There was plenty of emotion in Beaver Stadium last Saturday as the Nittany Lions took the field for the first time under new head coach Bill O’Brien.  The wave of emotion seemed to help Penn State jump out to an early lead and managed to carry the Nittany Lions into the locker room with a 14 – 3 halftime advantage.  However, all of that enthusiasm wasn’t enough to help the Nittany Lions scrape out a victory against a good Ohio team.  A lackluster rushing attack along with 3 turnovers really put the Nittany Lions in a very precarious situation that could not be overcome and the Nittany Lions dropped their 2012 season opener last week in Happy Valley falling to the Ohio Bobcats 24 – 14.  Now the 0- 1 (Big Ten 0 – 0) Nittany Lions travel to Charlottesville, VA to face the Virginia Cavaliers in Scott Stadium.  The last meeting between these two teams took place back in 2002.  Penn State leads the all time series with the Virginia Cavaliers *5 – 2 (*PSU’s win in 2002 was vacated).  The Nittany Lions have also enjoyed a tremendous amount of success against teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference.  In fact, Penn State owns an impressive *89 – 21 – 2 overall record (*3 of these wins were vacated) versus the 12 teams that currently comprise the ACC.

The Cavaliers compiled a respectable 8 – 4 (ACC 5 – 3) regular season record last season.  Virginia’s 8 wins a season ago made them bowl eligible for the first time since 2007.  Virginia is hoping junior quarterback Michael Rocco can lead them to another successful campaign in 2013.  Rocco and the Cavaliers got off to a good start last week as they defeated the Richmond Spiders 43 – 19.  A balanced rushing attack and Rocco’s 311 passing yards seemed to be difference against Richmond.  However, I believe Penn State will be a better test for the Cavaliers since the Nittany Lions’ strength is on the defensive side of the ball despite what the numbers from last week show.

Important Factors For Penn State Success:

- Establish the running game in order to help control the clock.

- Sustain drives to keep the defense fresh.

- Protect the football.

Important Factors For Virginia Success:

- Exploit PSU’s pass defense which surrendered 324 yards through the air last week.

- Continue to spread the ball around.  Last week Rocco connected with 11 different receivers.

- Force Matt McGloin to beat you.

How I See It:

I believe this game will be a challenge for the Nittany Lions as they continue to experience the growing pains associated with learning a new offense and defense.  Penn State only managed to rush for 92 yards last week while Virginia only allowed 28 yards on 21 carries which doesn’t bode well for the Nittany Lions.  Penn State might be able to stay in this game if they can generate a viable rushing attack and hold onto the football but I don’t think that is going to happen.

 Penn State 16 Virginia 30

The past 12 months have been extremely daunting and grueling for Penn State Nation.  The Nittany Lions were enjoying a very successful season in 2011 when they were rocked by an unforeseen unpardonable bombshell.  The repercussions of which will be felt for the better part of the next decade.  Amid this turmoil one of the greatest football coaches of all time, the legendary Joe Paterno, lost his job and the legacy he worked so hard to create.  However, the thing that probably hurt him most was the fact that his reputation would forever be tarnished.  The entirety of it all created an inordinate amount of stress which seemed to exacerbate the health problems Joe Pa was experiencing until ultimately he lost his battle with lung cancer on January 23^rd, 2012.  With the Penn State football program reeling a decision was made to hire coach, Bill O’Brien, to be Joe Pa’s predecessor.  Coach O’Brien was an integral part of the New England Patriots’ coaching staff over the past 5 seasons.  In fact he was the Patriots’ Offensive Coordinator last season, a season in which the Patriots ranked 2^nd in Total Offense and earned a trip to Super Bowl XLVI.  This new era in Penn State football officially kicks off Saturday, September 1^st at 12:06 pm in Beaver Stadium.  The Nittany Lions will don a blue ribbon on the back of their helmets in order to support all victims of child abuse.  Penn State’s jerseys will also display player’s names for the first time in school history in recognition of their resolve and dedication to the team and university.  Over the years Penn State has been outstanding in season openers compiling an impressive 92 – 19 – 2 record.  The Nittany Lions hope to build upon that success this weekend by earning a victory against the Ohio Bobcats.  This game will mark the 6^th meeting between these teams.  Penn State leads the all time series with Ohio 5 – 0 with the last game resulting in a convincing 35 – 16 Nittany Lion win back in 1974. 

