michigan State- I thought I had something here when I picked Michigan State to continue to impress the nation by knocking off the Buckeyes. I doubted Ohio States ability on offense after what it did against Purdue. However, I now know to never doubt the Buckeyes and Terrelle Pryor as they are a much stronger team with Pryor and a healthy Wells.
My Pick: OSU 17, MSU 24
Score: OSU 45, MSU 7

Purdue vs. Northwestern- After the way Purdue has struggled this seemed like a no brainer. The Wildcats were able to overpower the Boilermakers as Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter continues to struggle as he threw three picks. The Wildcats were also able to comeback after their first loss of the season to Michigan State. Northwestern continues to impress as they now stand at 6-1 on the season and 2-1 in the Big Ten.
My Pick: NW 28, Purdue 17
Score: NW 48, Purdue 26

Wisconsin vs. Iowa- I predicted the game would be decided on the ground and boy was it ever. Shonn Greene rushed for 217 yards and outscored the Badgers on his own. I wasn't too far off on the score and my prediction that the Iowa defense would be able to stop the run and force turnovers also wasn't a bad one as they tallied three interceptions. Wisconsin continues to free fall as they have lost 4 in a row and Iowa seems to be back on track as the offense looks to be gaining momentum.
My Pick: Iowa 27, Wisconsin 13
Score: Iowa 38, Wisconsin 16

Michigan vs. Penn State- Penn State continued to show why it is one of the best if not the best team in the country. The Nittany Lions started off slow as Michigan was able to get out to a 10-0 start. But the Nittany Lions weren't going to be denied a victory over Michigan. The Nittany Lions were able to score 39 unanswered points to blow away Michigan and continue their quest for a Big Ten Title and the National Championship.
My Pick: PSU 38, Michigan 10
Score: PSU 46, Michigan 17

Indiana vs. Illinois- Going into this game I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Could Indiana's offense get things going against an inconsistent Illini defense? Will the Illini play to their potential and blow Indiana away? There were just too many questions as Illinois hasn't played to their potential consistently and Indiana has just looked terrible. However, the Illini defense showed up to play and looked the best they have all year in my opinion. The offense also looked explosive as Juice Williams continues to impress as he threw 3 TD's. Then there was the surprise performance from running back Jason Ford that had a breakout performance rushing for 172 yards and 3 TD's of his own. The Illini showed just how dangerous they can be but they have also had a habit of having a let down after playing well.
My Pick: Illinois 38, Indiana 17
Score: Illinois 55, Indiana 13

Power Rankings
1. Penn State
2. Ohio State
3. Northwestern
4. Minnesota
5. Michigan State
6. Iowa
7. Illinois
8. Purdue
9.Michigan
10. Wisconsin
11. Indiana

Showdown in Columbus

With the Big Ten Title on the line and a possible berth in the BCS Championship at stake how does it get any bigger than Penn State at Ohio State?

5 Reasons this game's huge...

1. College Gameday will be there.
2. Chris "Beanie" Wells and Terrelle Pryor vs. Daryll Clark and Evan Royster
3. Joe Pa vs. The Vest
4. Night game at the shoe.
5. Big Ten Title and berth in the BCS Championship at stake.

Granted Ohio State has struggled in the spotlight but they have constantly been the king of the Big Ten. Now there is the resurgence of the Penn State Nittany Lions and they are looking to show that Ohio State isn't the only powerhouse in the Big Ten.

Lets take a look at both sides.

Ohio State
I'll start with the Ohio State Buckeyes. They have a lot to prove in this game because each year they believe they are a top team in the nation but they continue to get blown out on the biggest stages. If the Buckeyes want to make a case for themselves then they have to win this game. If not the doubters will continue to grow and the Buckeyes will continue to lose respect. So what do the Buckeyes have to do to win?

For starters they need to continue to play defense because Penn State's offense has been rolling all season as they have been able to put up 45 points per game. The Buckeyes need to limit the Penn State offense because the Buckeyes offense hasn't really been consistent. They had a breakout performance this past weekend at Michigan State but offense won't come as easily against the Nittany Lions defense.

The game will be decided by Chris Wells' ability to run the football and control the clock and Terrelle Pryor will have to continue to improve and limit mistakes. If Terrelle Pryor is able to play the way he did against Michigan State it could be big day for the Buckeyes. But ultimately this game is on Laurinaitis and the defense to stop Penn States explosive attack.

