LIONS DEFENSE STARTING TO ROAR

It's rare that you learn something new about a team after nine games of a twelve-game season. Generally, in college football, the maxim of, "You are who you are," can be applied with little modification after a few games. Sixteen quarters into the 2008 season, the Nittany Lions had scored 40+ points in the opening four games of a season for the first time ever and averaged more than 538 yards per contest. The high-octane offense even broke the 1994 squad's mark for the most total points in the first four games, racking up 211.

All of that production earned this team the label of offensive juggernaut by fans and media alike and led them to believe that the offense would take Penn State as far as it could go. Then, something happened. Daryll Clark continued to lead the Lions to the endzone, racking up at least 38 points in all but one of the first eight games of the year, but players like Aaron Maybin, Jared Odrick, Navarro Bowman and Mark Rubin started taking some of thes potlight from incumbent stars, Evan Royster, Derrick Williams and Deon Butler.

Finally, on Saturday night, when the team needed a play to rescue its fading perfect season, it was, as it has been so many times since Joe Paterno came to Happy Valley, the defense that saved the day. Don't think for a moment that means that this offense isn't the high-powered and multi-faceted attack that it has appeared to be for most of the season, but don't overlook what might be America's best defense either.

Against Ohio State, Penn State's defense spent much of the game in a zone defense, allowing its secondary to have it's eyes trained not only on the receivers, but also on the dangerous Buckeye backfield. The Lions stuffed Beanie Wells for just 55 yards on 22 carries, nearly four yards below his season average. Terrelle Pryor also struggled to find room, gaining only six net yards on nine carries, after averaging more than 4.5 ypc in the first eight games.

Because of the difficulties on the ground, Pryor was forced to go to the air to try and move his team, but found the Lions' pass defense to be just as stingy. The freshman did set a new season-high for passing yards with 226, but take away the gains from a blown coverage, a jump ball and a late pass against a soft prevent defense designed to keep the Buckeyes away from the sidelines and Pryor averaged just nine yards per completion.

This was not just a case of Penn State playing inspired defense against a quality opponent, all season long Penn State has done a phenomenal job of making teams earn their points by limiting big plays. In its first nine games the defense has surrendered just 20 plays of 20 yards or more and has specialized in getting off of the field and getting the ball to its powerful offense. Tom Bradley's squad ranks 10th in the country in third-down conversion defenses despite facing the second-most third downs of any team in the nation.

Perhaps the most telling stat though about this defense, more revealing even than its unwillingness to give up big plays or first downs, is its refusal to allow teams to put together long drives. So far this year, Penn State's defense has only allowed 18 drives of 50+ yards in nine games.

Judging by that last figure, Penn State's opponents almost have to start their possessions on the Lions' side of the field just to have a chance at scoring a touchdown. That is not something that happens often considering punter Jeremy Boone is regaining his All Big Ten form from a year ago, pinning teams inside the 20, and Penn State's offense is tied for sixth nationally with just six turnovers in nine games.

Looking ahead to possible matchups in the national championship game against either Texas or Alabama, Penn State seems equally equipped to handle the high-powered offense of the Longhorns or to solve the smothering run defense of the Crimson Tide. The better question might be, who out there can stop a team as balanced as Penn State?