Ohio is looking to build upon last year’s success.  The Bobcats finished the 2011 campaign 10 – 4 overall and earned their first bowl victory by defeating Utah State 24 – 23 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.  The Bobcats are seeking their 4^th MAC East title under the direction of coach, Frank Solich, and are the pre-season favorite to win the MAC Championship.  A win over the Nittany Lions on Saturday would be the Bobcat’s first win against a Big Ten foe since 2006 in which they defeated the Fighting Illini 20 – 17.  Ohio will definitely have to fight an uphill battle in order to earn a victory in Happy Valley on Saturday considering their overall record against Big Ten opponents is 6 – 37 – 1.  However, if a team were going to beat Penn State in Beaver Stadium on the opening weekend of a season it would be this season considering everything the Nittany Lion program has been through.  

Important Factors For Penn State Success:

- Help Matt McGloin get into a rhythm early so he gains confidence

- Put pressure on Tyler Tettleton

- Don’t allow Ohio to stay close on the scoreboard and gain confidence

Important Factors For Ohio Success:

- Protect Tyler Tettleton and give him a chance to make plays

- Wear out Penn State’s defense by sustaining drives and keeping them on the field

- Don’t turn the ball over.

How I See It:

I believe this game will come down to what Penn State’s defense can do to stop the Ohio Bobcat’s offense.  Penn State’s defense is led by Gerald Hodges, Jordan Hill and Michael Mauti who will look to contain Tyler Tettleton threw for over 3,000 yards and accounted for 38 touchdowns last season.  That being said, I believe Penn State will head into the locker room at half time leading by a touchdown and Ohio will be feeling good about themselves’ by keeping it close.  However, the true resolve and grit of the Nittany Lions’ coupled with the emotion in Beaver Stadium on Saturday will be too much for the Bobcats to overcome.

Penn State 24 Ohio 20

Penn State ended the 2011 campaign by suffering their worst defeat of the season, a 45-7 dismantling at the hands of the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison. Despite the loss Penn State posted a very respectable 9-3 (6-2 Big Ten) overall record and earned a share of the Big Ten Leaders Division Title. The overachieving Nittany Lions now set their sights on a win over the Houston Cougars in the TicketCity Bowl. The Nittany Lions are definitely battle tested after navigating the 8th toughest schedule in the FBS and earning 9 wins along the way. In fact, 9 of the teams on Penn State’s schedule were bowl eligible, most notably is Alabama who will be playing in the BCS Title Game. The Nittany Lions’ stingy defense has helped keep them in games all season long and they will need to answer the call once again if they hope to slow down the nation’s most prolific offense in Cotton Bowl Stadium on Monday, January 2nd. Penn State and Houston will rekindle a series in which the Nittany Lions hold a 2-0 edge over the Cougars. The last meeting between these two teams resulted in a 31-14 PSU victory at Beaver Stadium back in 1977. A win over the Cougars would give Penn State their 28th bowl victory in 44 appearances. Penn State would love to improve upon their outstanding 65.1% bowl game winning percentage currently 2nd in the nation behind USC’s 66.7% among schools with at least 20 bowl appearances.

The Cougars were one game away from regular season perfection and a potential BCS bowl bid as they headed into the Conference USA Championship Game. However, the Southern Miss Golden Eagles would have none of it as they defeated the Cougars 49-28. Houston was dealt another blow a week after losing the Conference USA Championship Game as Kevin Sumlin was hired as the next Texas A&M head coach. The Cougars will be making their 21st bowl appearance and look to right the ship as they square off against the Nittany Lions in the TicketCity Bowl. A win would give Houston its 13th of the season and extend their school’s single season record for victories. It would also represent the Cougars’ 9th bowl victory. Houston will rely on the record setting arm of quarterback, Case Keenum, to snap their recent bowl game skid. The Cougars are 1-9 in their last 10 bowl games since 1980. Their only victory during that stretch was a 34-28 win over Air Force in 2008.

