• Penn State will open conference play at Rutgers on September 13th.  This will be the first ever Big 10 game for the Scarlet Knights.  The 9/13 date is actually the date originally scheduled for the PSU-Rutgers non-conference match.  Rather than starting from scratch, the game was just converted to a Big 10 date.  PSU will return to non-conference play the following week vs. UMass at home.
• The Lions get their first look at old eastern rival/new divisional rival Maryland in Beaver Stadium on November 1st.  This will be the first time the two schools have met since 1993, when PSU hammered the Terps in College Park 70-7.
• Ohio State returns to Beaver Stadium on October 25th.  I’ll just get this out of the way now: It will be a night game, and you will be wearing white.
• PSU returns to Michigan Stadium for the first time since 2009 on October 11th.  The Lions and Wolverines meet for the first time since 2010 this coming fall in Happy Valley.
• THE LAND GRANT TROPHY IS BACK! PSU and Michigan State will renew the battle for this in the regular season finale in Beaver Stadium on November 29th.
• The Lions will also face Northwestern at home, along with trips to Indiana and Illinois.
• Expect the 2015 schedule to include these same teams, with home field flipped.  The conference is still working out specific dates for games.  The 2015 season will be the final Big 10 season with only 8 games, as the schedule expands to 9 in 2016.

Follow VBR Lead Editor Matt de Bear on Twitter for the latest on Penn State

Here are some highlights:

• Penn State will play their first Big 10 games in the new Pegula Ice Arena on January 12 and 13 of 2014 against Minnesota.  The Golden Gophers are coming off a season that saw them earn the 2nd overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, only to fall to the eventual national champion Yale Bulldogs. That will be the first ever meeting between the two programs.
• Traditional power Michigan comes to Happy Valley on February 7th and 8th, in what will be the first ever meetings between the two schools.  The Lions return the favor at one of the great college rinks, Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, two weeks later.
• Ohio State makes their first ever visit to Penn State on March 14-15 (PSU visits Columbus January 31-February 1).  The Lions picked up a huge 5-4 win over the Buckeyes in Pittsburgh’s CONSOL Energy Center at the Three Rivers Holiday Classic consolation game.
• The first ever Big 10 Tournament takes place from March 20-22 in St. Paul, Minnesota at the home of the Minnesota Wild, the Xcel Energy Center.  All 6 programs will take part.

Our friends at ThankYouTerry.com have a ton more info on the schedule as well.

Follow VBR Lead Editor Matt de Bear on Twitter for the latest on Penn State

Notre Dame

Forgive me for grabbing the low hanging fruit to start off. But aside from the obvious Notre Dame connections to Ireland, two of the most storied programs in college football playing a marquis game overseas would be fantastic. Add in the shared St. John’s Prep lineage of Bill O’Brien and Brian Kelly, and you have the makings of a great story.

Ohio State

There is no doubt that the Buckeyes are the premier opponent on Penn State’s schedule every season, and probably PSU’s biggest current rival. How great would it be to see one of the Big 10′s biggest annual games on the international stage? Now, this one falls in the “absolutely no chance” category for any number of reasons, but a guy can dream, right?

USC

This would be fun. You of course have the tradition factor with a program like USC, but there are so many great stories. Two programs that very much feel jobbed by the NCAA. The whole Silas Redd transfer situation. And I heard that the Trojans’ coach is something of a lightning rod of criticism. I’d love to see the Lions and SC get together anywhere, why not Ireland?

Temple

HAHA, not really. I don’t want to play Temple in Ireland, Philly, State College, or anywhere else. I may at least listen to arguments for Vegas, however.

Nebraska

When I think of historic Penn State rivals, Nebraska is probably at the top of the list.  There have been so many signature moments over the years in the meetings between these two programs.  This one gets hard with the elimination of the “protected” crossover game, and much like Ohio State, I doubt either school wants to concede a home Big 10 game against a big rival.

The likely path is probably a smaller profile school from a major FBS conference looking to generate more exposure with a game like this.  But it is certainly fun to think about how fun some of these matchups would be overseas.

