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Penn State vs. Illinois: Confirmed Visitors

Here is a confirmed list of Penn State recruits who visited, officially or unofficially, the Penn State vs. Illinois game last night. My apologies for any misspelled names.

1. Devon Smith
2. Jason Ankrah
3. Justin Brown
4. Travis Hawkins
5. Antone Exum
6. Oday Abushi
7. Stephon Morris
8. Paul Jones
9. Zach Larson
10. Taylor Satterfield
11. Malcom Willis
12. Maika Polamalu
13. Chris McCain
14. Peter Dandrea
15. Tyrece Watkins
16. Darrell Givens
17. Curtis Drake
18. Anthony Fera
19. Donald D'Alesio
20. Eric Shrive
21. Ray Vinopal
22. Chad Hagan
23. Terrell Chestnut
24. Alex Zordich
25. Glenn Carson
26. Keenan Allen
27. Travis Hawkins
28. Anthony Marsiglia
29. Braylon Heard
30. Frank Figeroua

There were a few more that I have yet to find out about.

How the AP voters voted

Here is the breakdown of how the voters ranked Ohio State and Penn State in the recent week six poll. Information courtesy of PollSpeak.com

Note: By clicking on any of the voter links you will see how their votes break down.

Ohio State: Cumulative Rank: #14

Voter	Rank
Eric Hansen	8
Herb Gould	8
Joe Rexrode	8
Craig James	9
Jim Lamar	9
Anthony Gimino	10
Jason Franchuk	10
Mike Prater	10
Joe Person	11
Kevin Pearson	11
Kirk Herbstreit	11
Myron Patton	11
Tom Mulhern	11
Barker Davis	12
Bob Hammond	12
Eric Page	12
Ferd Lewis	12
Glenn Guilbeau	12
Jake Schaller	12
Jeff White	12
Kent Taylor	12
Marcus Fuller	12
Mark Tupper	12
Maurice Patton	12
Randy Harrison	12
Randy Rosetta	12
Steve Conroy	12
Chris Fowler	13
Doug Segrest	13
Jeff McLane	13
Jon Johnson	13
Joseph Duarte	13
Mike DeArmond	13
Mitch Vingle	13
Pete DiPrimio	13
Robbie Andreu	13
Sal Interdonato	13
Doug Lesmerises	14
Jim Mashek	14
Jimmy Burch	14
Joe Giglio	14
John Silver	14
Mark Anderson	14
Matt McCoy	14
Mike Ceide	14
Mike Strain	14
Ray Fittipaldo	14
Scott Wolf	14
Taylor Zarzour	14
Tom Keegan	14
Brett McMurphy	15
Ray Ratto	15
Steve Sipple	15
Bill Cole	16
Bret Bloomquist	16
Kirk Bohls	16
Molly Yanity	16
Stewart Mandel	16
Tom Hart	16
Tom Murphy	16
John Heuser	17
Aditi Kinkhabwala	18
John Hunt	19
Jon Wilner	20
Adam Van Brimmer	23

Penn State: Cumulative Rank: #6

Voter	Rank
Eric Page	3
Bret Bloomquist	4
Doug Lesmerises	4
John Hunt	4
Adam Van Brimmer	5
Anthony Gimino	5
Barker Davis	5
Brett McMurphy	5
Chris Fowler	5
Mike DeArmond	5
Tom Keegan	5
Craig James	6
Doug Segrest	6
Eric Hansen	6
Glenn Guilbeau	6
Jake Schaller	6
Jim Lamar	6
Jim Mashek	6
Joe Giglio	6
Joe Person	6
Kirk Bohls	6
Kirk Herbstreit	6
Mark Anderson	6
Matt McCoy	6
Mike Ceide	6
Mike Prater	6
Mike Strain	6
Mitch Vingle	6
Myron Patton	6
Pete DiPrimio	6
Randy Harrison	6
Ray Fittipaldo	6
Ray Ratto	6
Robbie Andreu	6
Sal Interdonato	6
Steve Conroy	6
Steve Sipple	6
Stewart Mandel	6
Taylor Zarzour	6
Tom Mulhern	6
Tom Murphy	6
Aditi Kinkhabwala	7
Herb Gould	7
Jeff McLane	7
Joe Rexrode	7
John Silver	7
Jon Wilner	7
Joseph Duarte	7
Kent Taylor	7
Mark Tupper	7
Randy Rosetta	7
Tom Hart	7
Bill Cole	8
Ferd Lewis	8
Jimmy Burch	8
Jon Johnson	8
Marcus Fuller	8
John Heuser	9
Maurice Patton	9
Molly Yanity	9
Jeff White	10
Bob Hammond	11
Kevin Pearson	13
Scott Wolf	13
Jason Franchuk	17

PSU #6 in Latest Polls

Penn State reached it's highest ranking in the associated press and USA today polls this season checking in at the #6 ranking. Ohio State remained at #14 in the AP poll and moved up slightly in the USA Today poll coming in at #12.

AP Top 25

1. Oklahoma (43) 4-0 1,599

2. Alabama (21) 5-0 1,565

3. LSU 4-0 1,466

4. Missouri (1) 4-0 1,453

5. Texas 4-0 1,362

6. Penn State 5-0 1,252

7. Texas Tech 4-0 1,105

8. Brigham Young 4-0 1,098

9. USC 2-1 1,087

10. South Florida 5-0 1,035

11. Georgia 4-1 1,018

12. Florida 3-1 914

13. Auburn 4-1 860

14. Ohio State 4-1 829

15. Utah 5-0 713

16. Kansas 3-1 650

17. Boise State 3-0 549

18. Wisconsin 3-1 520

19. Vanderbilt 4-0 459

20. Virginia Tech 4-1 290

21. Oklahoma State 4-0 277

22. Fresno State 3-1 232

23. Oregon 4-1 199

24. Connecticut 5-0 126

25. Wake Forest 3-1 107

Others Receiving Votes Maryland 46, Michigan State 42, Kentucky 40, Ball State 38, Northwestern 32, Tulsa 32, TCU 30, Illinois 24, North Carolina 21, Florida State 14, OLE MISS 13, Georgia Tech 10, California 5, Nebraska 5, Oregon State 3, Boston College 3, Colorado 2. Dropped From Rankings Clemson 20, Illinois 22, East Carolina 23, TCU 24.

USA Today Poll

1. Oklahoma (57) 4-0 1,520

2. LSU (1) 4-0 1,399

3. Missouri 4-0 1,398

4. Alabama (2) 5-0 1,350

5. Texas (1) 4-0 1,310

6. Penn State 5-0 1,146

7. Brigham Young 4-0 1,054

8. Texas Tech 4-0 1,047

9. USC 2-1 990

10. Georgia 4-1 888

10. South Florida 5-0 888

12. Ohio State 4-1 854

13. Florida 3-1 832

14. Auburn 4-1 776

15. Utah 5-0 684

16. Kansas 3-1 555

17. Wisconsin 3-1 521

18. Boise State 3-0 446

19. Vanderbilt 4-0 351

20. Oregon 4-1 286

21. Fresno State 3-1 280

22. Oklahoma State 4-0 229

23. Connecticut 5-0 180

24. Virginia Tech 4-1 161

25. Wake Forest 3-1 148

Others Receiving Votes Northwestern 98, Michigan State 88, Kentucky 86, Ball State 43, Maryland 40, Tulsa 38, Florida State 31, TCU 25, California 20, Georgia Tech 18, Illinois 14, Nebraska 8, Oregon State 6, North Carolina 5, Clemson 5, Notre Dame 3, Cincinnati 2, Duke 1, OLE MISS 1. Dropped From Rankings Clemson 19, Illinois 21, TCU 23.