Important Factors For Penn State Success:

- Penn State’s offensive line must control the line of scrimmage

- Take care of the football (Houston has a +13 turnover margin this year)

- Get Houston’s offense off the field (Houston has converted 52.15% of 3^rd downs this season)

- Make Houston beat them on the ground

 Important Factors For Houston Success:

- Force Penn State to beat them through the air (PSU ranks 95^th in passing offense this season)

- Exploit PSU’s Red Zone defense (PSU has surrendered points on 94% of opponent Red Zone drives)

- Neutralize PSU’s front four and give Case Keenum time to throw the ball

- Maintain discipline and don’t commit penalties (Houston has committed 79 penalties this season)

How I See It:

This game pits the nation’s 10^th rated defense against the seventh highest scoring offense in NCAA history and something’s got to give.  However, I believe the game will come down to Penn State’s ability to run the football and their ability to sustain drives keeping Houston’s offense on the sidelines.  With Matt McGloin likely out for the game the Nittany Lion passing attack will be limited which means Penn State’s offensive line must dominate Houston’s front seven and open holes for Silas Redd and Stephfon Green.  The Cougars will enjoy the spoils of a New Year’s Bowl victory unless Penn State can win the war in the trenches.

 Penn State 23 Houston 34

The Nittany Lion offense got off to a great start against Wisconsin in yesterday’s battle for the Big Ten Leaders Division title as they opened up the game with an 80-yard touchdown drive. However, that was the only scoring drive Penn State was able to muster against an underrated Badger defense often overshadowed by its outstanding offense. In fact, it was total and utter domination for the Badgers in the remaining 51:16 of yesterday’s lopsided 45-7 drubbing of the Nittany Lions. Wisconsin not only earned the title of Big Ten Leaders Division champions with this convincing win, but they also realized an opportunity to avenge an earlier season loss to Michigan State. The Badgers will now set their sights on a trip to Pasadena by winning the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game next Saturday night in Lucas Oil Stadium. Penn State on the other hand, will have to wait and see just how far their “bowl stock” falls amid the aftermath of an implausible sexual abuse scandal. It looks like many Bowl Selection Committees will pass over the 9-3 (6-2 Big Ten) Nittany Lions in an effort to avoid the negative undertones associated with Penn State despite their successful season. I understand that one’s image, even a business’, is extremely important, but it would be a genuine injustice to punish the Penn State players and coaches who had nothing to do with this indignity.

I don’t want to dismiss what Wisconsin did on the field, but it seemed to be a case of Murphy’s Law for the Nittany Lions on Saturday afternoon in Camp Randall Stadium as everything that could have gone wrong, did go wrong. Penn State is typically a very fundamentally sound football team, but a combination of penalties, dropped passes, missed tackles and other ill-advised miscues proved to be too much to overcome. However, one of the major culprits in Penn State’s collapse yesterday was undoubtedly the turnovers they committed. The Nittany Lions brought a +7 turnover margin into this contest, but uncharacteristically turned the ball over 4 times against the Badgers. Not surprisingly, two of Penn State’s three losses this season came in games where their turnover margin was -2 or worse (-3 in their losses to Alabama and Wisconsin). Matt McGloin and the Penn State offense looked great on their first drive of the game as they put together an 80-yard scoring drive capped off by a 44-yard touchdown strike to Curtis Drake. Although that early game success all seemed to fade away on Penn State’s next possession as Matt McGloin threw an interception to Shelton Johnson. Wisconsin took full advantage of the turnover as they scored a touchdown, knotting the score at 7 and the Badgers never looked back. Silas Redd had a productive game as he rushed for 66 yards on 12 carries but a large second half deficit forced Penn State to throw the ball in a futile attempt to get back into the game. The Nittany Lions need to put this game behind them and prepare for their upcoming bowl game.

The Badgers improved their record to 10-2 (6-2 Big Ten) on the season with yesterday’s convincing 45-7 win in Madison. Wisconsin controlled every facet of this game especially in the trenches where the Badgers imposed their will on the deflated Nittany Lions. Wisconsin kept the Nittany Lions in check on Saturday afternoon by holding them to 7 points and a miniscule 233 yards of total offense. The Badgers rolled up 450 total yards of offense, they were 9-16 on third down conversions and forced 4 Penn State turnovers. Russell Wilson continued his outstanding quarterback play throwing for 186 yards and two scores as he completed 19 out of 29 passes. He will definitely have an opportunity to show the nation what he can do at the next level. Monte Ball had a huge game by gaining 156 yards on 25 carries and scoring 4 touchdowns increasing his total to 34 on the season. Ball now sits in second place on the All Time Single Season Touchdown List behind Barry Sanders (39 touchdowns). It’s hard to believe that neither one of these Wisconsin standouts is being considered for the Heisman. The Badgers will now begin to gear up for a rematch with Michigan State next week in Indianapolis. We might be talking about Wisconsin playing for a possible BCS Championship had it not been for two final second defeats in back to back weeks, one of those coming at the hands of the Spartans.

