READY AS EVER

The Big Ten doesn’t have a conference championship.

But for all intents and purposes, this year it does. And it’s tomorrow.

Unlike the ACC, SEC, Big 12 and a handful of other conferences, the Big Ten does not hold an annual conference championship due to the fact it only has 11 teams (NCAA rule prohibits conference championships for conferences with less than 12 teams). However, year after year we find that there is always one big game – like Saturday’s Penn State/Ohio State showdown – that inevitably determines the Big Ten Championship.

If Penn State pulls off their first win in Columbus since 1978, the Lions will be three games away from their third Big Ten Championship and possibly a trip to Miami for a chance to be National Champions. While wins are not guaranteed by any means, the Lions will have three winnable games remaining on the schedule (@ Iowa, Indiana and Michigan State). Three teams which the Nittany Lions will be at least two touchdown favorites in.

However, if the streak continues and the legs of Terrelle Pryor and the speed of the Ohio State offense trip the Lions, they will undoubtedly slip into a tie for second place in the Big Ten and fall out of National Championship contention as quick as Lindsay Lohan after The Parent Trap.

Either way, you can be sure the Lions are ready for this game – on both sides of the ball.


However, not a large contingent of ESPN's “SportsNation” thinks Penn State is ready to beat Ohio State in prime time.

As of 5:14 on Friday evening, a stunning 59% of American’s (58,019 sample size) believed that Penn State was more likely to lose on Saturday than any of the other top 5 ranked teams. They clearly have not been watching the same Penn State team I have and probably haven’t left their cat-infested homes since the Reagan administration. Here’s a little update for them in case they’re reading:

Offensively, Penn State is certainly the most ready they’ve been in years as they are not only one of the nation’s most productive offensive units, but also the nation’s most balanced unit among the leaders. Penn State’s seasonal rushing (234.6 ypg) and passing yardage (247.5 ypg) are just 13 yards a part through eight games. 13 YARDS APART. As a coach I’m sure you plan to be balanced, however I don’t think anyone on Penn State’s coaching staff could have seen this coming.

And you can be sure the offensive line is going to be playing with a chip in their shoulder all Saturday night as ESPN’s pretty boy Todd McShay labeled them as “decent” and “decent as best” during College Football Live. I’d like to see McShay tell that to any of those guys in the trenches. He would need his tallest pair high heeled shoes just to reach their crotches.

Defensively, Penn State has continued it’s dominant tradition as they currently rank 6th in the nation in scoring defense and 8th in defensive yardage. Led in part by standout sophomore Aaron Maybin, the defense has been stifling offenses all season allowing an average of only 4.1 yards per play.

Makes you want to rethink of that vote doesn’t it. Don’t take it from me though. Take it from the boys in white Saturday night who are poised and ready to make Pryor wish he never left his home state.