PSU vs. Illinois thoughts...

Tonight the Penn State stands were a sea of white. A soothing color to many of the Penn State faithful but a veritable nightmare for whatever visiting team unlucky enough to enter the confines of Beaver Stadium for a prime time match up with the resurgent Penn State Nittany Lions. Despite their best efforts Ron Zook and his Illinois Fighting Illini simply couldn't silence the raucus Penn State crowd and stop the efficient Penn State offensive attack.

First off the Penn State defense. They did not look like the same stout defense that Penn State has sported in recent years but that is not to say they are bad by any stretch of the imagination. They are fundamentally sound and have good players on that side of the ball.

I was a little surprised by the success that Illinois had on the Penn State defense sure but the surprise was more the production of junior Illinois running back Daniel Dufrene (14 carries, 97 yards). This is an area that Penn State certainly will have to address going forward but I'm confident they won't have such troubles against more conventional attacks like Wisconsin. I think this season the Penn State defense doesn't yet have a player who is really a superstar like a Paul Posluszny or a Dan Connor. Defensive end Maurice Evans has the opportunity to be in consideration as the defensive superstar if he gets back into the swing of things now that he is back from his suspension. Overall it was a decent night by the Penn State defense when one takes into account that Illinois has a pretty good offensive attack.

Evans looked a little rusty tonight which is to be expected from a guy coming off a suspension. Penn State gave up 372 yards of offense to the Illini but they forced two turnovers. They also held Illinois to under a 50% conversion rate on 3rd down. (5 for 12) If one considers how the Penn State defense has been over the past few years one can only expect that the Nittany Lions will sure up some of the problems they had tonight and really do their best to be as equally dominant as the Penn State offense is right now.

Speaking of which it was an efficient night from the Penn State offense and Penn State quarterback Darryl Clark continues to play solid football. He has mobility in the pocket and makes good decisions. He isn't a true "burner" by any stretch of the imagination but with a solid running back like Evan Royster and a great trio of wide receivers in Jordan Norwood, Deon Butler, and Derrick Williams gives opposing defenses so many things to take into account it naturally leaves running lanes for a guy like Clark (though Norwood sat out this game due to injury). Tonight the Illinois defense simply had no answers for the Nittany Lions offensive attack but the Fighting Illini have had few answers for any offense thus far in the season. They have given up a whopping 163 yards per game on the ground (10 out of 11 in the Big Ten) and 208 yards per game passing (6th in the Big Ten)

The Penn State offense simply came in and got the job done. The proof is in the pudding as Penn State put up 422 yards of offense this evening. Defenses around the Big Ten will certainly be studying the Penn State offense closely as they look to be a solid offensive unit that will give almost every team fits. Derrick Williams is finally living up to the lofty expectations the Penn State faithful had for him when he signed with the Nittany Lions a few years ago. You could see the light going on for Williams the second half of last year and if not for some really suspect quarterback play from one Anthony Morelli maybe, just maybe, Williams starts the season with a little Heisman pub? 133 yards and one touchdown on special teams, six catches for 75 yards receiving, and he chipped with with six carries for 33 yards and a touchdown. 241 total yards on the night with three touchdowns... yeah that isn't too shabby.

Special teams also was surprisingly good for the Nittany Lions tonight... key kickoff return for a touchdown, Kevin Kelly hit field goals when he needed to and they contained the kick returns of Arrelious Benn. Special teams was the deciding factor in this game when one considers Evan Royster fumbled the ball in Penn State territory and Illinois missed a field goal try to close the gap to seven points. Illinois hits that field goal it is a different game.

More important than anything tonight for the Nittany Lions is they took care of business in much the same fashion they have been taking care of business thus far in the season. That is more that can be said for several other top teams around the country. Just ask USC or perhaps Florida not to mention Georgia. Right now Penn State remains the class of the Big Ten and should be favored, barring a sudden collapse, in every game from here on out with MAYBE the exception of their trip to Columbus.

Just from what I have seen this evening I may go as far to have them favored even in that game as Ohio State still has several things they need to work out. It will be interesting to see how those two top teams, Ohio State and Penn State, fare in the next few weeks before their matchup in Columbus. There is no doubt this game will have national title implications for Penn State. With the loss of several top teams this evening it looks as if the new polls will have Penn State firmly entrenched in the top ten. If Penn State keeps doing what they need to do it is very possible a national title matchup is in their future. It is still a difficult task for any team in the SEC to remain undeated this season. Alabama has the best chance at running the table but they are a young team. It will be difficult for even them to run the table down south.

Looks like a possibility that Oklahoma or even darkhorse Texas could run the Big 12 table undefeated. (Missouri doesn't have the defense to run the table.) With USC already with a loss and no marquee matchups really on the horizon, not to mention their one loss coming to a team that Penn State beat, they are out of the equation if Penn State wins out. Penn State wins out, they win in Columbus, looks like they could possibly play Oklahoma for the national title... a bit early for such crazy talk sure but it is a real possibility.

Final Score: (#24) Illinois - 24 at (#12) Penn State - 38

Box Score Here

Florida upset by Ole Miss

One week... #1 and #4 lose. First it was Oregon State upsetting #1 USC and today #4 Florida being upset by Ole Miss 31-30. Suddenly the cards are falling into place for say a Penn State, assuming they can win out, to get a chance at a BCS championship game? Too early, well of course it is... but you never know right?

OSU vs. Minnesota 2nd Half

Defense came out a bit lethargic again. Simply need to maintain a level of consistentcy in intensity on that side of the ball. The upperclassmen on the Buckeye defense seem to be too quiet and really not top level leaders. It seems that a lot of the spark and emotion not only on defense but on the team as a whole seems to gain their emotion, intensity and leadership from the youngsters on the team. They have given up scores to Minnesota and it is a bad way to go out of a game giving up points like that. It is nice to see that at least the Gophers had to pull a rabbit out of their hat in order to make some of those plays so I can live with the points a bit. I know there are a lot of youngsters and backups in the game right now but Heacock needs to get the defense as a whole to play more consistently. They have a big game next week in Camp Randall... need to get the defense to finish the game on a high note, not with their hands on their hips.

I think Tressel realizes this and he simply seems to be more fired up on the sidelines. It is nice ot see coming from the usually ultra conservative Tressel. Now I'm not going to lie and say I really like his offensive play calling but he being more vocal and emotional on the sidelines is the kick in the pants that both sides of the ball need.