Penn State
Penn State in this game just has to continue doing what it has done all year long. They have been able to dominate every opponent they have faced because they have an explosive offense and a dominant defense that has only given up 12 points per game. Penn State also has an edge on offense because they have so many different weapons. It all starts with quarterback Daryll Clark who can run as well as pass. Then they have a running back in Evan Royster that ran for 174 yards against Michigan this past weekend. Also lets not forget the wideout position where Deon Butler, Derrick Williams and Jordan Norwood all have game changing capabilities.

In my opinion this game is on the defense of Penn State just like Ohio State. I say that because the offense will be there but the Nittany Lions defense needs to find a way to shut down Chris Wells. If they allow him to run free then Penn State will be in trouble. I also believe that Penn State is capable of forcing some mistakes out of Terrelle Pryor as they are the toughest defense Ohio State will face since USC.

-This game could go either way and wait until later this week when I post my Week 9 Picks to see who I think will win this showdown.

Greene for Heisman

After watching Shonn Greene and having him continue to amaze me it got me thinking why Javon Ringer is solely getting all the talk of the Big Ten. Sure he is the leading rusher but in my opinion Greene deserves some love.

Earlier this morning ESPN's Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg responded to an email asking the same question as I have. Rittenberg responded by saying that Ringer is the best player on a 6-1 team and Greene is on a 4-3 team. He also went on to say that Greene hurts his case because he hasn't found the end zone enough.

Well, after today I'll make my case for Greene. For one the Hawkeyes now have a convincing win under their belts. Greene also answered the call by scoring 4 touchdowns. He also rushed for 217 yards today and averaged 8.7 yards per carry. The 217 yards brought Greene's season total to 1,154 yards rushing. Lets also not forget that Greene is the only running back in the country that has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of his first 8 games. After today's performance Greene should be getting recognition. If not then it is because the Big Ten isn't getting enough love due to the lack of national respect it receives. In my opinion, the Big Ten is a much stronger league than the past and it deserves more recognition. Javon Ringer isn't the only top notch player in the Big Ten. I'll argue that Greene is the best running back in the Big Ten right now and the fact that he was out of football for an entire year makes the numbers look even better. So someone give Greene some love as he has been the most consistent player in the Big Ten week in and week out.

Week 8 Picks

Week 7 brought some clarity to the Big Ten picture but what will Week 8 bring? Will there be an upset that completely throws things out of whack or will things go as predicted and things will continue to be clearer? As is every weekend this should be a great weekend for football in the Big Ten as their are plenty of story lines going in.

1. Javon Ringer vs. Beanie Wells
2. Wisconsin's quarterback situation and whether or not they can get back on track.
3. Can Northwestern rebound and keep their Big Ten hopes alive?
4. Will Illinois be able to get things together and rebound after a loss to Minnesota?
5. Will Penn State continue to roll or does Michigan have a surprise for the country?

Well lets get to my picks.........

*Purdue at Northwestern- Purdue continues to struggle to put points on the board even though they have the potential to be explosive. Led by veteran quarterback Curtis Painter this offense has no excuse for performing the way they have early on. Northwestern on the other hand was tripped up by Michigan State last weekend but have been quite the surprise as they stand at 5-1 on the season. This game could be a shootout or it could be a blow out if Purdue can't get things together but they have had success against Northwestern.
Northwestern 28, Purdue 17

* Wisconsin at Iowa- This game could be the most interesting match up of the weekend as there are two different story lines going in. Can Iowa continue to show they are better after they dominated Indiana last weekend and can Wisconsin get back on track after a 3 game skid that completely destroyed their BCS hopes. This game will be decided on the ground and I see Shonn Greene having another breakout day. The Iowa defense will hold their own as they stop PJ Hill forcing Wisconsin to go to the air. Iowa gets a couple INT's and keeps Wisconsin from getting back on track.
Iowa 27, Wisconsin 13

*Ohio State at Michigan State- This game looks like the best on paper as both teams come in ranked and looking to take the Big Ten Title. A loss basically puts all hopes of a Conference Championship out the window while the other one continues the journey. If the Buckeyes want to prove they are still the face of the Big Ten then they need a big day against Michigan State. I see Ohio State Terrelle Pryor struggling on the road and Javon Ringer having a break out day for Michigan State. Michigan State knocks off the Buckeyes.
Michigan State 24, Ohio State 17

*Michigan at Penn State- The Michigan Wolverines are probably hoping to get a bounce back game but it's just not going to happen this weekend. Penn State has too strong of a defense and will force a lot of turnovers against a struggling Michigan offense. This game may not get too out of hand if the Michigan defense can hold its own but Penn State should dominate this game.
Penn State 38, Michigan 10

