Recap: Ohio State 14, Penn State 20

Posey did his best to try and get a win

The last time Penn State won a game without Joe Paterno as coach was December 1965.

That day, the Nittany Lions used a strong defensive effort to beat Maryland, behind the coach who mentored Paterno, Rip Engle.

On Saturday, No. 21 Penn State earned its first victory since Paterno was fired with a similarly stingy defense.

Stephfon Green ran for two touchdowns and the Nittany Lions held Ohio State (6-5, 3-4) scoreless in the second half of the 20-14 victory on Saturday.

"We talked about the last two teams to win here were `78 and `08," said interim coach Tom Bradley, who was promoted after Paterno was fired 10 days ago. "I said to them, `I want to know: How are you going to be remembered?"

They'll be remembered as at least co-champs of the Big Ten's Leaders Division, while Ohio State falls again.

Live Blog: Ohio State vs. #19 Penn State

The Buckeyes are facing a rival in Penn State as the Nittany Lions invade the 'Shoe. If Penn State wants to keep their Leaders division hopes alive, they must pass through Columbus. Let's get this party started.

Please join the Live Blog with us at 3:15 PM EST! Go Bucks!

Preview: Ohio State vs. #19 Penn State

Can OSU step up to the challenge?

The football programs at Penn State and Ohio State have had troubled and troubling seasons.

A year ago when Penn State and Ohio State played, the game matched the two winningest active Division I coaches.

On Saturday, the Nittany Lions visit the Buckeyes again with both programs in flux.

"There's no question that a lot has happened in the past year for our programs," said two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, now president and CEO of Ohio State's alumni association. "At this point, you just have to focus on moving forward and learning from things that have happened."

Tom Bradley and Luke Fickell, formerly defensive assistants, are now the interim head coaches for the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes, respectively. There is a lot riding on the game -- a Big Ten division title -- yet it's clear that the world has wobbled off course for both.

What Should We Expect From Ohio State Against Penn State?

It's Penn State week. In previous years people would be clamoring for this game. Media demands would be huge. You would have Jim Tressel battling with Joe Paterno. The Senator verses The Legend. I think it is safe to say that things have changed over the last 12 months.


First, you have the NCAA mess at OSU.This mess was precipitated by players and worsened by the head man himself. So in late May this rivalry lost Jim Tressel to a forced resignation. Okay so we lost Tressel and Pryor, but this game could still have had the winningest coach in college football history, coaching for a division title against a young, inexperienced, seemingly talented team playing at home for the final time this season. But then, all hell broke loose at PSU. 


I don’t want to get into the scandal, we all know what happened, and now this rivalry has rightfully lost Joe Paterno on the other sideline. I can truly say that a Luke Fickell vs Tom Bradley battle does not have the same classic ring as to what could have been. Now on to the game.

Ryan Shazier Emerging

Glorious

This season has been a rollercoaster ride from the beginning. It was apparent OSU wasn't really going to contend this year but I, along with many of you, tried to convince myself that this team had a chance to contend. After all this was Ohio St. and we still had the athletic cream of the crop in the big ten.

Unfortunately, many of those top athletes were suspended for more than half the season and our starting quarterback bolted for the NFL to hold a clipboard. It was OK I told myself. We had one of the top-rated quarterbacks coming in to replace him and a slew of young talent itching to see the field and become the next set of stars in Columbus.

The defense always played with a chip on its' shoulder and the running backs went almost 5 deep heading into the Akron game. It all sounded great in my head and looked even better on paper. Unfortunately that’s not how things have played out this year. This team has been extremely tough to watch at times. Beginning the year with Akron served as a temporary cloak as to what OSU really was. Things went downhill in a hurry after that opening game and culminated with the disaster in South Beach.

Depth Chart Breakdown: Penn State Week

Posey ready to contribute again

The depth chart for the Ohio State Buckeyes was released earlier this week, with some shake ups as well as returnees to the football team. When Penn State comes into town on Saturday, some faces of old will rejoin the team, including DeVier Posey. Injuries that took place are healing up, which means some more shifting around. Let's take a look at the key moves in this week's depth chart.