The Nittany Lions improved their record to 9-2 (6-1 Big Ten) on the season after picking up a critical road win in Columbus last weekend. Penn State’s defense stymied a potential go-ahead Buckeye drive late in the 4th quarter, ultimately preserving the 20-14 Nittany Lion victory. Although this was a huge victory for Penn State, the Nittany Lions were not afforded an opportunity to relish in this win. Instead, the Nittany Lions began to prepare for an even more arduous challenge, a trip to Madison for a showdown with the Wisconsin Badgers. Penn State truly controls their own destiny as they head into this fray in Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday afternoon. A win versus the imposing Badgers would propel the Nittany Lions into a clash with “Sparty” in the Big Ten Championship Game. This would be a fitting end to the Big Ten season for the Nittany Lions considering they have played Michigan State in all of their final regular season games since entering the Big Ten in 1993. A loss would result in a 2nd place finish in the Big Ten Leaders Division. The Nittany Lions would love to improve their 14-4 (12-3 Big Ten) regular season road record dating back to the beginning of the 2008 season. A win in Madison this weekend would also give Penn State a 4-0 Big Ten road record for the third time in a season (1994 and 2009) since entering the Big Ten Conference. Wisconsin owns an 8-6 series advantage over Penn State; however, the Nittany Lions have won 3 out of the last 4 meetings with the Badgers. The most recent contest (2008) resulting in a dominant 48-7 Penn State victory at Camp Randall.

The Badgers took care of business last week as they defeated the Fighting Illini 28-17 in Champaign setting up this much anticipated showdown with Penn State. Wisconsin improved their record to 9-2 (5-2 Big Ten) on the season with last week’s win but could have been 11-0 heading into this game just as easily had it not been for final second losses in back to back weeks to Michigan State and Ohio State. Wisconsin will be honoring 21 seniors in pre-game festivities on Saturday and could not think of a better send off than giving those Badgers an opportunity to play in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game. Wisconsin has truly enjoyed home cooking over the past two seasons as they look to go 7-0 at Camp Randall Stadium in consecutive seasons. In fact, Wisconsin has been virtually unstoppable at home during this stretch and they are averaging 52.3 points/game at home this season. Not to mention the Badgers own the nation’s second longest home winning streak with 15 straight victories at the friendly confines of Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin also knows how to close out the regular season having fostered an 18-2 record in regular season games played after November 1st over the past 6 seasons.

Important Factors For Penn State Success:
- Continue their success on the ground in order to open up their passing game (the WU pass defense is ranked 3rd in the nation)
- Score on every opportunity in the Red Zone (PSU has only scored on 78% of their drives in the Red Zone on the season for 90th in the country)
- Don’t allow Wisconsin to sustain drives by converting on 3rd downs (WU has converted on 3rd down 55.12% of the time this season)
- Put pressure on Russell Wilson so he doesn’t get to comfortable in the pocket (Wilson leads the nation in quarterback rating at 199.3)

Important Factors For Wisconsin Success:
- Force Penn State to beat them through the air (PSU ranks 95th in passing offense this season)
- Exploit Penn State’s Red Zone defense (PSU has surrendered points on 92% of opponent drives in the Red Zone)
- Take care of the football; don’t give PSU extra possessions (WU has only committed 7 turnovers this season)
- Keep drives alive by converting on 3rd down thus wearing down the PSU defense

How I See It:

I believe this game will come down to what Penn State’s lackluster offense is able to do against a stout Wisconsin defense.  It will be a close game in the first half with these teams separated by only a field goal as they head into their respective locker rooms.  However, the physical exertion required of Penn State’s defense to keep the game close will eventually wear them down making them susceptible to big plays.  In the end the Badgers’ offense will prove to be too difficult to contain for an entire 60 minutes.