Boom Herron: Is a good back who has filled in well in the absence of Chris Wells but it seems as if he runs with a style that doesn't suit his body type. I think he has speed and he should use it more. Instead Herron being the youngster that he is tends to dance a bit too much instead of just hitting the hole like an experienced guy like Chris Wells does. Once Herron learns more of the nuiances of the offense and simply gets more confident in himself out there he could be a really good back for the Buckeyes. Right now it seems he plays a step too slow and tries to just run over people. In high school that worked... in college where everyone is as big if not bigger than you it doesn't work so well.

Offensive Line: They continue to play an up and down game. From series to series or play to play even they are great or not so great. They really need to develop some consistency on the offensive line. If the offensive line can get things pulled together on a consistent basis then the sky is the limit for the Ohio State offense. They still have far too many penalties at costly points of the game. Even had two illegal substitution penalties. Granted some of that is because they are getting some youngsters in the game but they need to get more consistent. The supposed leader of the Ohio State offensive line, Alex Boone, had a costly false start penalty on a 4th and short in the red zone. Lead to them having to try for a field goal that kicker Ryan Pretorius missed... speaking of which.

Kicking Game: Time for a competition to kick field goals. Time to get Pettrey a try! Pretorius is simply not getting it done on a consistent basis which is simply unacceptable for a Jim Tressel coached football team. This is going to rear it's ugly head later in the Big Ten season if this is not corrected now.

Defensive Line: I also like to see the changes being made on the defensive line. Thaddius Gibson is really developing into a dangerous player on the line. Nice to also see Robert Rose in there and whereas I haven't heard his named called all that much he seems to be starting to get back into things. He has really amazing talent he just needs to get the light in his head to go on. The defense as a whole played a good game but simply they too have to be more consistent.

Todd Boeckman: What a classy guy I really can't say enough about him. Let's face facts, Pryor is the better quarterback for the Buckeyes right now. He simply provides options and I dare say makes better decisions at times than Boeckman. However Boeckman gets out there and does what he has to do. He is a good leader and I dare say a lot of Pryors success can be attributed to the mentorship of one Todd Boeckman.

Chris Wells: Yeah... he is kind of good. He isn't playing at 100% nor is he getting a full load of carries but with ease he goes over 100 yards rushing. It is safe to say that it is nice to have him back in the game.

Jermalle Hines: Continues to impress and the sky seems to be the limit for this player. He is going to be something special.

Minnesota Safety Tramaine Brock: So much for your smack talk earlier in the week.

OSU vs. Minnesota 1st Half Thoughts

Offense:

Pryor looks really good and he will be something special passing the ball, a surprise to many, when he gets all the details down on reading a defense. Minnesota has caught him a few times shifting their safeties around at the last minute.

Nice to see Wells back there with Pryor. Makes it nearly impossible for a defense to focus on any one guy which really makes things difficult because it is hard to stop either Wells or Pryor when you have to only focus on them. Wells still is not 100% and there are times when he is walking with a bit of a hitch in his step. It was amazing to see him jump over a defender like he did considering how large a man he is.

It is great to see some of the younger wide receivers getting out there. Robiskie and Hartline are two possession receivers who don't stretch the field. I'm pretty down on Robiskie overall after last week where he short armed a potential touchdown catch over the middle of the field. Like to see Lamaar Thomas and Devier Posey out there getting experience. They seem to have a lot more burst than the starters.

Defense:

Nice also to see the defensive line playing better and the defense as a whole starting to play with more intensity. Seems like the first four weeks of the season Ohio State has simply been asleep each game. Laurinaitis has picked up his game but Freeman is still somewhat invisable out there.

Overall it was a good first half, Tressel's playcalling still leaves a lot to be desired and the team is not playing consistent. You can definately see signs that the Buckeyes are well on their way to good thing on offense. Hopefully they can continue for the second half.

End of the first half: Ohio State 20 Minnesota 3

Week 5 picks... week 4 results.

After a forth week of the football season that saw Penn State fans rejoice in not only their undefeated record but a suddenly more glamorous victory over Oregon State a week prior, thanks in no small part to USC losing to the upstart Beaver team, and Ohio State fans saw the true start of the quarterback career of one Terrelle Pryor few who read this really give a damn about what teams I like this week and furthermore care little about how my picks last week worked out. When have I let what people think influence what I write so without further ado let's take a look at the picks from week 4 and how they shaped up.

Basically if the actual game's margin of victory is greater than my pick then well I get the win. It is that simple folks... To see the predicted scores click here but for the sake of time I'm only putting the predicted margin of victory vs. the actual margin of victory.

Ohio State +10 RESULT Ohio State +18
(CORRECT)

Penn State +37 RESULT Penn State +41
(CORRECT)

Michigan State +11 RESULT Michigan State 16
(CORRECT)

Indiana +1 RESULT Bowling Green +22
(INCORRECT)

LSU +11 RESULT LSU +5
(INCORRECT)

Pittsburgh +1 RESULT Pittsburgh +1
(PUSH)

WEEK FOUR RESULTS: (3 WINS, 2 LOSSES, 1 PUSH)

WEEK FIVE PREDICTIONS

Ohio State - 35 vs. Minnesota - 17

Penn State - 42 vs. Illinois - 24

Fresno State - 17 at UCLA - 10

Oklahoma - 48 vs. TCU - 28

Alabama - 30 vs. Georgia - 20

Mark May should just shut up

Was watching ESPN's College Football Live today and they were discussing this weekends game between Ohio State and Minnesota. They were discussing that Minnesota is a surprising 4-0 when Mark May chimes in, "they will be 5-0 after this weekend."

Implying of course that the Gophers will beat the Buckeyes this weekend. He then went on to say how new Ohio State starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor hasn't done anything against a good defense yet. Of course when fellow host and former Ohio State running back Robert Smith informs him that Pryor did well against USC all things considered May has no answer.

Mark May's act is as tired as his on air counterpart (Lou Holtz) is old. He is simply a blow hard on ESPN who really thinks himself to be a top notch analyst when in actuality he is a second rate TV personality they pair with Lou Holtz who while being much nicer of a guy than May is a pretty terrible on air guy as well.

Hey Mark May, what was that about Pitt winning the Big East this year? Bowling Green... what?

YES OSU won!

Yes... OSU finally won! Wait, damn it, Oregon State won. For a minute I thought that 12 days ago I had actually dreamed, more like had a nightmare, that Ohio State lost in LA 35-3 to the USC Trojans but alas it was the young upstart Oregon State Beavers who knocked the best team in the universe from their #1 ranking tonight by the score of 27-21. Players and coaches alike from top teams from around the country are going wild right now...

... Georgia head coach Mark Richt was reportedly seen running naked through the streets of Athens, GA yelling expletives in joy.

... LSU head coach Les Miles was seen stuffing $100 bills down various "dancers" g strings drinking bottles of Cristal at a local Baton Rouge "gentleman's club".

... Alabama head coach Nick Saban was overhead actually turning down an offer to interview for another head coaching job.

