The Lions' Pride

fair enough, thats your opinion. My opinion reads more like "if penn state can contain braxton miller then they can win this game". I dont feel we need to knock him out of the game....just need to make him prove he can consistently throw the ball and win a game

left coast.... Meyer is an offensive guy. He has given the Defensive controls to Fickell and the D staff.

I am not a big poster, as you can probably see, but I think I should probably comment after reading all the pages of this thread, and watching all the games both teams have played.

I am very impressed with Matt's progression through the beginning of this season and the way your team has united as a team and rallied.

I am also very concerned with my team (Ohio State) and their inconsistencies on offense and defense, even after watching first hand the destruction of Nebraska in person last weekend (Amazing to be in the shoe that night!).

Statistically, you have a traditionally sound B10 and Penn State defense, and we have a very explosive offense and a big play defense that has been less than our standard.

We have two teams with two insanely, large chips on their shoulders that are just two weeks away from slugging it out on the gridiron. Two teams with two radically, aggressive coaches that are reshaping the B10 around them (Just look at where Penn States recruiting class was before sanctions and the way these teams have played offensively, and where Ohio State's recruiting is expected to finish).

We can argue stats till we all are suffering carpel tunnel. But until the mud and turf settles, not one of us has any idea how its going to go down (no offense to you stat junkies, loved all the defense/offense comparisons, please keep it up).

Ohio State is like Dr. Jekyll(?) and Mr. Hide. Dr J. when we have 17 yards and no 1st downs in a quarter and Mr. Hide when we hold one of the best RBs in the B10 to less than 50 yards/Braxton Miller rushes 180+ yards. Which side will we see, probably both.

Then, there is Penn State, statistically sound, especially after two losses that by the end of the season wont really matter, but will there be enough spirit to sustain against a team that has just as much fire burning in their gut and is more talented than any team Penn State has played to date (Your quarterback has me more than a tad bit concerned).

Either way its going to be incredible. Good luck this week and I hope we meet you undefeated like so many of you have requested.

FYI, its rare to get to read so many pages of good debate with so little trolling, thanks for the great lunch reading.

Wasn't the play distribution something like 50 to 49 run vs. pass against NW?

We broke 50 versus both NW and ILL

A lot of people in here are saying OSU has Miller and that's it. If that's true why did Hyde have 4 td's last game along with 1 for Rod Smith. Miller still makes stupid mistakes, but he's a better QB than you'll give him credit for. As for the "bad call" against Sparty, the ref thought his knee was down. What happens when a ref thinks the player is down? He blows the play dead. But how can you turn the football over 3 times and win? Dominate the opposition. I watched your games against Illinois and Northwestern. You guys have a good defense. Our defense misses a hell of a lot of tackles and tend to get dragged because they just try to hit and strip. Hopefully that problem gets fixed in the next two weeks. Our secondary is not sound, but they are aggressive and end up making plays in key situation. Our offense sputters and then reels off 30 points and then stutters again. I don't think I've ever seen an offense that pisses me off to unknown levels, but flat out amazes me in such a short time. This is a big statement, but if we move the chains once, we typically score. Philly is our dependable reciever and Devin is our big play guy. The Nebraska game showed what happens when we get our TE involved in the offense. Our line is much better than I thought they'd be. They're actually impressing me. Sparty's front 7 barely got any penetration. While our D-line lived in the backfield against Sparty's strong run game. Were we suffer is running out of the gun. For some reason we can't stop that, but make a power running game look weak. Our special teams is one of the better ones in the Big Ten. We get after the punter and block about 20 % if them, including field goals. It'll be a tough test again, but we've passed the last two. The last one we passed it with flying colors.

In Fickell no, not at all. Ohrion Johnson is a tough safety. Wow, I can't believe I just said that. Remember last year against your team, Shazier has shown he can play and constantly makes plays this year, but he for some reason he doesn't chose to wrap up which makes most of the issues. He's still the best playmaker on our linebacker core, which is where most of our problems arise. Draw a big red circle around them. A run to the outside, typically ends in a big gain because the backers don't get there or get there two soon. That's why we suffer against the spread outside run, but can stop a terrific rush attack by Sparty. You typically won't get anywhere by running straight at us, because of the D-line, Big Hank, Simon, Gobel, Williams. To beat our D run to the outside and pass the ball quick. Take too much time and you'll end up getting your QB on his ass.

no....way off. I think it was 51-48. Talk about lopsided.

Oh I agree and I wouldn't expect to contain Miller for 4 quarters. The question is if a team such as PSU can contain him enough. If our offense can put up 29 points, then 28 points from big plays from Miller won't be enough. Just like WVU didn't exactly contain Baylor, but they still won the game (not saying our game will be a shootout like that, just using an example).

I think it will be a good game, personally. I'm very interested to see how PSU defends Miller and how well our offense can do.

My opinion of tOSU having Better players comes from the only basis it can...recruiting classes for the last few years, plus all the players that left you instead of sticking it out.

As far as having a better coach, take a poll all across america, every sportswriter and anyone that has any college football knowledge and see what the poll states...I'd bet 98% of all people outside of Happy Valley would rate UM a better coach because A) His 80+winning % and B) his 2 National Champiionships....I didn't base it on a guess, based on past history which BOB has none at this point...

I didn't say YOU WERE in the bottom half of the BIG...I said after your first two games I didn't want to watch you because I didn't want to see a team so different than the PSU that I knew...and I didn't want to see PSU in the bottom half of the BIG as it appeared you would be after the first two games....

I do follow football very closely, recruiting, the games etc...so your accusations that I don't know football because I've chosen NOT to watch PSU yet this year is the comical part...PSU isn't the central figure in CFB...there have been a lot of games to watch this year that I chose instead of watching you early on in the season...Honestly, as I said, I didn't want to see PSU get beat by these teams....I'm happy you have won your last 4 games, but I wouldn't quite be talking quite as assuredly as some of you are that you may be the best at this and that and will definitely beat tOSU etc... All I've said is basically your early season hasn't warranted the statements some have made...best front 7 in country.... your QB, WR, RB are all better than tOSU's.....That's a bold statement... I make no guarantees, but there isn't one player on your offense that I would trade anyone on tOSU's for...

How do you fine recruiting class...are you talking rankings by national recruiting services?

You had the "best players" in the conference last year as well if you're going by recruiting services. Just saying.