 Penn State 20 Wisconsin 31

As if coping with the aftermath of a sexual abuse scandal wasn’t enough, the Nittany Lions were dealt another blow this past week when they learned that JoePa was diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer. However, the Nittany Lions exhibited tremendous determination and mettle this week by chalking up a 20-14 road win at “The Horseshoe” in Columbus. The Nittany Lions and Buckeyes came into this game as mirror images of each other, showcasing stingy defenses and lackluster offenses, as evidenced by their respective national ranks in these categories. The box score from this game provides yet another illustration of just how evenly matched these two teams are. Both teams were able to move the ball up and down the field almost seemingly at will from the opening kickoff. In fact, all of the scoring in this Big Ten fracas took place in the first half, but these defenses tightened their grip after some half-time adjustments were made by both teams. In the end it was the Nittany Lion defense that stood tallest as they squelched a potential Buckeye go ahead scoring drive on 4th down leaving 1:41 on the clock in the 4th quarter. Now Penn State truly controls their own destiny in their pursuit of the Big Ten title with this huge road win. The Nittany Lions would earn a bid to play in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game with a win next week over the Wisconsin Badgers in Madison.

As the old adage goes, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” and at this point in the season the Nittany Lion recipe for tallies in the win column has been a mix of lights out defense with a dash of ball control offense. Don’t get me wrong, Penn State would love to put up 30 points per game, but as long as they keep teams out of the end zone (13.0 points against/game good for 3rd in the country) and take care of the ball on offense they will continue to have success. The Nittany Lion defense will face its biggest challenge of the season next week in Camp Randall Stadium as they attempt to slow down the nation’s 5th most prolific scoring offense. Penn State had a great deal of success with the wild cat formation in yesterday’s win against Ohio State and it seemed to provide a much needed spark on offense. This will definitely give the Badgers something else to think about as they prepare for their match up with the Nittany Lions next Saturday. Matt McGloin played with a lot of confidence and poise yesterday afternoon. He was making good decisions with the football and looked sharp right out of the gate. His completion percentage would have been much better if his receivers would have held onto a couple of his passes that were dropped. The Nittany Lions got another great effort on the ground from oft troubled Stephfon Green as he rushed for a pair of touchdowns for the second consecutive week. Silas Redd was used somewhat sparingly in order to prevent further damage to his collarbone injury, but was very effective when he was in the game. This two-headed rushing attack will allow Penn State to use the play-action pass to keep defenses honest just as they did yesterday.

The Buckeyes walk away from this home loss to Penn State asking themselves what if. What would the outcome of yesterday’s game have been if we had gotten the ball into DeVier Posey’s hands a few more times? If we hadn’t put the ball on the turf two times? Or if we had converted on 4th down late in the 4th quarter? Ohio State’s defense kept them in the game and gave them a chance to win by shutting out Penn State in the second half. However, miscues such as bad snaps and penalties were enough to stall a number of promising Buckeye drives which ultimately seemed to account for the difference on the score board. Buckeye freshman quarterback, Braxton Miller, provided the nation with another glimpse of how dynamic he already is as a playmaker and he hasn’t even reached his potential yet. His athletic ability allows him to keep plays alive, thus giving his team a chance to sustain drives which will lead to many Ohio State wins down the road. Dan “Boom” Herron had another solid game rushing for 76 yards on 18 carries. The Buckeyes will look to end their regular season on a winning note by defeating their reviled arch rival the Michigan Wolverines and improving their position for the bowl season. However, this will not be a walk in the park as they will have to beat the Wolverines in front of a hostile crowd at “The Big House” in Ann Arbor.