Interesting Notes
- DeVier Posey makes his return to the gridiron for the first time since the 2010-2011 Sugar Bowl. The thing really perking my interest here is that he's listed next to Philly Brown as "Philly Brown OR DeVier Posey". If I'm correct in thinking, this means Posey and Philly will be the starters at split end.

- Johnathan Hankins, who left the Purdue game with an injury, is listed at DT again, so he must be OK to play.

- Ryan Shazier is in at weak-side linebacker, which means Andrew Sweat is still feeling the effects of the concussion, and will not be able to play. I'm kind of glad Shazier finally gets his shot to prove he's a playmaker as a starting linebacker, though.

- T.Y. Williams is not listed on the depth chart this week. Not sure if he was pushed down due to Posey, but even if he was, he should still be able to get some playing time. Very odd after his performance against Purdue, which wasn't outstanding, but showed improvement.

For the actual Depth Chart for the Penn State game, hit "Continue Reading"

Luke Fickell: Is He Done?

I do get to stay, right guys? Right? Guys?

Honest to goodness I don’t know where to start with this team. Even though I don’t know where to start I do know who to blame. Unfortunately the blame lies within the coaching staff and their decisions. Personally, I have no problems with Luke Fickell, he is a home grown Buckeye who loves this school like no other. He wants to succeed, he wants to be a winner, but he just is not ready. This is not his fault, it is not the fault of the players he has, it is the fault of the man who caused this mess. No, I am not talking about Pryor, I am not even talking about Jim Bollman. I am talking about Jim Tressel. 

We don’t know if Tressel had the plan to groom Fickell for the job, and steadily promote him over the next few years. Was he the heir apparent? God only knows. Jim Tressel resigned in disgrace (thankfully, his disgrace is nowhere in the same galaxy as the former coach of Penn State’s disgrace), and with Darell Hazel gone, Luke Fickell got thrust into the position of head coach. 

What Went Right/Wrong: Purdue

Miller fought hard all game

While Ohio State has knocked themselves out of a chance to get into the Big Ten Championship Game, there is still an opportunity to build on these last games. This season could very well end in 6-6, or it could end in 8-4. It's a huge difference not only towards the attitude of the team, but for momentum into next year.

When Braxton Miller rolled to his right on 4th and 3 from the Purdue 13, and then saw Jordan Hall with a step on his man on the opposite side of the field, he threw it up. Very similar to the Wisconsin game, it seemed as if the ball hung up in the air for hours, finally floating into the outstretched hands of Hall. We know that the next play was awful, but there were other key points and factors throughout the game that resulted in the Buckeye loss. Let's take a look at what went right and wrong for Ohio State on Saturday.

Buckeye's Adjustments Foils PSU's Upset.

Howard seals the deal
AP Photo/Al Behrman

The Nittany Lions gave the Buckeyes everything they had in the first half. It was enough, but they had to continue with the domination. They couldn't. The first drive in the 2nd half set the momentum for Ohio State from the get-go. Down 14-3, Tressel and the Buckeyes rode on the back of Daniel "Boom" Herron for the second straight game. He finished with 21 carries for 190 yards and a score. The score was the one that cut the 11 point deficit (biggest comeback for Tressel in his 10 years at OSU). Right away, the crowd went from booing and quiet, to loud and cheering. McGloin threw, Torrence picked, and the rest was history.

After that score, there was no looking back for the Buckeyes, as they would score 3 more times, winning 38-14. Terrelle Pryor was decent, but only threw the ball just 13 times, completing 8 passes for 139 yards with 2 touchdowns against 1 interception. In the first half, he struggled to find a rhythm, and it showed, as the offense itself wasn't ready to play physical, Ohio State football. Tressel improved to 27-4 in November games as Ohio State's head coach -- and 3-4 in the week after a bye. Joe Paterno who was closing in on his 401st win, instead got his 133rd loss.


