This time around Ohio State officials are hoping the faithful will wear all red for the themed “Scarlett Fever.” God knows the Penn State Nittany Lions have thrown the “White Out” at us enough times.

First place in the Big Ten is on the line as they are the only undefeated teams left. If Ohio State (7-1, 4-0) wins they could position themselves as the Big Ten champion which could mean a rematch against USC in the Rose Bowl. A Penn State (8-0, 4-0) win would put them on the inside track to their first BCS championship appearance.

Not that Joe Pa would even think about retiring after a BCS win since going off in style is, well, not his style.

To set this game up, both Ohio State and Penn State are coming off smack downs of the Michigan teams and I wouldn’t be surprised if ESPN’s College Gameday set up shop in Columbus for this one. Historically speaking, this game has a rich history especially since they play each other every year in the last week of October.

Ohio State leads the all-time series 12-11 and they have a 10-5 advantage since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993. Joe Paterno bucked the losing trend against Michigan last weekend but he has another this weekend against Ohio State. Joe Paterno has NEVER won in Ohio Stadium in Big Ten play. Joe Pa won in Columbus in October of 1929 but he insists a historic stock market crash is not the reason for victory then or now.

In all seriousness (despite the photo of James Laurinaitis), I believe the most important match ups are the run defenses and ball control. Last week Penn State had a tough time stopping the Michigan spread run offense giving up 202 yards on the ground, a 4.4 average per carry. Most of that was given up in the first half. Last week Ohio State took on the supposedly best running attack in the Big Ten and held the Fighting Izzo’s to 52 yards rushing, a 2.5 yard average. So whichever defense can keep the other team’s dual running threats off the field longer should win this game because I don’t see a lot of turnovers occurring.

Prediction: Ohio State 27 Penn State 21

(Photo Art by Midwest Sports Fans)

Coming into the 2008 college football season, Joe Paterno was one win behind Bobby Bowden (as of March 1, 2008 at the date of linking) on the all-time NCAA Division 1 college football coaching wins list. He was also at the center of a firestorm surrounding off-field issues with members of his Penn State Nittany Lions football team, as chronicled ESPN’s Outside the Lines. The controversy, combined with the Nittany Lions pedestrian 9-7 Big Ten record over the 2006 and 2007 seasons, led to whispers coming into the 2008 season that it might be time for Joe Paterno to step down.

You remember these whispers. They were the same ones that cropped up after the 2004 season when Paterno and the Nittany Lions were reeling after posting losing records in 4 out of 5 seasons, culminating with back-to-back 9th place finishes in a Big Ten conference not known for its depth of competition. But in 2005, the winning tradition was resurrected in Happy Valley as the Nittany Lions went 11-1 and finished 3rd in the nation after an Orange Bowl victory.

Once again, Joe Paterno has proven to be an immortal coaching phoenix. Joe Paterno, the Nittany Phoenix, has risen from the ashes once again to lead a Penn State team that currently sits at 7-0 (3-0) and ranked 3rd in the nation as they prepare to take on the hapless Michigan Wolverines in Happy Valley this weekend.

Oh, and as for being behind Bobby Bowden? Joe Paterno, as of this posting, now sits atop the list of NCAA D1 college football coaches with 379 wins. Bobby Bowden has 377.

Can Joe Paterno get win number 380 this weekend? All signs point to yes except one: Michigan has beaten Penn State nine straight games, by an average victory margin of two touchdowns. But if there was ever season for the streak to be broken, this is it. The Penn State Nittany Lions are clicking on all cylinders, outscoring their seven opponents this season 317-77. Michigan, on the other hand, led by Midwest Sports Fans whipping boy and certified egomaniac Rich Rodriguez, has been outscored by its six opponents 113-149.

So Penn State is averaging 45.3 points per game (good for 7th in the nation) while the Wolverines and their offensive genius of a coach are racking up a whopping 18.8 points per game against the likes of Toledo and Miami (Ohio). (Actually, Michigan underperformed their average against these historic football powerhouses, scoring a combined 26 points while going 1-1.)

All you whiny Michigan fans can come in here making excuses about they lost all those seniors, and they are playing a bunch of freshman, and they are adjusting to a new coach, and blah blah frieking blah. This preview is not a 5-year projection for Penn State and Michigan. It is a preview and prediction for this weekend, in Happy Valley, against a Penn State team that is actually playing competent football. Do you really think that Steven Threet and Sam McGuffie can go into a Happy Valley blackout and compete with Penn State?

Nine straight victories might suggest using caution. However, eyes that watched the games and seen these two teams play wonder if the Big Ten conference should just invoke a mercy rule and not subject the proud Michigan program to the beatdown that awaits them in Happy Valley on Saturday. Penn State’s top two running backs, Even Royster and Stephfon Green (the name is spelled correctly, don’t worry), come into the game averaging better than six yards per carry each. And how about their offensive balance? Penn State averages 488 yards per game, 235 on the ground and 253 through the air. What do you take away? Umm…you take away any chance that Michigan might have of getting their third win of the season.