The Nittany Lions made a valiant effort to come back from a 17 point deficit late in the 3rd quarter on Senior Day in Beaver Stadium last weekend but ultimately ended up losing to the Cornhuskers 17-14. Penn State’s record stands at 8-2 (5-1 Big Ten) on the season following the loss. However, the Nittany Lions maintain a 1 game lead over Wisconsin and would secure at least a tie for the Big Ten Leaders Division title with a win on Saturday. The Nittany Lions make a road trip out to Columbus this weekend to face Big Ten Leaders Division rival, Ohio State. A change of scenery could be just what the doctor ordered, especially when you consider the turmoil surrounding State College after being blindsided by a heinous scandal. The Nittany Lions own a 13-4 (11-3 Big Ten) regular season road record since the start of the 2008 season and their record is 15-3 in games following a loss since the beginning of the 2005 campaign. Penn State will look to improve both of these records on Saturday as they attempt to erase the memories of last year’s lopsided 38-14 loss to the Buckeyes. These teams have squared off against each other 22 times since 1975. In 20 out of those 22 match-ups one of these two annual powers was ranked, with the higher ranked team compiling an 18-2 record (neither team was ranked when they met in 2001 or in 2004).

The Buckeyes opened this season having gone through a very tumultuous off-season. Coach Jim Tressel resigned as head coach of Ohio State during an ongoing NCAA investigation into allegations that certain Buckeye players received tattoos and other gifts in exchange for football memorabilia. The hangover from this controversy seems to have had a huge impact on the Buckeyes’ 2011 season as their record dropped to 6-4 (3-3 Big Ten) after a tough 26-23 overtime loss to Purdue in West Lafayette last weekend. The Buckeyes would love to upset the Division leading Nittany Lions at the “The Horseshoe” on Saturday and get to within a game of the Division lead. Ohio State owns a 14-12 advantage in this series, having won 7 out of the last 10 meetings with Penn State. The Buckeye defense has allowed just one 100-yard rusher in their last 28 home games. Keeping the Penn State rushing attack in check on Saturday would definitely help Ohio State’s chances of improving their 15-2 record in the month of November since the beginning of the 2005 season.

Important Factors For Penn State Success:
- Establish the run in order to open up the passing game
- Increase the number of touches for Devon Smith
- Get pressure on the Buckeye QBs (Ohio State is giving up 3.30 sacks/game)
- Force Ohio State to beat you through the air

Important Factors For Ohio State Success:
- Use their strong rushing attack to achieve positive gains on 1st and 2nd down in order to stay out of 3rd and long situations (Ohio State is ranked 118th in Passing Offense this season)
- Capitalize on Red Zone scoring opportunities (Penn State has surrendered points on 92% of opponents’ drives in the Red Zone this season)
- Don’t turn the ball over (Penn State has forced 23 turnovers which ranks 14th in the nation)
- Put themselves in good field position with their strong kickoff and punt return units

How I See It:

This game will be a brutal Big Ten donnybrook pitting two top twenty defenses against two powerful ground games.  I believe the play calling will be on the conservative side with both teams trying to avoid a critical mistake that would impact the all important battle for field position.  This will be a relatively low scoring contest and both teams will need to take advantage of every precious scoring opportunity afforded them.  A turnover late in the 4^th quarter could prove to be the difference in this game.

 Penn State 17 Ohio State 13

The Penn State Nittany Lions dropped a hard fought contest 17-14 to the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Senior Day in Beaver Stadium yesterday afternoon. Despite being down 17-0 with 8:51 remaining in the 3rd quarter, the Nittany Lions clawed their way back into the game and put themselves in a position to at least force the Cornhuskers to beat them in overtime. Their comeback effort fell a little bit short, but no one can take away the effort and tenacity displayed by the Nittany Lions. It would have been just as easy for the Nittany Lions to pack it in and call it a day trailing 17-0 late in the second half considering the implausible events that unfolded this past week in State College. Honestly, Penn State could have lost 34-0 and no one would have given it a second thought. Any number of excuses could have been used to dismiss a loss like that in the aftermath of this horrific scandal. However, the players recruited to represent Penn State on the gridiron rose above everything that transpired this week and showed the nation just how much pride and character they truly possess.