Follow VBR Lead Editor Matt de Bear on Twitter for the latest on Penn State

Penn State vs. Miami – September 1, 2001

The game did not of course go how many Nittany Lion fans had hoped, when the top ranked Hurricanes came calling to christen the most recent expansion to Beaver Stadium. Personally, this one will always stand out for two reasons. One, it was my first time attending a game at Penn State, and I got to do it on the field with the Blue Band. Quite a way to get inducted! Second, well, I’ll let this video speak for itself:

The intensity in that stadium when I came out of the tunnel was unlike anything I had ever experienced, and the raw emotion when Adam ran onto that field. If the Lions had found a way to stay in the game, I can only wonder how much louder that crowd could have been.

This will be Penn State’s first meeting with Michigan since the 2010 season, and of course the first time Bill O’Brien and Brady Hoke will face each other.  The Lions have won 3 straight (regardless of what his Emmertness says) against the Wolverines.  With the new East-West divisions set to become reality in 2014, this season’s game will be the first in what will now be an annual meeting of two of college football’s most tradition rich programs. While there will be no official word until further along this summer, it would stand to reason that we could see a stadium wide White Out as well.

The 2008 game versus Michigan also served as PSU’s homecoming game, and kicked off at 4:30 (on October 18th), and after a slow start in the first half, the Lions would pull away as the sun set in Happy Valley for a dominating 46-17 win.  In case you’re curious, sunset in State College on October 12th will come about 6:37.

Follow VBR Lead Editor Matt de Bear on Twitter for the latest on Penn State

Not surprisingly, the two time defending champion Crimson Tide lead the way at a healthy 5/2, and why wouldn’t they be?  They have been the dominant program in the country of late, and have shown a remarkable ability to oversign reload under Nick Saban.  Oh, and they have some pretty damn good players coming back, lead by Heisman candidate A.J. McCarron at QB.  You may not even be surprised to see who was the consensus second favorite, our conference pals over at Ohio State at 6/1.  They return nearly every key piece from last year’s 12-0 team, including their own Heisman candidate at quarterback, Braxton Miller.  If you’re looking for my expert opinion (and you really shouldn’t be if you saw my luck at the tables), neither of those would be a bad bet.

But everyone is always most intrigued by the 2nd or 3rd tier teams that could rise up.  By which I mean, the teams that can make you, the gambling public, the biggest return on your investment.  Louisville comes in at 25/1, and with Teddy Bridgewater back, and a (very) favorable schedule.  Perhaps the biggest question for the Cardinals is whether they get enough breaks from other top teams to turn that advantageous, but very weak, schedule into a title game berth.  But after seeing what Bridgewater and Louisville did to a very good Florida defense in the Sugar Bowl, they could very well hang with a perceived superior team.

What if you want a long shot to throw a couple bucks at?  How about Boise State at 100/1?  The schedule comes into play here again, but Boise has been among the most consistent programs in the country for the better part of a decade, and if they get a break or two, much like Louisville, and get to Pasadena, 100/1 doesn’t look so bad.

I’ve also found myself trying to guess where Penn State would fall, were they eligible.  I see a team returning several key pieces on the offensive line, and at the skill positions, but losing a record setting QB, their talented leaders on defense, and a schedule that is not exactly prime for a run to the title.  Teams like Michigan State, Virginia Tech, and Wisconsin all have significant questions to answer, much like PSU, and all three of those programs sit at 100/1 as well.  Let’s just slot the Lions in there as well.

Follow VBR Lead Editor Matt de Bear on Twitter for bad gambling advice, and the latest on Penn State

B1G leading scorer DeShaun Thomas came out hot, making the first two field goals for Ohio State on wide open shots coming off screens. When Penn State adjusted with a 2-3 zone defense, Sam Thompson stepped up and hit some big shots for the Buckeyes. Fortunately for the Lions, they also came out shooting well, starting out 4 for 6, and it was 11-9 Ohio State going into the first timeout with 15:01 left in the first half.