With this win, the Buckeyes moved to 9-1 on the season and remain in a three-way tie with Wisconsin and Michigan State atop the Big Ten standings. The Buckeyes have two tough games remaining, as they travel to Iowa next week and come home to face Michigan the week after. Wisconsin heads to Ann Arbor next week and plays Northwestern at home the following week, while MSU has the easiest schedule, hosting Purdue and traveling to Penn State.

Ohio State Beats Down "Moxie"

Recap up tomorrow, then it's on to Iowa Week!

Live Blog: #7 Ohio State vs. Penn State

Come Join us in cheering on the Buckeyes at 3:15 PM EST!

Who you got?: #7 Ohio State vs. Penn State

Ian: 28-17, Ohio State - Buckeyes come out pretty slow, and are down early. Things change quickly, though, as Pryor and Herron run all over the Nittany Lions' defense. McGloin looks good early, but gets shaky against the Silver Bullets.

SBB: 38-10, Ohio State - Matt McGroin McGloin throws a pick or two, one will go to Homan because passes just seem to find him. Pryor has another big day, we all say the phrase "too country" a billion times. Penn State fans will get mad, take their ball and go home. 

Brady: 31-10, Ohio State - I look forward to the matchup with the Nittany Lions every year.  It's always a physical game that usually comes down to who makes the least mistakes.  Ohio St.'s battered defense has had 2 weeks to rest and prepare for PSU which bodes well for the Silver Bullets.  Look for Pryor to have a big game on the ground when he is not handing it to the Sonic Boom who I also expect to have a big game.  Buckeyes send the Lions Back to the middle of nowhere.... I mean State College with a loss.

Danny: 31-10, Ohio State - Matt McGloin has played well the past couple of weeks, but the defenses haven't exactly been of the same variety of the one he will face Saturday.  The Buckeyes prevail in front of the Gameday Crew.

Penn St. Week Baby!

The bye week was good for the team but it sucked for me. It just didn't feel right not watching the Buckeyes on a Saturday afternoon in November. Luckily I had the Browns dismantling of the Patriots on Sunday (Peyton Hillis is a BEAST!!) to pass the weekend but it's time for Buckeye football again!

- After Tom Bradley and Galen Hall… I mean Joe Paterno secured the victory against Northwestern last weekend the coaching legend hit the unthinkable 400 win plateau. JoePa has had a long and illustrious career as the head man in Happy Valley indeed. However, it didn’t look good for the old man early on against the Wildcats as Northwestern built a 21-0 lead behind the solid play of Dan Persa. Once Penn St. remembered that they were playing NU, at home no less, PSU stormed back with 35 unanswered points and iced the game away in the fourth quarter. After a bunch of hugging, crying and a speech that was tough to decipher, Paterno declared that it was time to “go and beat Ohio St.”

OK, now I have solid proof that the guy is going senile. Pandering to the home crowd is always fun and gets the locals all hootin’ and hollerin’. In fact, I imagine there is a lot of hootin’ and hollerin’, moonshine stills and barn raisings in and around Happy Valley. However, he fell just short of guaranteeing a victory against the Buckeyes on the road. OSU has been a near lock in the Shoe all season and Penn St. hardly comes to town with the same caliber team as the 2008 squad. Good luck boys.

BOOM

 •Daniel “Sonic Boom” Herron has claimed the undisputed top spot on the depth chart in preparation for PSU on Saturday. Nobody was really all that surprised at the announcement but this was the first week that Herron and Saine weren’t listed as co-starters. That is big stuff! Tressel loves to go all “Mangenious” on us at times and keep the fan base guessing as to who will get the most carries. Herron has definitely proved that he is the guy to tote the rock for the Buckeyes on a regular basis. I could sit here all day and complain about how Hyde, Berry and Hall aren’t getting enough looks but it wouldn’t do any good. Tressel apparently doesn’t tune in to my mindless rants about the running back position very often. Saine has found a home lining up in the slot and catching passes out of the backfield in recent weeks. Why it took this coaching staff so long to know how to best utilize the talent of Saine is anybody’s guess. I think the title of “Ohio Mr. Football” clouded their judgments for the better part of 2 seasons.