Once again the ferocious Nittany Lion defense kept Penn State in the game limiting Nebraska to 331 total yards of offense (143 Passing and 188 Rushing). In fact, Penn State held Nebraska to 64 yards below their season rushing yards per game average of 252. The Nittany Lions will need this type of effort down the stretch from their defense in order to win the Big Ten Leaders Division and give themselves an opportunity to play in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game. Matt McGloin threw for 193 yards by completing 16 out of 34 passes on the day. McGloin needs to do a better job of finding other options when his primary target is not open. He has a tendency to throw into double and triple coverage at times, which fortunately for Penn State, have for the most part resulted in incomplete passes. Silas Redd was held under 100 yards rushing for the first time in 6 games, although this was more attributable to the injury he sustained than the Cornhusker defense. Stephfon Green had a big day on the ground by rushing for 71 yards and two touchdowns. Derek Moye returned to the starting lineup Saturday and seemed to be playing at 100% after being side lined for two weeks with a foot injury. Moye had 4 receptions for 78 yards. After dropping to 8-2 (5-1 Big Ten) overall on the season with yesterday’s loss, the Nittany Lions turn their focus to the rival Ohio State Buckeyes for a key matchup next Saturday at “The Horseshoe”. Penn State still clings to a one game lead over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Leaders Division, but they definitely need to win in Columbus to guarantee at least a share of the division title.

The Cornhuskers did enough to thwart a late Penn State rally in Beaver Stadium yesterday and were led by their dual threat quarterback, Taylor Martinez (13 out of 26 for 143 yards and 56 yards on 19 carries). Nebraska will continue to lean on Martinez as they make a run towards a Big Ten Legends Division crown and a potential spot in the Big Ten Championship game. Nebraska standout running back, Rex Burkhead, also had a huge game as he ran for 121 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. This performance exemplified how the underrated Burkhead is not only one of the best running backs in the Big Ten, but in the nation. Nebraska improved their record to 8-2 (4-2 Big Ten) overall with a huge road win in Happy Valley on Saturday. The Cornhuskers will now set their sights on a showdown with the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor next weekend. Both teams head into the game tied for second place in the Big Ten Legends Division.

The Nittany Lions helped “JoePa” earn win number 409 two weeks ago by defeating the Fighting Illini 10-7 in a true Big Ten battle of wills. Penn State saved their best drive of the day for their final possession by putting together an 80 yard touchdown drive capped off by Silas Redd’s 3 yard scamper into the end zone. The Nittany Lion offense received a much needed shot in the arm when senior wide out, Derek Moye, entered the game (having missed the previous two contests with a foot injury) with 3:05 remaining in the contest. Moye’s impact was felt immediately as he caught a 20 yard pass to open what was ultimately the game winning drive. This win not only gave Penn State a two game lead in the Big Ten Leaders Division and improved their record to 8-1 (5-0 Big Ten) on the season but it moved coach Paterno past the legendary Eddie Robinson into second place on the All Time Coaching Victory List. The win should have augmented an already astonishing career in which the hall of fame coach’s ideals and values seemed to, at times, overshadow his on the field success. Coach Paterno has been the face of Penn State football for the past 46 years and was recognized as a great philanthropist and promoter of education during that time. In fact, Penn State consistently boasts a very high Graduation Success Rate from year to year. However, all of that changed when Penn State University was rocked by an unimaginable scandal a week after the historic win. Although coach Paterno followed the protocol put in place at Penn State University and satisfied his legal obligation, he betrayed his own principles by not fulfilling his moral obligation to ensure justice was served. It’s extremely disappointing to think that the ageless coach Paterno, who always wanted to leave on his own terms, was actually fired on Wednesday, November 9, 2011, just hours after announcing his retirement following the conclusion of this football season.

Penn State comes into this week’s game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers riding a 7 game win streak, 5 of those victories coming against Big Ten foes. The Nittany Lions would secure at least a tie for the Big Ten Leaders Division crown with a win this weekend. Penn State’s record is 14-5 following a bye week since 1994 and the Nittany Lions also own a 7-6 overall record over the Cornhuskers. Nebraska bested the Nittany Lions 18-10 in Lincoln the last time these two teams met back in 2003. However, this game is being played on Senior Day in Beaver Stadium where the Nittany Lions are now 43-7 over their last 50 home games. Penn State has also won 19 out the last 21 games on Senior Day.

The Cornhuskers would like nothing more than to defeat the Nittany Lions this weekend and build upon the success they have experienced so far in their inaugural Big Ten season. However, the Cornhuskers need to bounce back after suffering a disappointing 28-25 home loss to the Northwestern Wildcats last week which dropped their record to 7-2 (3-2 Big Ten) overall. This loss followed an impressive 24-3 win against a very good Michigan State team and Nebraska looks to improve their record against Big Ten adversaries this weekend. The Cornhuskers actually maintain a 34-7 overall record against Big Ten teams since 1970.