... Penn State head coach Joe Paterno, well he will find out what happened when he wakes up in the morning if his son Jay sends him a text message, wait Joe doesn't know about text messaging my bad. I'm sure he will see the paper in the morning.

All jokes aside what on earth does tonight's Oregon State victory over USC actually mean in terms of the landscape of college football and Penn State football. It means nothing and it means everything. First let's get to how it means nothing.

Invariably Penn State fans across the nation are collectively beating their chests, screaming out their windows saying, "we are the best team in the nation."

They are using the logic that, since Penn State handily whipped Oregon State two weeks ago to the tune of 45-14 and today Oregon State beat USC, then Penn State is better than the supposed best team in the nation, right? It is obvious that Penn State's non-conference schedule was not weak at all but instead really strong because well again Oregon State beat the #1 team in the nation, right? Ahh... if sports, namely college football, only worked in such a nice logical way.

There is no doubt that through the first four games of the season Penn State is the class of the Big Ten. They have done what the likes of USC simply have not done, that is take care of business week in and week out. One of the few things college coaches universally agree on is the hardest part and probably the most key part to winning a game is to play each game with emotion and intensity. Coaches also admit it is impossible for a team to play with the same level of emotion each game and what separates the good teams from the great teams is being able to win despite coming into a game flat.

What we learned tonight about USC is that yes USC is a good team filled with arguably more talent than any team in the country but they are not a great team. They came into Corvallis Oregon tonight to face a huge underdog Beaver squad after coming off an emotional high in a nationally televised trouncing of Ohio State some 12 days ago. Tonight USC came into the game flat and fell victim to a proverbial trap game that they were "supposed" to win in a stadium and against a team for some reason they struggle against. Tonight what we saw is a good team come into a game flat and a bad team come into a game fired up.

On the other hand Penn State has come into the season and as previously mentioned they have done their job, they have taken care of business. So far the Nittany Lions have looked to be the most impressive team in the Big Ten. Penn State has yet to be tested and have yet to face an opponent of any real merit, Oregon State included. Penn State is a good team but therein is the problem right now in college football... there are a lot of good teams but no team yet has established itself as a great team nor have they for a few years.

Here is where we get to how the Oregon State victory over USC means everything.

There has not been a truly great team in college football for years. Last year we had two good teams, LSU and Ohio State, both who lost their last home games of the season causing the nation to write them off as having NO shot at making the national title game. A few crazy twists and turns aside defying supposed logic and we have LSU and Ohio State meeting in the BCS championship game.

The year before that the nation thought they had a truly great team in Ohio State. Heck some thought they were so great that merely keeping the final game of the season close with the Buckeyes should have earned Michigan a rematch in the BCS championship game. Instead a one loss Florida team gets into the national championship and dismantles the Buckeyes... another year and more good but not great teams.

In fact there has not been a really great team in college football since 2004 where two potentially great teams didn't even get the opportunity to meet for a national title due to crazy bowl rules, 13-0 Southern Cal and 13-0 Auburn. Since they never got to play we will call them "semi-great". One has to go all the way back to the 2002 Buckeyes who were undefeated and took care of business no matter how ugly they had to do it or the 2001-2002 Miami Hurricane squad to see the last truly "great" teams in college football.

It is impossible at this point of the season to know how great a team like Penn State or any current undefeated team is. One can't use the logic that since team A beats team C and team C Beats team B then team A is better than team B. Penn State is a good team not because they beat Oregon State when Southern Cal did not but they are a good team simply because they have taken care of teams that they should have beaten. No more, no less...

Ohio State fan... don't think I don't hear you either. Probably hugging each other saying, see how many yards Oregon State's running back put on Southern Cal tonight? If our star running back Chris "Beanie" Wells doesn't miss the game against USC 12 days ago then Ohio State probably wins. WRONG. (Jaquizz Rodgers had 186 yards rushing and yes his named is spelled with two "z".) Ohio State's offensive line simply got dominated in the LA that night. Would Wells have helped Ohio State that night? Sure he would have... but there is no way with or without Wells Ohio State wins that game.

Does that mean OSU is better than OSU since OSU beat USC and USC beat OSU? I have a headache plus I'm getting off topic...

Fact of the matter is it is too early in the season to know exactly how good any team is and to know for sure if one team is better than another team. If Penn State wins out then a legitimate case can be made that they are a potentially great team that deserves a title shot.

Is Penn State better than Southern Cal? No way of knowing that yet...

Is Oregon State better than Ohio State? See above...

All we know tonight is that Penn State was better than Oregon State two weeks ago and Oregon State was better than USC tonight. Nothing more, nothing less... Take comfort Penn State fans because you learned something very valuable tonight. Penn State fans learned that it matters little whether or not they are better than USC... all that matters is thanks to Oregon State the road to a possible national championship and a possible story book ending to Joe Paterno's career just became a real possibility. Who but Joe Paterno would have thought that coming into the season? The more I think about it the more part of me is pulling for that to happen for the ol' guy.

More on PSU's victory over Oregon State Here

Center comes of age in middle of it all

Ohio State football
Center comes of age in middle of it all
Freshman Brewster plugs hole as a starter on offensive line
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 3:36 AM
By Tim May

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

The freshman, one of the more ballyhooed of the 2008 recruiting class, earned his first start for Ohio State last week and played to stellar reviews in just his fourth college game.

Quarterback Terrelle Pryor? Yeah, him too. But this is about center Michael Brewster, the fellow who flawlessly snapped the ball to Pryor and made some nice blocks along the way.

To get to play center so quickly as a freshman, "that's crazy," said regular center Jim Cordle, who started at left guard. "I didn't start until my third year, and I was probably more nervous than he was. He had a little bit of a comfort shell with me out there next to him, but he settled in and we did OK."

Brewster's start was partly happenstance. Senior left guard Steve Rehring suffered a sprained left foot in the loss at Southern California, and during the week leading up to the game with Troy, offensive coordinator Jim Bollman moved Cordle to left guard and elevated Brewster to starter.

After Brewster passed the final test, that is. Considered a blue-chip prospect at guard coming out of Edgewater High School in Orlando, Fla., he had never done shotgun snapping until this preseason. He had to prove on Friday he could deliver flawlessly those snaps, the staple of the Pryor-led attack.

"It's a big test," Brewster said.

But he passed. Not that Edgewater coach Bill Gierke was surprised.

"It's unusual for a freshman to go in anywhere and play center, but you have to understand, this kid is different," Gierke said by phone yesterday. "His desire to be good is second to none.

"So it really doesn't surprise me that he's playing. It surprised me that he started, but it doesn't surprise me that he could handle it. He is a different kind of kid in terms of his preparation. He is much more advanced than your average freshman."

Gierke noticed it the first day Brewster transferred in from a private school going into his junior season. From his work in the weight room to his hours studying video, preparation for playing football was his lifestyle.

"I've been pretty lucky, because I've coached seven or eight kids who went on to play in the NFL as offensive linemen, and this guy's work ethic and the way he goes about his business is much different from even those kids," Gierke said. "This is what he wants to do. It is his focal point."

