Ah, rivalries.

While all Buckeye fans will point to the season-ending clash versus Michigan as Ohio State’s top rival, what team does the Nittany Lion faithful cast as their arch nemesis?

Judging by the fact that when Penn State’s Big Ten Champion football t-shirts depicted the scoreboard of last year’s game that the Nittany Lions won 17-10 over the Buckeyes, most in Happy Valley would point to the school in Columbus as their biggest rival.

In last year’s epic battle at Beaver Stadium, Ohio State could not generate much offense, particularly in the second half as the Buckeyes were shutout in the final two quarters. Ohio State managed just 230 yards of total offense for the game, with 81 of those yards coming from the only touchdown drive OSU was able to muster during the second quarter.

Two Ohio State turnovers by quarterback Troy Smith cost the Buckeyes’ dearly, as Smith was intercepted in the second quarter that resulted in a Penn State touchdown. His fumble on Ohio State’s final drive of the game ended any hopes of sending the game into overtime.

Defensively, Ohio State dominated as expected, allowing just 190 yards of total offense. In the second half, Penn State was only able to generate 45 yards on a scoring drive that resulted in a field goal during the Nittany Lions’ opening possession to start the third quarter, then Penn State was held to just 18 yards the rest of the game.

Ohio State scored on their second possession of the game as the Buckeyes’ drove 44 yards in 12 plays that was capped off by a 30-yard field goal by Josh Huston.

After getting a first down on a quarterback sneak, the Buckeyes entered the red zone at the Penn State 19-yard line. After a run by Brandon Schnittker that gained a yard and an incomplete pass from Smith to Santonio Holmes, OSU faced a third-and-9 at the PSU 18-yard line. Smith went back pass, was flushed out of the pocket, and raced for five yards before being tackled by Penn State’s Dan Connor. OSU settled on a field goal to take an early 3-0 lead with 6:41 remaining in the first quarter.

After both teams traded punts, Penn State would begin the second quarter with the ball at their own 26-yard line. The vaunted OSU rushing defense buckled during the drive, as the Nittany lions were able to gain 74 yards all on the ground that was capped off by a 13-yard touchdown run by Derrick Williams to give Penn State a 7-3 lead with 10:20 left to play in the first half.

Penn State would scored another touchdown in a span of 2:33 to take a 14-3 lead after Smith was intercepted on Ohio State’s next possession. On a third-and-9 from the OSU 14, Smith dropped back to pass and was picked off by Calvin Lowry at the OSU 38-yard line, who raced down the far sideline until he was knocked out-of-bounds at the OSU 2. Three plays later, Michael Robinson snuck in from the one-yard line and Penn State had a commanding lead.

Ohio State responded by engineering their one and only sustained drive as the Buckeyes went 81 yards in 14 plays that was capped off by a 10-yard run by Smith who dove in from the three to get the ball across the goal line.

With Penn State leading 14-10 at halftime, the only points scored in the second half came on a 41-yard field goal by Penn State’s Kevin Kelly on the opening drive of the third quarter.

Ohio State only crossed the Penn State 40-yard line once in the second half, but Huston missed a 50-yard field goal with 1:58 left in the third quarter.

On Ohio State’s final drive of the game that started at the Buckeyes’ 6-yard line following a holding penalty, Smith would lose a yard on the first play and OSU would call a timeout with 2:19 left in the contest. Following the break in the action, Smith would connect with Ted Ginn Jr. for a gain of 26 yards to the PSU 31-yard line, hit Santonio Holmes on a 21-yard pass play to the PSU 48, and a three yard completion to Roy Hall that moved the Buckeyes’ into Nittany Lion territory.

Facing a second-and-7 at the PSU 45-yard line, Smith dropped back and was sacked by Penn State’s Tamba Hali. Smith fumbled as he was hit at the OSU 48, and the loose ball was recovered by PSU’s Scott Paxson with 1:21 left to play.

Penn State would kneel down on three plays to run out the clock and end the game.