Important Factors For Penn State Success:
- Pound the Nebraska defense on the ground (Silas Redd has rushed for over 100 yards in 5 straight games) in order to put themselves in 3rd and makeable situations to take advantage of Nebraska’s 3rd down defense
- Win the field position battle by exploiting Nebraska’s weak kickoff and punt coverage teams
- Load up the box with 8 men to shut down Nebraska’s rushing attack (The Cornhuskers are averaging 252.13 yards/game)
- Have Gerald Hodges spy QB Taylor Martinez (Martinez has rushed for 712 yards on the season)

Important Factors For Nebraska Success:
- Force Penn State to throw the ball (the Nittany Lions are ranked 88th in Passing Offense this season)
- Capitalize on Red Zone scoring opportunities (Penn State has surrendered points on 91% of opponents’ drives in the Red Zone this season)
- Put long sustained drives together by converting on 3rd down and ultimately wear down the Nittany Lion defense

How I See It:

The Blackshirts come into this game angry with something to prove after giving up 28 points to Northwestern last week at home.  Nebraska is also extremely determined to maintain their position in the Big Ten Legends Division by defeating Penn State which would set the stage for next week’s showdown with Michigan.  I believe the Nittany Lions will keep the game close in the first half.  However, the off-field distractions circling at University Park will impede the Nittany Lions’ focus and in the end be too much to overcome. 

 Penn State 17 Nebraska 28

Penn State comes into this week’s game against the Illinois Fighting Illini all alone at the top of the Big Ten Leaders Division with a record of 7-1 (4-0 Big Ten). Joe Paterno earned his 408th win last week after the Nittany Lions defeated Northwestern 34-24 on the road in Evanston, IL. The Nittany Lions would love to help their legendary coach earn his 409th victory in front of their home town crowd and remain undefeated in Big Ten play. Penn State owns a 14-4 overall record against the Fighting Illini; however, the teams have split their last 4 meetings. Penn State hopes to erase the memory of last year’s shocking 33-13 loss at the hands of the Fighting Illini at Beaver Stadium. I think it will be a very tall order for the Fighting Illini to beat Penn State at home in back to back seasons given the fact that Penn State is 42-7 over their last 49 home games, 5 of the 7 losses to ranked opponents.

The Fighting Illini came out of the gate on fire this season winning their first six games but have faltered a little over the past two weeks dropping their last two decisions, (17-7 to Ohio State and 21-14 to Purdue) both in Big Ten play. Illinois had a great bounce back season last year going 7-6 (4-4 Big Ten) after a very disappointing 2009 campaign in which they were 3-9 (2-6 Big Ten). The Fighting Illini look to right the ship and get their season back on course this week as they take on a gritty Penn State team. Illinois is hoping to show the nation they have actually gotten over the hump by defeating the Nittany Lions and in turn put themselves back into contention for the Big Ten Leaders Division title.

Important Factors For Penn State Success:
- Get pressure on Scheelhaase (Illinois has surrendered 2.88 sacks/game this season)
- Have Gerald Hodges spy Scheelhaase (Scheelhaase is the Fighting Illini leading rusher)
- Don’t allow Illinois to extend drives on 3rd down (Illinois has converted a little over 50% of 3rd downs)
- Put themselves in good field position by taking advantage of Illinois’ week kick/punt coverage

Important Factors For Illinois Success:
- Capitalize on Red Zone scoring opportunities (Penn State has given up points on all but 1 drive in the Red Zone this season)
- Take care of the football (Illinois is a minus 2 in turnover margin so far this season)
- Stop Silas Redd and force Penn State to beat them through the air (Penn State ranks 84th in Passing Offense this season)

How I See It:

This game will not be for the faint of heart and will exemplify Big Ten football, an all out war in the trenches pitting hardnosed defenses against powerful rushing attacks.  So don’t turn away from the TV screen because you might get blindsided and end up picking yourself up off of the floor.  I believe this will be a defensive struggle and a battle of field position with very little scoring.  Both teams will need to capitalize on every precious scoring opportunity.  In fact, this game may possibly come down to whoever has the last possession.    

 Penn State 16 Illinois 13