The Buckeyes were the underdog,but controlled the game and silenced the Penn State crowd with a 24-7 win and set up a winner takes the title and Rose Bowl bid showdown on Saturday with Iowa.
Buckeye Branches
1) The Penn State crowd came for revenge against Terrelle Pryor for sp
urning the Nittanys in favor of OSU,but the jam packed stadium seemed to inspire Pryor more than intimidate him.Pryor tossed two TD's ( 62 and 6 yards respectively) and rushed for another,but I thought the biggest part of Pryor's afternoon was avoiding the big mistake that he seemed to make so often in tight games.
Pryor kept himself poised and most importantly,took what the Penn State defense gave him and didn't force the action.
Hopefully,the maturation process is beginning for Pryor.....
2) Pryor's best play was the long TD pass to the wide open Devier Posey on a go pattern in the third quarter that pretty much broke the spirit of the Penn State defense.
The throw was on the $ and was type of throw that Pryor has misfired on in the past,but he could have had another as he overthrew Dane Sanzenbacher,who had gotten behind the Penn State corner in the fourth quarter on what would have been a sure score.
3) Give some credit to Posey as well for not letting up and making sure he was in the end zone before slowing up.
All too often players slow up too soon and wind up being tackled before scoring or allowing the defender to get close enough for a free shot and then cause an injury.
4) Ray Small has had a checkered career in his term as a Buckeye,but his two punt returns set up two scores with field position and showed the type of explosiveness that could get him an NFL shot as a return specialist.
Small has always had the speed and skills to make a difference,but the attitude was the question.
5) I didn't think that Penn State should have even scored at all as Daryll Clark was stopped short of the goal line on his fourth down rushing TD.
The review didn't show inconclusive evidence either way,but I thought he was short.
The "breaking the plane" rule is perhaps my most hated in football.
6) Perhaps it is time to look at the rule and go back to the original intent back in the games origins.
Then you had to either physically carry the ball in or place the ball completely in the end zone,none of this relying on an official yards away crap....
7) The Buckeye defense did their job as they kept Clark under control (125 yds passing and 20 rushing) and took away the weapon that makes Penn State go in holding Ryan Royster to just
36 yards.
Royster and Clark combined for only 56 yards on 24 carries....
8) I have never seen a Penn State crowd empty out so quickly than they did on this night after Ross Homan's pick of Clark with over nine minutes to go.
By the games end,I bet the place was barely one third full....
9) Between Brandon Saine,Boom Herron and Pryor,Ohio State ran for over 200 yards
against the Lions and enabled the Buckeyes to make Penn State respect the run and that opened the field for the occasional downfield pass from Pryor.That stat alone might be the quietest,but most important stat in the win.
I also loved the leap into the end zone by Saine to score the Buckeyes final touchdown.
10) One final tip of the cap to Cameron Heyward.
Heyward destroyed the Penn State line with two sacks and 11 tackles.
A great stat line for Ironhead Jr and those are the type of numbers that I'll take anytime from any defender!
11) Don't take anything for granted,but Iowa is going into Columbus off their first loss and without starting QB Ricky Stanzi.
The game looks good on paper for the Bucks,but Kirk Ferentz is an excellent coach for Iowa and he might have some things ready to spring on the Buckeyes.
Photo Credits
Carolyn Kaster-AP Photo
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