Buckeyes back in the BCS mix
November 7, 2009 9:22 PM
Posted by ESPN.com?s David Albright
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- If it?s November it must be time for the Ohio State and its BCS worthiness discussions (read: diatribes) to begin.
That?s right, the Buckeyes -- aka America?s in perpetuity BCS guest -- is now piloting the Big Ten?s BCS automatic bid with two games to play. And all that stands between the currently 8-2 Buckeyes and a trip to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl is next week?s home game vs. conference co-leader Iowa (likely without QB
Ricky Stanzi) and the regular-season finale at reeling Michigan on Nov. 21.
?November is for contenders, that?s what we always say,? Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel after his team?s 24-7 domination over Penn State at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. ?But it?s kind of hard to get too ecstatic because the Hawkeyes are coming to town and they?re going to be in a nasty mood.
?But this is a gratifying win because we?re becoming a better team.?
And more importantly, sophomore
Terrelle Pryor took a step toward developing into a better quarterback -- if Saturday was any indication.
Against a Penn State defense that came in ranked nationally in total defense (6th), rushing defense (5th) and pass defense (12th), Pryor directed an Ohio State offense to 353 total yards, three touchdowns and zero turnovers.
For the game Pryor was 8 of 17 for 125 passing yards with two touchdowns, and he rushed five times for 50 yards with one TD and never took a sack.
Still, he wasn?t completely satisfied with the performance.
?Throwing the ball was a little poor,? Pryor said. ?It seems like we had some communication issues. But we ran the ball very well. And no turnovers.?
Ohio State led 10-7 at the half but Pryor?s numbers were sub-pedestrian, going just 3-for-9 for 33 passing yards. On the ground he had three carries for 42 yards and a touchdown.
But the second half was a different story, particularly through the air.
Pryor went 5-for-8 for 92 passing yards and two TDs. The big play came on a 62-yard TD strike to wide receiver
DeVier Posey with 1:47 left in the third quarter.
It was the first play of a drive and it caught Penn State off-guard. On the eight previous drives Ohio State started off with a running play. So the Nittany Lions must have been thinking run.
?We were in a coverage where the corner just got a little careless,? Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. ?Pryor is a good football player and I thought he played well."
Pryor followed up the long touchdown pass with another score when he led Ohio State on a 10-play, 47-yard drive that culminated with a 6-yard pass play to RB
Brandon Saine. The drive chewed up 5:23 on the clock to start the fourth quarter.
?This was my first time to lead the team and take the offense down the field and score some touchdowns against another big team and a ranked team,? Pryor said.
It was also a good performance in a hostile environment.
Saturday was the 300th game in Beaver Stadium history and the 110,033 in attendance marked the fourth largest crowd in Happy Valley history. And the vast majority of fans were hoping the Jeannette, Pa., native had a rough afternoon playing back in his home state for the first time since high school.
?It was big to come back home,? Pryor said. ?I haven?t been back to Pennsylvania in a long time and just to play in front of all the people who came to see me play was big. It felt good.?
And it must feel good for Bucknuts nation to know it?s back in the BCS mix -- even if the rest of America is collectively groaning.
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