After a D.J. Newbill lay-up tied the game, Penn St missed 13 field goals in a row, a 1-16 stretch that should have put the game out of the reach for the Nittany Lions. However, Ohio State went cold at the same time, with the teams exchanging 11 missed shots in a row. With 7:56 left in the first half, Deshaun Thomas fouled Sasa Borovnjak in transition for his 2nd foul and was forced to the bench. Sasa made 1 of 2 free throws to cut the lead to 19-12, but that was the closest they would be the rest of the afternoon.

Ohio State’s man-to-man defense was suffocating the Nittany Lions offense, forcing long and often contested three point shots. Say what you want about Brandon Taylor, but he certainly didn’t shy away from the challenge. The freshman went 0-5 from 3-point range in the first half, including 0-3 within 80 seconds, and 0-2 on shots from his hometown in Tabernacle, NJ. He ended the game 1-8.

As James Naismith was rolling in his grave, Nick Colella amazingly had a chance to get Penn St within 9 points with 1:28, but missed two of three. The score at the half was 29-18 Ohio State, but the Lions poor shooting prevented them from capitalizing on a huge opportunity to get even closer. With Deshaun Thomas on the bench, Penn State was outscored 9-7. It was the 6th time they have failed to score 20 in a half, while OSU showed their depth, as 8 of 9 players scored in the first 20 minutes.

After an emotional halftime feature about Newbill’s mother passing from cancer this past September, the BJC crowd was ready to lead their team to an upset. D.J. came out a different player, forcing his way into the lane and making plays. He scored or assisted on the first 12 Nittany Lion points, keeping Penn St close through the first ten minutes of the half.

Unfortunately, it was too little too late for Penn State. After four straight possessions that Newbill was able to get into the lane and try to make a play, Marshall air-balled a rushed three point field goal. Missed free throws (12-33 for the game) and awful three point shooting (4-17, including many that weren’t even close) kept Penn State from ever really being a threat.

Coach Chambers used various defenses throughout the game to keep Ohio State off balance offensively. Utilizing a 2-3 zone, 1-3-1 trap, and man-to-man, Penn State was still down 17 with 5:58 left in the game. Finally, Chambers called for the full-court press that led to a 7-1 Penn State run, but D.J. Newbill was blocked on a lay-up attempt to get the lead down to single digits.

Penn State did well keeping Deshaun Thomas off his game, but unlike the Nittany Lions, who have nobody other than Marshall and Newbill who can create offense, Ohio State’s other players picked up their game. Sophomore Sam Thompson had 16, two points off his season high, and didn’t miss until there was 2:52 left in the game (and Ohio State got the offensive rebound anyway). Lenzelle Smith, Jr had a great overall game with 11 points (7-8 FT shooting) and 8 rebounds.

With 2:11 left in the game, Marshall blocked a Aaron Craft (sneaky good game with 7 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, but only 1 steal) lay-up and Penn State called a timeout with the ball, down 10. I was shocked to hear the cheers coming from the Bryce Jordan Center crowd. Penn State basketball still gets too excited about just being in a game, instead of excited about winning a game. We have become the Temple football to Ohio State basketball’s team, this was their 18th straight win over Penn State hoops.

Before the game, the blueprint to beat the Buckeyes was simple; the Lions would have to contain Thomas, limit their own mistakes, and be efficient on offense. Thomas was held to 11 points (4-13 shooting), half his season average and his lowest output of the year. Penn State turned the ball over only four times, had almost twice as many blocks, and more assists than OSU. In the end, it was all for naught and as a last second three point shot by Kevin Montminy missed badly, the Nittany Lions even failed to cover the 13.5 point spread.

See you again in Iowa City on Thursday, January 31st as Penn State tries to avoid going 0-for-January.