Finally, he is living up to some of the hype bestowed on him at the beginning of his Ohio St. career. Saine has 5 touchdown passes to his credit this season to go along with the 2 he gained on the ground in the opener. It’s not that the coaching staff didn’t know he would be effective in this role, it’s the fact that they aren’t running him up the middle for 1 yard gains anymore. Cheers to JT and co. for getting that one right.

Representing: Penn State

Devon from Nittany White Out  was kind enough to offer his thoughts on the upcoming game and season for Penn State.

1. Right now, how do you feel about where Penn State is as a team?

I think this is a rebuilding year of sorts. Other than a couple players along the lines, literally the entire team is back next year, and it's been generally accepted that 2011 will be Penn State's big run at a Big Ten or National Championship. But the fans who were so willing to write this team off at 3-3 have come flocking back as the Nittany Lions have put together 3 wins in a row. I think it's still an inconsistent team that, when at its best, can hang with anyone in the conference--the second half against Northwestern and the first half against Michigan were just phenomenal performances on all fronts (we outscored the opposition 56-10!)--but the team has been unable to maintain that level for a full game. 

2. Penn State has some weapons to use on offense. Overall as a team, who is the leader, the one they build around to win games?

Well, this is a fun question, because most Penn State fans would tell you it's Matt McGloin--the former walk-on quarterback who's led this team to the last 3 wins--but I'm much less of a believer. The real answer is Evan Royster, who's come alive over that same span. Two weeks ago, he became Penn State's all-time leading rusher, and last week he ran for more than 130 yards. The x-factor is true freshman back Silas Redd, who ran for 130 yards himself on all of 11 carries. The kid has some ridiculous open field moves and could break a huge run at any time.

3. What has to happen for Ohio State to beat PSU, and vice versa?

Penn State is going to have to play it's best game of the season. That's not even a question. Most Nittany Lion fans, before the season, counted the Ohio State game as a loss, along with the Alabama and Iowa matchups. We lost each of those tilts by 24-3 margins, but played sloppily. We weren't wrapping up defensively, and turned the ball over on offense. Penn State is going to have to contain Terrelle Pryor--not let him escape the pocket--but also force at least one turnover, something they've had trouble doing. And when Penn State has the ball, they'll have to take some chances. The last few weeks we've seen a significantly scaled back playbook, but you can't dink and dunk your way down the field against the Ohio State defense.

4. There are some pretty intimidating stadiums, but which is louder, Happy Valley or The 'Shoe?

The 'Beav. Come on, now. Even your own players admit it! The only other stadiums comparable are Autzen and Death Valley (LSU, not Clemson).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWlhr7Dh3jQ

5. How will Penn State finish the season? (W/L, Bowl)

I doubt Penn State will beat the Buckeyes, but Indiana should be a gimme, especially since IU sold the home game to Fedex Field, where we'll see almost exclusively Penn State fans. We finish the year with Michigan State, which is really a toss up game. I want to see how the Spartans rebound from that hideous loss to Iowa before I pick a winner, but I think Penn State can win that. If so, we'll finish 3rd, 4th, or 5th in the Big Ten--and I'd love to match up against Arkansas, South Carolina or Florida in a Florida bowl.

It's Penn State Week, BCS Poll

Come to Penn SCHATTTE

The Nittany Lions are coming to Columbus Saturday, and the last time they were here it ended in a 13-6 loss to Penn State. This is a different Terrelle Pryor, and a completely different team, as fans found out in the 24-7 domination.

For the Buckeyes to even have a shot to get a the Rose Bowl they need to win out in November, and it starts with Penn State. Apparently this is the most intriguing match up this weekend, because College Gameday is comin' to your city. The last time College Gameday had the Buckeyes on it, Ohio State got smashed 31-18 by the hands of Wisconsin, losing our #1 ranking, and knocking us out of the National Championship race.