*Indiana at Illinois- This game features two teams looking for their identity. One week Illinois looks great the next they look terrible. I thought after their game against Michigan the Illini would be back on track and make a run at the Big Ten. But after last weekends loss to Minnesota they proved that their play is too inconsistent and they still have a ways to go. On the other hand Indiana has been terrible all year. They can't get things going although they have the potential of offense with Kellen Lewis who can have a break out game anytime. Juice Williams will continue putting up stellar numbers and will lead the Illini past Indiana even if the rest of the team doesn't show up to play.
Illinois 38, Indiana 17

Season Record: 24-10

Recap Week 7 Picks

Alright so last weekend wasn't too bad as far as my picks were concerned as I went 4-2 which brings my season record to 24-10. However, I was extremely happy that this weekend came because it cleared up a lot as far as the Big Ten is concerned. So what exactly did I learn?

1) Minnesota is a much improved team and Ron Zook's prophecy that you shouldn't say the Illini are back after last year's amazing season came true as the Illini looked absolutely terrible at home against the Gophers.

2)Indiana and Michigan are by far the worst teams in the Big Ten. I expected it from Michigan as they try and learn Rich Rodriguez's spread offense while not having the players to run it. But Indiana has a veteran offense and should be able to do more with the explosive Kellen Lewis at quarterback. They look completely lost without James Hardy.

3) Penn State is hands down the best team in the Big Ten and perhaps the country. Of course they won't get the love they deserve because everyone views the Big Ten as this down conference that will never compete with the SEC or Big 12. But watch out because Penn State has been able to dominate everyone.

4) The conference as a whole is much more competitive. Northwestern struggled early against Michigan State but they still held tough and Michigan State looks like they are living up to the expectations they had coming into the season as a surprise contender for the conference title. Even Ohio State was barely able to escape Purdue at home.

But lets take a look back at my picks.....

First of is Toledo's upset over Michigan which I guess wouldn't have been a stretch considering how bad the Wolverines have looked this season. But I expected to see Michigan finally walk all over a much weaker opponent. Coach Rich Rodriguez called his team out by calling them soft and well that's just how they looked against Toledo.
My Pick: Michigan 28, Toledo 17 Score: Michigan 10, Toledo 13

Next up is my other loss of the week which was Illinois losing at home to Minnesota. I expected the Illini to continue improving and playing a complete game after they looked solid at Michigan. Instead Illinois turned the ball over 3 times and one decisive turnover came when the Gophers recovered a Juice Williams fumble and took it back for a touchdown. After this game it is obvious that no one should take the Gophers lightly and I know I won't when it comes to making my picks from now on.
My Pick: Illinois 35, Minnesota 21 Score: Illinois 20, Minnesota 27

On to my victories which I will start with Iowa at Indiana. I expected the Hawkeyes to play a complete game and beat a struggling Hoosiers team. The Hawkeyes dominated in every phase of the game but they still looked a little shaky in the red zone early on as Stanzi should have been picked off twice on back to back plays. Shonn Greene continued to look strong and he was complemented by freshman running back Jewel Hampton as they both rushed for over 100 yards each. Now a true test comes up as the Hawkeyes will see if they are back against a struggling Wisconsin team.
My Pick: Iowa 27, Indiana 14 Score: Iowa 45, Indiana 9

Next is Ohio State against Purdue. I figured there would be a little more offense in this game but the Boilermakers continue to struggle and Ohio State shows that it is going to have to rely on its defense to lead the way. The offense behind Pryor and Wells can be explosive but unless Pryor becomes more of a passing threat they will not be able to compete at a high level and will be in trouble come bowl season.
My Pick: Ohio State 37, Purdue 21 Score: Ohio State 16, Purdue 3

On to Michigan State and Northwestern which was a great match up as Northwestern surprised everyone after their 5-0 start but the nerves seemed to be a little too much for them early on as they fell behind and were never able to climb back. Javon Ringer had a solid day as he rushed for 124 yards and 2 TD's.
My Pick: Michigan State 38, NW 27 Score: Michigan State 37, NW 20

Finally there is the big game that had Penn State traveling to Wisconsin where the Nittany Lions looked to show they were for real. Boy did they ever as they completely dominated Wisconsin and forced 4 turnovers. The Badgers were never really in this game and they continued to struggle while Penn State continues to prove that it may be the best team in the country.
My Pick: Penn State 32, Wisconsin 21 Score: Penn State 48, Wisconsin 7

Come back later for my Week 8 picks