The Last Time Out

Penn State traveled to Bloomington to face the #7 ranked Indiana Hoosiers. Entering the game as 24 point underdogs, the Nittany Lions looked the part. The Lions were led by D.J. Newbill (18 points & 7 rebounds in 39 minutes) and Jermaine Marshall (12 & 6 in 28). This should come as no surprise; since Tim Frazier’s injury, Newbill or Marshall has lead the team in scoring in 14 of 16 games. The lone bright spot was holding Player of the Year candidate Cody Zeller to 0 field goals in 21 minutes of play. Also, Penn State did cover the spread: Since Big Ten play started, they are often playing for winning ATS instead of winning percentage. They are now 0-7 in the conference, with the average losing margin at 14.5 points per game.

About the Buckeyes

Ohio State is 14-4 overall, and 4-2 in conference. They have won three of their last four coming into State College. The offense is led by Deshaun Thomas, who has picked up where he left off in last season’s NCAA tourney. He is averaging 20.5 PPG this year, and has lead the Buckeyes in scoring the past nine games in a row, and in rebounding the past two. Look for Aaron Craft, the reigning B1G Defensive Player of the Year, to try to make life miserable for Penn State’s backcourt; the junior leads the team in steals, is second in FT attempts, and first in FT percentage. Thad Matta’s defense is holding teams to 58.2 points per game, a number the Lions have only reached twice since the new year.

The Matchup

To steal a line from Led Zeppelin, with these Lions, “The Song Remains the Same.” Penn State coach Pat Chambers has to find a way to slow down Thomas and hope to win an ugly, slow, defensive game. The Nittany Lions have been too inconsistent on offense, especially with their outside shooting (2-15 3pt FG last game). Even after losing Jared Sullinger to the NBA draft, this year’s Ohio State team looks too good offensively and defensively for PSU to give them much difficulty on the court. If the Lions can pull it out, expect a lot of crow eating on the recap Saturday night. If they can’t, the Lions will have one more shot to avoid becoming the first team since 2009-2010 to go 0-for-January. That year’s team lost 12 in a row en-route to an 11-20 record.

Follow VBR Staff Writer Ryne Crabb on Twitter

Michigan (+4) at Ohio State

Jim Delany’s favorite game of the year and this year should be good. Part of me wants to see Ohio State remain undefeated and waste a perfect season, but the other part, which is me most of the time, wants to see them lose. Denard Robinson’s career comes to a close, but with injuries, his role has changed. I am not sure it will be enough as Meyer gets his 1st and last undefeated season.

Ohio State 29 Michigan 21

Florida (+7) at Florida State

I have seen a few projections that have FLA possibly sneaking into the mythical National Championship (MNC) game. I think FSU will end those dream scenarios for FLA and then be looking from the outside in as a 1 loss not in the MNC game.

Florida State 27 Florida 22

Notre Dame (-6) at USC

My goodness, this is terrible. One 1 hand, the thought of Notre Dame in the MNC game is nauseating. On the other hand, Kiffin losing 5 games is such a great thought. Barkley is out, but the benefit is that Kiffin may not have damaged the QB yet with his stupidity.

Notre Dame 17  USC 0 points, 0 class

Stanford (+1) at UCLA

I respect these teams for beating USC. Stanford lost that game to Notre Dame because they went in a shell and that is inexcusable. Therefore, my logic tells me they will lose this game.

UCLA 26 Stanford 24

Oklahoma State (+9) at Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s defense took last week off vs that terribly coached West Virginia team. I cannot envision a scenario where Okie State wins on the road. Medium-Sized game Bob runs away with one here.

Oklahoma 38 Oklahoma State 21

Upset Special

Rutgers (+2) at Pitt

Rutgers is ranked and Pitt is a sub .500 team, but that is not how it works with these games. Pitt is awful, but favored so this is hardly and upset, but since Rutgers is ranked, it will be.  Rutgers has no business joining the B1G, so they will falter and everyone can add their B1G jokes here.

Pitt 17 Rutgers 16

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Evil Bill O’Brien is in no way affiliated with Penn State University or head football coach Bill O’Brien.