Brewster was an early commitment to the 2008 OSU recruiting class, and his work behind the scenes in helping lure other prospects earned the group the moniker "the Brew Crew."

The last to jump on board the 2008 class was Pryor, though he never considered himself a part of the Brew Crew. "I'm myself," Pryor said.

Yet there they were on Saturday, one freshman snapping the ball to another freshman; OSU historians are still trying to figure out when that last occurred for the Buckeyes. Pryor just knew that above being freshmen, coach Jim Tressel and his staff decided they were advanced enough to start.

"He's a player," Pryor said of Brewster.

Brewster's assessment of Pryor, the first freshman quarterback at OSU to throw for four touchdowns in a game: "I didn't know he could pass like that, to be honest. Everything changes when you're in a game. He has been really calm out there, and I was calm, too. I think this is a real good steppingstone for both of us."

Brewster said he was humbled and proud -- "I had goose bumps" -- to gain a starting nod so early. It conjured memories of the quick rise in 2002 of then-freshman center Nick Mangold, now with the New York Jets. When a couple of injuries opened gaps on the line, he played extensively the last half of that national championship season.

Brewster admitted it was a goal to do something similar his freshman year.

"I hate sitting on the bench," he said. "It kills me."

tmay@dispatch.com

Wells will play, Minnesota player talks smack?

Ohio State running backs coach Doc Tressel told the media today that Wells will indeed play this weekend against Minnesota (4-0). Wells reportedly has looked good in practice and has a specially reinforced shoe that is keeping any soreness in Wells' right big toe to a minimum. The combination of Pryor and Wells will be an interesting one for Ohio State fans to say the least. Daniel "Boom" Herron will continue to see playing time as the #2 running back to Chris Wells.

Despite the return of Wells it seems one Minnesota player seems largely unimpressed thus far with the Buckeyes. Coming off a season where Minnesota went 1-11 now undefeated coming out of non-conference play the Gophers, at least one player, junior college transfer Tramaine Brock is overfilled with confidence.

"They're just regular to me," Brock said. "No. 2 (Pryor), he's regular, too. He's nothing special to me. The only person we will be worried about is 28 (Chris Wells), and I don't know if he's playing or not. But everybody else, they're just regular receivers and tight ends.

"We're going to go out there and play our defense, play team ball. If the offense can get some scores on the board, we're going to come out with a W. We're not worried."

Wells listed as probable

Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel listed running back Chris Wells as "probable" for this weekends game against Minnesota. If Wells is able to return then it might mean big things for the Ohio State offense. With Wells in the backfield and highly touted true freshmen quarterback Terrelle Pryor it will be interesting to see how the Buckeyes offense works. Pryor made his first career start against Troy last weekend and tied an Ohio State freshman record by throwing four touchdowns in the game.

ESPN.com Big Ten Rankings

Big Ten power rankings

September 22, 2008 12:00 PM

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

A bit of shuffling this week despite three teams -- Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan -- that had byes. There's still a lot of mystery after the top three or four squads, and we'll know much more in five days as league play finally begins.

1. Wisconsin -- The bye week came at a good time for the Badgers, who are still dealing with some key injuries (Travis Beckum, Jonathan Casillas, Aaron Henry). It might sound wacky, but Saturday's game at 1-2 Michigan could be a trap game for Wisconsin, which can't look ahead to mega matchups with Ohio State and Penn State the next two weeks at Camp Randall Stadium.

2. Penn State -- The Lions beat Temple 45-3 and called their performance sloppy. Impressive is a better term to describe a team that has capitalized on weak competition and looked great on both sides of the ball. Penn State finally gets a test this week as Illinois visits Happy Valley. Another convincing win could give the Lions the top spot.

3. Ohio State -- The Terrelle Pryor era is under way in Columbus, and the freshman turned in a record-setting performance in his first career start. But the Buckeyes once again didn't look impressive against an inferior opponent, and they'll have to be much better in league play to reclaim the top spot in the rankings.

4. Michigan State -- It's a little unfair to drop Illinois after a bye week, but the Illini don't look like an improved team, while Michigan State does. Running back Javon Ringer has been the Big Ten MVP through the first four games, and the defense is displaying the physical style that head coach Mark Dantonio demands.

5. Illinois -- The good news for the idle Illini is they have a chance to make a huge statement Saturday at Penn State and vault up the list. The offense and defense rarely have played well at the same time, and Illinois will need both units to be clicking in Happy Valley. A veteran defensive front seven faces a huge test in the Spread HD offense, and Juice Williams tries to replicate his big-game road heroics.

6. Northwestern -- At this point in the season, the Wildcats are usually lamenting a bad nonleague loss and a leaky defense. Instead, they find themselves 4-0, thanks to a dominating defense shaped by coordinator Mike Hankwitz. The offense has been the problem so far, and Northwestern will need a lot of improvement from senior quarterback C.J. Bacher to keep this spot.

7. Iowa -- The Hawkeyes have found a running back (Shonn Greene) and several young playmakers on defense, but football still comes down to the quarterback position, and Iowa remains a mystery there. It seems like whoever comes off the bench -- Jake Christensen or Ricky Stanzi -- outplays the starter. Coach Kirk Ferentz might need to just pick a guy already because the rotation isn't working.

8. Purdue -- Staring straight at another crushing loss, the Boilermakers came up big against a solid Central Michigan team. Senior running back Kory Sheets continued to show he can handle the featured role by rushing for the game-winning touchdown. Purdue's playmaking secondary has become one of the team's strengths. A road win against Notre Dame would move the Boilers higher.

9. Minnesota -- I kept the Gophers in the basement after three wins, but a 37-3 win against Florida Atlantic made me a believer. Coordinator Ted Roof has ignited the nation's worst defense in 2007, as an influx of junior college transfers and several holdovers have meshed so far. Minnesota is forcing turnovers on defense and limiting mistakes on offense. Quarterback Adam Weber has been fabulous so far.

10. Michigan -- I'll be surprised if the Wolverines end up here at the end of the season, but it might be awhile before they move up. Wisconsin and Illinois visit the Big House the next two weeks, and Michigan needs an upset to keep its bowl hopes alive. A defense that struggled against Notre Dame must step against Wisconsin's power run game, and both Steven Threet and Sam McGuffie need to take another step forward.

11. Indiana -- Saturday marked the first chance for us to learn something about Indiana, and it wasn't promising. Two cupcake games didn't prepare the Hoosiers for a formidable Ball State team. Indiana's defensive front couldn't stop MiQuale Lewis, and Hoosiers quarterback Kellen Lewis had a rough night throwing the ball. The Hoosiers have a chance to move up by beating Michigan State at home on Saturday, but they deserved to drop.

A-11 offense?

Goodbye I-formation, goodbye wishbone, goodbye spread, hello A-11. I stumbled across this while surfing the internet for football related news today. The "A-11" offense. Not even sure what to think about this offensive scheme but can see how it would work at the high school level.

A11offense.com

Morelli still taking hits...

... this time off the football field from current Penn State starter Darryl Clark.