Joe Paterno has proven throughout his coaching career that when fans and the media doubt him, he has an uncanny ability to rise to the occasion. He stands behind his players, perhaps to a fault sometimes; but I have to think that the trust he builds with each individual player also compels them to take it up a notch when their coach is taking a beating in terms of the opinions outside the Penn State locker room.

This offseason was filled with turmoil for Joe Paterno and the Penn State Nittany Lions. So far, the season on the field has been filled with nothing but good old fashioned butt whoopings administered by a Nittany Lions team that appears poised to knock Ohio State from their perch as owners of the Big Ten penthouse.

While I am officially guaranteeing a Penn State victory over Michigan this weekend (suck it Rodriguez), I’m not ready to anoint Penn State the 2008 Big Ten champs just yet. They still have to travel to Columbus next weekend to take on an Ohio State team that is still very good but flying under the radar after the ass kicking by USC. Obviously, the winner of that game controls their own destiny for the remainder of the season.

I have to say, as a college football fan who grew up in Big Ten country, I am happy to see Joe Paterno finding success in the twilight of his career. I don’t know enough about the off-field issues to pass judgment on them, but I do know that Joe Paterno has given his life to college athletics and to grooming young men at Penn State University. I firmly believe that no one explicitly “deserves” anything on an athletic field — you go out and earn it. However, Joe Paterno certainly deserves the success that his Nittany Lions are earning on the field this Fall.

And on Saturday against Michigan, that success will all be contained in one very concise statement leading to the showdown at the Horseshoe: 8-0

Yes indeed, the Nittany Phoenix has risen again.

[tags]joe paterno, penn state nittany lions, college football, michigan wolverines[/tags]

by KVB

Often I read my college friend’s Off The Tracks Purdue blog and he has gotten the attention of the Big Ten Bloggers Roundtable for his site on the Boilermakers. If I’m not mistaken he got slammed last year by readers for crossing the line in a rant about Notre Dame Football, but otherwise he’s a great writer and Notre Dame still sucks.

Soon maybe Midwest Sports Fans could have some writers in the Big Ten Bloggers Roundtable (even though I got rejected by the MAC Conference Bloggers) but until then below I answered their preseason questions. Keep in mind I’m wearing a sweatervest with no pants right now….

1. ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg recently ranked the top 5 rivalries in the Big Ten and there were some controversial results (Illinois v Ohio State as #3?). Clearly Ohio State vs. Michigan is the #1 rivalry in the Big Ten, but give me your next three. It is obvious the Illinois upset over the undefeated Buckeyes last year made that a sexy pick at #3; as well as the game being in Illinois this year and probably on ESPN/ABC. But the ugly wooden “Illibuck” turtle trophy and Ohio State’s 60-30-4 all-time advantage make this not so sweet. The Wisconsin-Minnesota Paul Bunyan Axe gets the award for best trophy. Also, if you are a Big Ten fan you love every stadium in conference except the house that Kent Hrbek built, so be glad for the new outdoor Gopher football church set to be used on Saturday’s in 2009. Anyway…

// –>

Michigan-Michigan State – Some players say these inter-state rivals mean a lot more to them than any others (i.e. Florida-Florida State, Alabama-Auburn, Texas-Texas A&M, USC-UCLA). This is definitely attributed to those same in-state players feeling they got shafted in the recruiting process by “the bigger school” or players at said bigger school feeling embarrassed if they lose to the “weaker program.” Especially at the states big on high school football like Texas, Florida, and California.

Penn State-Ohio State – The Buckeyes took the all-time advantage (12-11) in this one after last year’s beat down in Crappy Valley, 37-17. Before joining the Big Ten, Penn State beat Earle Bruce’s squad 31-19, in the 1980 Fiesta Bowl. Compared to Joe Pa’s 7-12 career record, The Nittney Lions got 4 wins against Ohio State before Joe was the man, obviously pre-leather helmets era. I myself have a “Michigan Sucks, Penn State Swallows” t-shirt. Going through my head: I hope I don’t get reamed by the editor for mentioning a state outside of the cornfields.

5. Brian at MGO was kind enough to post a diary entry which gives us and new coach Rich Rodriguez a list of Michigan traditions that maybe we were not all aware of. This has inspired two final questions…

Similar to the succulent Buckeye candies (a peanut butter ball dipped in hot fudge to look like the buckeye tree nut); there is the lesser known, Michigan Cookies! Easy to make too! Put them in a big Bowl and beat them for three hours. Note: Despite the first game on January 1^st, the Outback Bowl in not a big bowl.

KVB