Terrelle Pryor returns to the [Penn State] Country; Big Ten, BCS on the line?

Originally posted on Black Shoe Diaries by BSD member smashtheguitar

Kevin McGuire from Examiner and Nittany White Out is back again to provide The 700 Level with a Penn State game thread.

This is the game that Penn State faithful have been waiting a long time for. While attempting to get revenge on Iowa was near the top of the list for 2009 (FAIL!), welcoming Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor to Beaver Stadium was right there at the top of the To Do List as well.

For those who do not know the history, allow me to quickly bring you up to speed.

Terrelle Pryor was a top quarterback recruit out of high school from just outside of Pittsburgh. He had three schools at the top of his list; Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State. It was rumored to be between Penn State and Ohio State and Pryor eventually announced that he would go to the Buckeyes because the program would better prepare him for the NFL (Kerry Collins or Bobby Hoying? You decide). Since taking over the starting job behind center Pryor has made numerous mistakes that have left many OSU fans befuddled. Oh, and he also fumbled the ball away against Penn State last year, allowing the Nittany Lions to come back and win while the Phillies and Rays were in a rain delay before game three. Since then Pryor has not shied away form speaking his mind on a number of issues. When asked about Penn State he said that it was "too country" for his liking.

Which brings us to today's game. Pryor needs to come away with a solid performance, but so does Penn State's Daryll Clark. Clark was knocked out of the Ohio State game last year by the bruising Buckeye defense. Clark also could use a signature win to give him some recognition on a national scale.

The winner of today's Penn State-Ohio State game could play to a tie for the Big Ten title (if Iowa ever decides to lose a game) but the winner could also be a front-runner for a possible BCS berth in January. Penn State has the better shot right now (ranked #11 in the BCS, Ohio State is #16) at playing in a big-money bowl, but Ohio State could snak into the mix with a win this weekend and next week against Iowa.

 

Oh, as if you really needed a reason to root against Ohio State, New York Yankees right fielder Nick Swisher (pictured) is an alumnus of Ohio State. So you can see what kind of character athletes the Buckeyes are turning out.

Kickoff is 3:30 pm. Of course it would not be a big game without the appropriate "hype" video, so here you go.

Comments

[BFisch]

I think Penn State fans need to let go of the whole Pryor thing-I mean you actually might would be worse with a young QB and young WRs compared to having experience like Clark with the young offense. So it might have been a blessing in disguise really.

[jd]

link to an awesome story involving the first matchup between these two in 1912 (curtosy of BSD)

http://www.blackshoediaries.com/2008/10/22/637430/a-lesson-in-penn-state-ohi

[jd]

bfisch-most of us have let go of losing pryor to osu, especially since psu landed newsome last year. many of us just can't stand that there is so much hype around a guy who really hasn't done that much. oh, and the whole "too country" thing.

about swisher
his name his swisher
he is a switch hitter.

'nuff said

[Benjamin]

These PSU-OSU games are usually low scoring and decided by mistakes or one big play...like that shitty special teams play for a simple 10 yard OSU TD drive.

Then again, if Clark goes into the same weak shell he went into during the Iowa game, it won't be good.

[Liam]

Sure seems as if Clark doesn't show up in big games. Hopefully he can get a rally going and change that

[ChesterCountyRedNeck]

"WE ARE....A JOKE" most overrated team in college football

[bos]

wheres the coverage of the 7 in a row owls?

[Mike (Delaware County)]

Clark blows at big games, this was not a shocking loss at all. Love you Penn State but you blow when it comes to big games just like the EAGLES

[Brian G.]

Pryor sucks. I hope he plans on returning punts if he wants to play in he NFL.

[Phils Phan]

Clark is not a big game QB. One might say he is the Donovan of the Big 10.

Here's to Newsome making noise in two years (next year will be a mess).

[jlamb]

start breaking down the temple owls, baby! all you penn state nerds should be very interested in how they do since al golden will be coaching up there in a few years.