One thing is for sure, Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman’s game plan last year was dull and unimaginable, to say the least.

Holmes had just four catches for 41 yards, while Ginn had a mere three receptions for 40 yards. Which is a total of seven for 81 total yards, with 45 of those yards coming on two plays during OSU’s final drive.

The Buckeyes’ leading rusher was Antonio Pittman who had 58 yards on 15 carries, while Smith netted 53 yards in 19 attempts.

Entering his 41st season as head coach this year, Joe Paterno’s Nittany Lions return 34 letter winners and 11 starters from last year’s 11-1 team that captured a share of the Big Ten title.

JoePa will have to do without the services of second-team, All-Big Ten quarterback Michael Robinson. In his place is junior Anthony Morelli (6-4, 214).

It seems that in the eyes of Penn State fans that Morelli is the second coming of Dan Marino, though most insiders from Paternoville will say he’s the best quarterback in State College since Kerry Collins.

Unlike Robinson, who was a tremendous athlete and could run out of the pocket, Morelli is a less mobile drop-back passer.

Morelli was of the most sought after quarterback prospects in the country in 2003 after being selected to the SuperPrep All-American and USA Today Top 25 Supreme Team.

Morelli passed for 3,455 yards and 36 touchdowns in in his final two years as a started at Penn Hills High School in suburban Pittsburgh.

In limited duty as a backup last year, Morelli was 13-of-20 passing for 155 yards and a touchdown.

Helping him out with the running game is senior tailback Tony Hunt (6-2, 219), who rushed for 1,047 yards on 174 carries (6.0 avg.) with six touchdowns in 2005.

Morelli will have plenty of experienced targets to throw to as all three of the top receivers from last year’s team return.

Sophomores Deon Butler (5-10, 163) and Jordan Norwood (5-10, 160) both return. While they may lack in size, they do not lack speed on the outside.

Butler hauled in 37 passes for 691 yards and nine touchdowns, while Norwood caught 32 balls for 422 yards.

Possibly the best receiver of the group is sophomore Derrick Williams (6-0, 201), who had 22 receptions for for 289 yards and a score. He also rushed for 116 yards on 22 carries and three more touchdowns.

Other than starting a new quarterback, the other big concern for Coach Paterno is having to replace four starters on the offensive line. The only returning starter is senior tackle Levi Brown (6-5, 324), who was a first-team All-Big Ten preseason selection by The Sporting News.

The defense is even more depleted, with just four starters returning from last year’s team.

Gone are defensive ends Tamba Hall and Matthew Rice, defensive tackle Scott Paxson, and the entire secondary of Chris Harrell, Calvin Lowry, Anwar Phillips and Alan Zemaitis.

The Penn State linebacking corps returns intact, led by OLB Paul Posluszny (6-2, 229), who has been selected the pre-season National and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and is ranked No. 5 on the Watch List for the Heisman Trophy by Lindy’s Football.

Winner of the 2005 Butkus and Bednarik awards and a consensus All-American, Posluszny is the only defensive player listed on Lindy’s Heisman Trophy Top 10 Watch List.

Of course, as all Buckeye fans know, those awards should of went to A.J. Hawk.

Posluszny suffered partial tears of the anterior cruciate and posterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee in the fourth quarter of the 26-23, triple-overtime victory over Florida State in the Orange Bowl.

The injury did not require surgery.

Also returning are middle linebacker Tim Shaw (6-1, 233) and outside linebacker Dan Connor (6-3, 220).

The only other returning starter on defense for Penn State is tackle Jay Alford (6-3, 288).

Analysis and Prediction

While Penn State’s linebackers are strong, losing Hall and his 11.5 sacks as well as the entire secondary will make things difficult for the Nittany Lions to stop the high-powered offense of Ohio State.

Morelli will be able to get his feet wet playing Notre Dame at South Bend two weeks before the showdown in Columbus on September 23 against the Buckeyes, but he will still be in the learning process.

Ohio State 31, Penn State 17.

Friday, I preview the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Tags: Buckeye Football //