OHIO STATE VS PENN STATE
ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 23RD, THE #1 OHIO STATE BUCKEYES HOSTED THE #24 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS IN FRONT OF A SOLD OUT CROWD IN COLUMBUS. THIS GAME HAD ME SOMEONE WORRIED SINCE THESE TWO TEAMS ALWAYS PLAY EACH OTHER TOUGH NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE. THIS DAY WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT. THE MOST EXCITING PART OF THIS GAME WAS EITHER THE 4TH QUARTER OR WHEN JOE PATERNO HAD TO LEAVE THE FIELD A COUPLE OF TIMES TO TAKE CARE OF SOME BUSINESS AS HE PUT IT. THE DAY BELONGED TO DEFENSE AND A COUPLE OF BIG PLAYS THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE. NOT ONLY DID THE DEFENSE KEEP PENN STATE OUT OF THE END ZONE, THEY SCORED 2 TOUCHDOWNS OF THEIR OWN TO ICE THE GAME IN THE 4TH QUARTER. MALCOM JENKINS HAD A 61 YARD INT RETURN FOR A TOUCHDOWN AND ANTONIO SMITH ADDED A 55 YARDER AT THE END OF THE GAME. JAMES LAURINAITIS GOT HIS 3RD PICK OF THE YEAR OFF OF A DEFLECTED BALL AS WELL. HE ALWAYS SEEMS TO KNOW WHERE THE FOOTBALL IS. HE ONCE AGAIN LED THE DEFENSE WITH 10 TOTAL TACKLES. PENN STATE'S TONY HUNT REALLY GOT IT GOING IN THE 2ND HALF AND HE ENDED UP RUSHING FOR 138 YARDS ON 24 CARRIES. HE IS A TOUGH RUNNER. ANTHONY MORRELI SHOWED SIGNS OF MAKING PLAYS, BUT THE PRESSURE FROM BUCKEYE FRONT WAS FORCING HIM TO MAKE SOME BAD DECISIONS IN CRUNCH TIME. HE ENDED UP BEING 16 OF 25 FOR OVER 160 YARDS, BUT THE THREE INTERCEPTIONS ARE THE KEY STAT IN HIS GAME YESTERDAY. I WILL TELL YOU, FOR A DEFENSE THAT WASNT SUPPOSED TO BE THAT GOOD THIS YEAR, THEY ARE ONLY AVERAGING GIVING UP 8 POINTS PER GAME, AND THEY HAVE ONLY ALOUD 3 TOUCHDOWNS IN THE FIRST 4 GAMES. THAT IS A PRETTY NICE NUMBER, AND WHEN OUR OFFENSE IS CLICKING, IT WOULD BE HARD FOR US TO LOSE A GAME. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS, THE OFFENSE WAS NOT CLICKING. TROY SMITH HAD HIS TOUGHEST DAY BY FAR, GOING 12 OF 22 FOR 115 YARDS AND TOUCHDOWN. HE ALSO THREW 2 INTERCEPTIONS. HE DIDNT HAVE ANY COMING INTO THIS GAME. EVEN WHEN HE HAD THE TIME TO THROW, HE STRUGGLED TO FIND HIS RECEIVERS. THEY WERE OPEN, HE JUST DIDNT EXECUTE THE THROW. EARLY IN THE 4TH QUARTER HE MADE A HEISMAN TYPE PLAY TO FIND BRIAN ROBISKIE IN THE END ZONE FOR A 37 YARD TD. I WONT GO INTO DETAILS ON THIS PLAY, YOU ALL SAW IT. ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE. PENN STATE DID A NICE JOB ON GONZO AND GINN AS THEY HELD THEM TO 2 CATCHES A PIECE. ANTONIO PITTMAN HAD ANOTHER SOLID RUNNING GAME. HE HAD A REAL NICE 2ND HALF ON HIS WAY TO GAINING 110 YARDS ON 20 CARRIES AND A TOUCHDOWN. IT IS NICE TO SEE HIM GET IN THE HOUSE EVERY WEEK, AFTER LAST YEAR. IN ANY EVENT, THE BUCKEYES DID ENOUGH TO WIN THE BALL GAME. THE DEFENSE PLAYED TERRIFIC AND MADE SOME BIG PLAYS TO HELP PUT THE GAME AWAY LATE. SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY THIS WAS AN UGLY BORING GAME, BUT I ACTUALLY LIKE THESE GAMES. TO WATCH BOTH TEAMS STRUGGLE TO MOVE THE BALL ON A GREAT DEFENSE IS A LOT OF FUN TO ME. IT GETS TO BE A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO MY COMFORT LEVE AT TIMES, BUT ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A PRETTY SWEET GAME. IT IS NICE TO KNOW THAT WHEN THE POTENT OFFENSE IS HAVING A TOUGH TIME, THIS YOUNG DEFENSE CAN PLAY A LITTLE BALL WHEN THEY NEED TO. JIM HEACOCK HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB WITH THIS GROUP, AND THEY ARE ONLY GOING TO GET BETTER AS THE WEEKS GO ON. NEXT WEEK WE TRAVEL TO IOWA TO PLAY THE UNDEFEATED HAWKEYES ON PRIME TIME AGAIN. I AM SURE THEY REMEMBER WHAT THE BUCKEYES DID TO THEM LAST YEAR, SO THEY ARE GOING TO BE READY TO GO. THEY HAVENT LOOKED REAL CRISP YET THIS YEAR, BUT YOU CAN BET THEY ARE GOING TO PLAY THEIR BEST BALL THIS WEEK. I THOUGHT I WOULD THROW A LITTLE FLAVOR INTO THESE ARTICLES AND GIVE YOU A SCORE PREDICTION FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK. IT WILL BE A BATTLE, BUT THE BUCKEYE TALENT PREVAILS AGAIN. OHIO STATE 27 IOWA 17.
MVPS FOR THE PENN STATE GAME
OFFENSE- ANTONIO PITTMAN
DEFENSE- MALCOM JENKINS.
posted by jason at 4:36 PM
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