''There were a lot of points left on the field last year that we just didn't take advantage of,'' PSU quarterback Daryll Clark said. ''I felt that we could have put that team away early. We just didn't execute.''

Read the entire story posted in the Altoona Mirror here...

OSU vs. Troy: Observations

• Ohio State interior offensive line still getting pushed around some but there is improvement.
• There is no doubt that Terrelle Pryor is THE MAN and should never not be the starter again.
• Defense continues to play very soft and uninspired. I'm officially off the Freeman/Laurinatis are good linebackers bandwagon. That might be a bit unfair considering the defensive line gets absolutely no pressure whatsoever on the quarterback.
• The Ohio State defense gives up an easy touchdown to Troy and it looks like they are simply standing around looking at each other. Where is the fire with these guys? It is obvious that the upperclassmen are not leaders and simply are going through the motions at times.
  
• Jim Heacock continues to puzzle me...
• Is there a spread offense that Ohio State doesn't have problems with?
• Back to Terrelle Pryor... there are times where it looks like he is still playing against high school players. He simply is a physical specimen. He throws a stiff arm and legit division one players suddenly turn into pee-wee football players.
• Ohio State is playing like a mid-level Big Ten program right now but there certainly is cause for hope with the play of Pryor and some improvement on the offensive line.

2nd Half

• Ohio State came out flat again but Pryor continued to show why he is the man.
• Can't help but part of me feel bad for Todd Boeckman. I think he showed today what kind of team leader he is by being there, not pouting, and simply being happy with what is best for the team over what is best for him. Boeckman deserves major kudos during a time where he has to be disappointed.
• The offensive line play seemed to improve. Now with the Big Ten slate looming it is imperative the line gets a lot better. True freshman Micheal Brewster should now be a mainstay at center. He certainly seems like the real deal.
  
• Linebackers and defense as a whole continues to be a concern. They just play lethargic and at times stand around and seem to look at each other. Jermelle Hines had an excellent game however and the youngster showed why the coaching staff has been so high on him. I know Ohio State has depth at linebacker but would love to see Etienne Sabino in the game outside of special teams. He is a special player and a freak athlete. I think that despite having a good bit to learn about the defense he has the athletic ability to really be an impact player on that side of the ball... just have a hunch.
• Defensive line seemed to improve a bit in the second half but still they tend not to generate pressure on the quarterback without blitzing. This is not good with the conservative zone defense that Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock runs. Give receivers time in the zone and they will find the soft spots to get open.

Overall on the day Ohio State had some positives and a bunch of concerns that remain. Him Tressel seems almost perplexed at times what he should do on offense. Those reverses he tried to run, twice, on third down were simply puzzling. Even more so when you consider he put Ray Small in the game for one and that was his first apperance of the game. Not exactly play calling from Tressel, again, that lends itself to instilling confidence in the Ohio State faithful out there. Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock, while still too conservative and still seemingly unable to stop any spread attack did add a wrinkle to the defensive line I liked in the second half. He basically put four defensive ends on the line to add some speed to counter the Troy spread attack. I liked it, I liked thinking outside the box like that. That is a rare compliment from me Heacock so don't get used to it!

Next up... Minnesota.

OSU's Pryor WILL Start

AbsolutePigskin.com has learned that Ohio State true freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor will make his first career start when the Buckeyes take on Troy at noon today. Sources indicate that Pryor's high school coaches were informed of the decision and were on their way to Columbus to be on hand to see Pryor's first collegiate start.

After painfully rewatching the Ohio State debacle in LA last week against the USC Trojans it was apparent that Pryor gives the Buckeyes the best chance to win. His ability to run and pass from the quarterback position is and obvious advantage but probably more important than that is Pryor plays with a fire that Boeckman simply doesn't seem to have. The team seems to rally around Pryor and not only are the Buckeye faithful in the stands excited when he is in the game but the Ohio State players seem to be as well.

Paterno reportedly to coach from booth?

Reports indicate that Penn State head coach Joe Paterno will coach from the booth during today's matchup at Beaver Stadium against visiting Temple. Sources indicate that Paterno's leg, the same one that was injured when PSU faced Wisconsin last year, has been bothering him making it increasingly difficult for him to move. On Paterno's thursday night radio show Joe indicated that one of his legs has been bothering him but he declined to elaborate further. Paterno is currently 81 years of age.

Picks of the week

Have not been around much the last few days as I've had some things that have kept me from posting here on the ol' website. A few interesting matchups tomorrow and instead of going over each of them in depth I'm going to punt and just give a predicted final score from some games of interest this week... at least of interest to me.

Ohio State - 31 vs. Troy - 21

Penn State - 50 vs. Temple - 13

Michigan State - 24 vs. Notre Dame - 13

Indiana - 38 vs. Ball State - 37

Auburn - 9 vs. LSU - 20

Pittsburgh - 24 vs. Iowa - 23

Krenzel Agrees With Me?

On 1460 AM radio Columbus former Ohio State quarterback Craig Krenzel indicated that he too thought Ohio State should hire an offensive coordinator and Tressel should give up his duties calling plays. Krenzel went on to explain that as head coach there is just too many things he has to do in other areas and hence it becomes impossible to be an effective offensive coordinator as well.

Nice to know that my favorite Buckeye agrees with me... at least in part.

Tressel to start Pryor?

Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel today indicated that a quarterback change, or at least a shift, is in the works following Ohio State's beat down at the hands of USC last Saturday. A game in which senior Todd Boeckman made several costly errors including two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and a fumble.

Tressel indicated in today's press conference that freshman phenom quarterback Terrelle Pryor will be getting the most time practicing with the first string offence, getting roughly 65% of the snaps to Boeckman's 35%. Tressel justified the action as needed since a lot of the things they were working on are things Boeckman has done plenty in his Ohio State career. When questioned further Tressel went as far to say 50% of the snaps in this weeks game will go to Pryor.

Tressel also discussed the status of injured running back Chris "Beanie" Wells. Wells has done well with conditioning drills and "straight line" type running but today he would be doing more side to side drills and make cuts. These drills are apparently where Wells suffered his setback when soreness set in his injured right food after participating in these drills. Officially Wells still remains questionable for this weekends matchup with Troy.

Along the offensive line there also might be some changes at right tackle. Starter Bryant Browing struggled mightily, along with several other members of the offensive line, against USC last week. They also struggled greatly against Ohio University the week before that. Freshman J.B. Shugarts saw time at right tackle last week and might start at right tackle this week against Troy with Browning seeing time at guard. Redshirt sophmore Andy Miller and true freshman Michael Brewster also may see time at guard according to Tressel.

Changes at quarterback and along the offensive line are both welcome and needed after the poor performance of both at USC last week. Another Big Ten title for the Buckeyes means very little this season with the overall reputation of the Big Ten being down. Getting such young and talented guys in the game like a Brewster, like a Pryor, like a Shugarts is needed. The future is now and experience will pay huge dividends for these players.

On a side note it would be nice to see more of linebacker Etienne Sabino on the field. Let's face facts, James Lauranaitis is a talented but very soft middle linebacker. His hype unfortunately has surprassed his production on the field. An athletic youngster like Sabino would do wonders to spark a linebacking corps that has been pretty lethargic the last two weeks.

Trouble brewing in Columbus?

Now I'm not going to say what freshman on the Buckeyes it is out of respect for that player but apparently there is a highly talented freshman who is slightly upset that there seems to be too much emphasis from the Ohio State coaches on seniority rather than who is the best player... trouble brewing or simply a knee jerk reaction to the big loss at USC this past weekend? Time will tell...

ESPN.com: Big Ten Power Rankings

Big Ten power rankings

September 15, 2008 10:46 AM

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The rankings didn't change much the first two weeks as Big Ten teams beat inferior opponents and avoided embarrassing losses. Week 3 provided opportunities to flourish or flop, and Big Ten teams certainly did both.

Both Ohio State and Wisconsin headed to California with something to prove, and only the Badgers reached their goal. They get rewarded in the rankings, while the Buckeyes pay the price for a miserable performance.

1. Wisconsin -- This team had the guts to play Fresno State on the road and emerged with a hard-fought win that drew national attention. Despite some early health questions, Wisconsin has established itself as a legitimate top 10 squad that likely gets over the BCS hump if it holds serve at home against Ohio State, Penn State and Illinois.

2. Penn State -- The Lions have a gripe to be ranked higher in the polls, but they get their due here. Sure, the competition has been shoddy, but Penn State has won its three games by an average of 43 points and is the only FBS team averaging more than 260 rushing yards and 270 passing yards a game. We'll get a better read on this team soon, but the early returns look good.

3. Ohio State -- The Buckeyes still might be the Big Ten's best team, but they haven't shown it so far. A respectable effort without Chris "Beanie" Wells against USC would have kept Ohio State ahead of Penn State, but getting outclassed in every area merits a drop. A senior-laden Buckeyes team has more questions than anyone could have imagined at this early juncture.

4. Illinois -- Consistency continues to elude the Illini, who are struggling to get strong efforts on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Juice Williams struggled Saturday against Louisiana-Lafayette after two stellar games, but the defense came up big to erase some earlier problems. A bye week probably comes at a decent time for Illinois, which must regroup before visiting Penn State.

5. Michigan State -- A downpour couldn't stop the Spartans, who finally got the defensive performance they had been looking for against Florida Atlantic. The soggy conditions put a asterisk next to Saturday's shutout, but Michigan State has rebounded well from its opening loss, thanks in large part to running back Javon Ringer. A win this week against Notre Dame would push the Spartans higher in the rankings.

6. Iowa -- Coach Kirk Ferentz is still looking for a quarterback, but he has found a strong defense that could take Iowa a long way this fall. The Hawkeyes have allowed just two field goals in three games -- Iowa State also scored on a safety on Saturday -- and six different defenders already have interceptions. A road game at Pitt provides a good barometer for this team.

7. Northwestern -- The program scored a coup by landing veteran defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz, who has made an immediate impact. A usually porous defense has led the way in all three Wildcats victories. Northwestern will need more polished play from quarterback C.J. Bacher and the offense in the coming weeks, but the defense doesn't seem to be a major detriment any longer.

8. Indiana -- No movement for the Hoosiers after a bye, but the mystery about this team ends in six days against Ball State. Indiana has played easily the league's weakest schedule and looked great, but it's impossible to get a read until Nate Davis and a high-powered Cardinals offense come to Bloomington.

9. Michigan -- Getting to a bowl game could be a chore for Michigan, which was a total mess in a potential swing game at Notre Dame. Instead of limiting mistakes and letting a veteran defense lead the way, the Wolverines had seven fumbles (four lost) and two interceptions against the Irish. Freshman Sam McGuffie was a bright spot, but the execution needs to improve on both sides before Wisconsin visits the Big House on Sept. 27.

10. Purdue -- The Boilermakers would have made a major move had they finished off Oregon, but I have a hard time rewarding a moral victory for a team that has had way too many of them. The Ducks appeared to give this game away numerous times and Purdue's defense showed signs of marked improvement, but the Boilers fell short in another big game. Fortunately, they get several more chances for redemption.

11. Minnesota -- A 3-0 start nearly gets the Gophers out of the cellar, but I need to see more this week against Florida Atlantic. Minnesota needed two and a half quarters to pull away from Montana State on Saturday, though DeLeon Eskridge might have established himself as the team's featured back. A strong defensive performance against the Owls should answer some lingering questions.

Former OSU QB has big week

Antonio Henton Named SoCon 'Player of the Week'

STATESBORO, Ga. – Antonio Henton (Fort Valley/Peach County) earned his first-ever Southern Conference weekly award as he was named ‘Offensive Player of the Week’ on Monday (Sept. 15). Georgia Southern’s sophomore quarterback helped orchestrate a 34-27 overtime win last weekend over Northeastern.

Henton accounted for all five touchdowns (career-highs of three rushing and two passing) in the Eagles’ (2-1 overall) first overtime win since defeating the Huskies to start the 2005 campaign. It was also Chris Hatcher’s first-ever OT win in six attempts during his nine years as a head coach.

The sophomore quarterback completed 16-of-27 passes for 298 yards, the fifth-highest passing yardage total in program history. He also registered 43 rushing yards.

Henton threw a 65-yard touchdown pass with just over a minute remaining in regulation to tie the game, then on the second play in overtime recorded a 25-yard touchdown run that proved to be the game-winner.

He now leads the SoCon and is tied for sixth nationally in points responsible for (18.0 ppg). He is 29th nationally in passing efficiency (138.54), 39th in total offense (207.0) and 21st in scoring (10 ppg).

The 14th-ranked Eagles (FCS coaches poll/16th Sports Network) will play host to Elon this Saturday (Sept. 20) in the league opener for both programs. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Paulson Stadium and the game will be televised live on CSS.

At least we aren't the Big East?

From CNNSI.com: http://fannation.com/si_blogs/the_sweep/posts/4362

Maryland scored an impressive home victory against Cal, which tumbled out of the Top 25 after its first loss.
Mark Goldman/Icon SMI

The USC-Ohio State game offered the Conference Power Rankings its biggest matchup of the season, and the Trojans sent a pretty loud message over a three-hour period in Los Angeles.

To describe the far-reaching effects of USC's 35-3 victory, I'll turn to former Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit, who called the game for ABC. Toward the end of the telecast, Herbstreit let the Big Ten have it for OSU's underwhelming performance.

"When you get outside of the Midwest, the Big Ten has kind of become a punch line to the people around the country," Herbstreit told his audience. "When [fans] talk about how overexposed and overhyped and a bit of a fraud the conference is overall ... the team captain of that, of course, is Ohio State. This hurts the Big Ten as much as it hurts Ohio State."

Herbstreit didn't exactly sugarcoat it for his alma mater. The Buckeyes could have legitimized the conference in a big way and lost by 32. The league better hope Penn State ends up representing it in the BCS this year.

NOTE: The BCS+ notation reflects BCS conference teams, plus other teams ranked in the current AP Top 25.

1. SEC (23-3 overall, 4-2 vs. BCS+)

Last Rank: 1

The Good: A 6-0 non-conference mark with an average margin of victory of more than 24 points.

The Bad: Kentucky needed a tackle at the one-yard line after a Hail Mary completion on the final play to beat Middle Tennessee State 20-14. South Carolina, Georgia, Auburn and Mississippi State combined for a whopping two touchdowns in two league games.

The Verdict: The SEC is barely holding on. In fact, if the Texas-Arkansas game had not been postponed and the Longhorns won, the Big 12 would have the best BCS+ record and may have taken the top spot.

2. Big 12 (28-4, 5-3 vs. BCS+)

Last Rank: 2

The Good: All six non-conference wins came by at least 28 points. Oklahoma continues to look like a legit national title contender, and Chase Daniel appears headed for New York as a Heisman finalist.

The Bad: Iowa State couldn't make it two straight over Iowa, and Kansas lost a heartbreaker to South Florida on the road.

The Verdict: Next week's schedule includes four non-conference BCS games (Kansas State at Louisville, West Virginia at Colorado, Baylor at Connecticut and Miami at Texas A&M). An unbeaten run could propel the Big 12 right to the top.

3. ACC (17-8, 4-8 vs. BCS+)

Last Rank: 5

The Good: North Carolina looked much improved in smoking Rutgers on the road. Maryland scored a very nice win over Cal. Clemson and Florida State moved into the Top 25, bumping out Pac-10ers Cal and Arizona State.

The Bad: Virginia stunk it up at UConn, the conference's lone loss this week.

The Verdict: Sorry, Pac-10. The ACC had to sneak by you this week thanks to Maryland-Cal. Not sure the ACC would be 0-5 against the Mountain West.

4. Pac-10 (10-10, 5-7 vs. BCS+)

Last Rank: 3

The Good: USC looked like an unstoppable force against Ohio State, even leaving a few points on the field in its 35-3 win. That was about the only good news for the conference.

The Bad: The league went 3-7, with four losses to the Mountain West (bringing the season record to 0-5). Oregon barely beat a mid-level Big Ten team (Purdue). Stanford was crushed by TCU. UCLA lost by 59 at BYU. Arizona State lost at home to UNLV. Washington lost by 41 to Oklahoma. Washington State lost by 28 to Baylor. There was carnage up and down the coast.

The Verdict: You have to credit the Pac-10 for scheduling tough, but a .500 non-conference record doesn't cut it. The league has just two Top 25 teams, one of which (Oregon) probably would have lost its spot had Purdue made a 44-yard field goal on the final play of regulation. The league can get a boost next week if Arizona State beats Georgia in Tempe.

5. Big Ten (25-6, 6-6 vs. BCS+)

Last Rank: 4

The Good: Penn State has looked fantastic ON the field this season and is on its way to the Top 10. Wisconsin picked up a quality win at Fresno State.

The Bad: The league's two signature programs, Ohio State and Michigan, flopped on the same Saturday. The Wolverines didn't give themselves a chance against a suspect Notre Dame squad.

The Verdict: You could make an argument for the Big Ten to be in the four slot, but not 48 hours after the undressing at the Coliseum that Stewart Mandel documented.

6. Big East (10-9, 2-8 BCS+)

Last Rank: 6

The Good: With the help of a clutch kicker, South Florida avoided what would have been a damaging loss to the conference with a narrow victory against Kansas. The Bulls can carry the torch for the league with a respectable AP ranking (12).

The Bad: Rutgers has clearly lost its way with two home losses of at least 17 points, which is as many as Rutgers has had over the last five years.

The Verdict: The league has some work to do to get out of the cellar, but four BCS opponents this week offers the opportunity.

From Around The Web: Thoughts on OSU

I am still trying to digest everything that Saturday night's destruction of the Ohio State Buckeyes really means so in the mean time why not take a look at what others are saying about the night that is the end of the image that is Tressel and the Buckeyes...

Stewart Mandel, CNNSI.com:

Tressel and his staff don't necessarily need to go back to the drawing board -- but they've obviously got some touchy matters to discuss in the days and weeks ahead.

They'll be doing so, however, under much less glare than they've become accustomed to these past few years. OSU has nine regular-season games left -- but at this point you'd have to be pretty sadistic to keep tuning in.

Brandon Castel, BuckeyeGrove.com:

Once considered one of the top big-game coaches in the country, Tressel has lost his stigma and his team has lost its swagger. The 2002 OSU team led by Craig Krenzel and Mike Doss squeaked out close win after close win without caring what the rest of the country thought. The last two title game losses have left the current team mentally feeble and psychologically defeated. The players appear to no longer believe they are capable of winning these big games and OSU fans have lost faith in the coaching staff to do the same.

Chris Low, ESPN.com:

Ohio State's offense needs more than Beanie -- There's no doubt Wells makes Ohio State a much better offense, not only from a productivity standpoint but because of the confidence he gives others and the on-field leadership he provides. But the USC game showed that the unit has several areas to repair. There's still not nearly enough creativity in the scheme. A veteran line crumbled against the Trojans, surrendering five sacks. And Todd Boeckman had another rough night when the team desperately needed strong quarterback play.

Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com:

So, too, is this: For the third time in its past 17 games, Ohio State played in a game that riveted the nation and stunk up the joint. The previous two performances, with the past two BCS championships at stake, resulted in one-sided losses to Florida and LSU.

Dennis Dodd, CBSSportsline.com:

These Bucks, they're big and fast enough for their little corner of the world called the Big Ten, but once they step out of their Rust Belt comfort zone, they suck ... air. That was the case at the Coliseum which was more Roman considering another Ohio State execution, than roamin' in terms of Jim Tressel's gutted offense without Wells.

Matt Hayes, SportingNews.com:

The Buckeyes have now lost three of their last four games to BCS-conference teams, including losses to Illinois and LSU last season. The common denominator: poor play by quarterback Todd Boeckman. In those three losses, QB Todd Boeckman has been exposed by fast, athletic defenses.

Mark Kreigel, FoxSports.com:

What you are left with is less an implication than an emphatically harsh reminder that the Buckeyes do not merit any discussion for the title game. Let them go back home and beat Troy 106-0 next week. Let them run the table in the Big Ten. So what? With Saturday in evidence — Ohio State and Michigan crushed — the Big Ten doesn't seem so big anymore.

Clearly these are the brutal truth but a lot nicer than what I will write after the brutal execution of the Buckeyes truly sets in...

USC game thoughts...

... Tressel needs to stop calling the plays offensively.

... Heacock should be fired. His defense sucks.

... Penn State will rush for 500 yards on Ohio State in Columbus this year.

... Todd Boeckman is one of the worst quarterbacks in Ohio State history.

... Play all the freshman. Get them experience in a big game.

... Sit Boeckman and play Pryor the rest of the game.

... Ohio State will never win a big game outside the Big Ten again. (Edit: As long as Heacock is defensive coordinator and Tressel calls the offensive plays.)