Florida State (-14) 28 at Virginia Tech 22

Matt – Florida State (L)

Tim – Virginia Tech (W)

Craig – Florida State (L)

Corey – Virginia Tech (L)

Northwestern 31 at Michigan (-11) 38

Matt – Northwestern (W)

Tim – Northwestern (W)

Craig – Northwestern (W)

Corey – Northwestern (W)

Arizona State 17 at USC (-7.5) 38

Matt – Arizona State (L)

Tim – USC (W)

Craig – USC (W)

Corey – USC (W)

West Virginia 34 at Oklahoma State (-7.5) 55

Matt – Oklahoma State (W)

Tim – Oklahoma State (W)

Craig – Oklahoma State (W)

Corey – West Virginia (L)

Louisville (-3) 26 at Syracuse 45

Matt – Syracuse (W)

Tim – Louisville (L)

Craig – Louisville (L)

Corey – Louisville (L)

Onto this week’s slate of games, which were picked for the express purpose of padding my lead (and with Monday night’s spreads).

Let’s take a look at the games and predict who, if anyone, will represent the Big Ten in those bowls.

ROSE BOWL (Big Ten #1):

Nebraska
The Huskers control their own destiny and have two winnable games left in Iowa and Minnesota. They should be favored over Wisconsin.

Potential Opponents: Oregon, USC, Notre Dame

-

CAPITAL ONE BOWL (Big Ten #2):

Michigan
Michigan probably won’t play in the conference championship, but they’ll deserve this bid after finishing the season with a likely 8-4 record.

Potential Opponents: LSU, Georgia, Florida

-

OUTBACK BOWL (Big Ten #3)

Wisconsin
If the Badgers aren’t careful, Northwestern could find themselves in this game. Should only take one more win for Wisconsin but they have Ohio State and Penn State left on the schedule.

Potential Opponents: Florida, LSU, South Carolina

-

GATOR BOWL (Big Ten #4-5)

Northwestern
If they could play worth a damn in the second half of games, they’d be in Rose Bowl contention. Still, it’s hard to see them playing before January 1st.

Potential Opponents: Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, South Carolina

-

BUFFALO WILD WINGS BOWL (Big Ten #4-5)

Michigan State
Sparty still needs a win to become bowl eligible but they should get it against Minnesota in the final week of the season.

Potential Opponents: Texas Tech, TCU, Oklahoma State

-

MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL OF TEXAS (Big Ten #6)

Minnesota
The Gophers are the 5th and final Big Ten team that is currently bowl eligible. They’ll struggle to get another win but are all but guaranteed a bowl due to the circumstances.

Potential Opponents: TCU, West Virginia, Iowa State

-

HEART OF DALLAS BOWL (Big 10 #7)

Purdue
The Boilermakers have just 4 wins but play Illinois and Indiana in the next two weeks. They have the best shot at becoming bowl eligible.

Potential Opponents: Iowa State, TCU, West Virginia

-

LITTLE CAESARS PIZZA BOWL (Big 10 #8)

It’s almost impossible for the Big Ten to fill this bowl. Iowa needs to beat Nebraska and Michigan to make it happen. Indiana has a shot, but they’d have to beat Penn State and Purdue. If they do so, Purdue will not be bowl eligible.

Conclusion: The Big Ten may send only 6 teams to bowl games. Due to Ohio State and Penn State’s ineligibility, several of the teams will be slotted above where their talent says they should be. That could be bad news for the conference in bowl games.

For all of the latest on the Penn State Nittany Lions, follow VBR Lead Editor Tim Tolley on Twitter.

I think the majority of the nation would agree that if Alabama wins their remaining games (Texas A&M, West Carolina, Auburn, SEC title game), they are as much of a lock to go to Miami as any of the unbeaten teams.  Alabama survived a scare in Death Valley this past weekend, only to see the finish line in front of them.  They need to be careful though because Texas A&M and their super freshman Johnny Manziel could present a bit of a problem for a defense that was definitely worn down by games end last week.  Assuming Alabama gets past the Aggies, I would expect smooth sailing until the reach the SEC title game, most likely against Georgia.  In the end, it would seem the number-1 team in the country controls their own destiny to get to the title game.

Oregon would now seem like the most likely partner for Alabama in the title game.  Chip Kelly’s squad is an offensive juggernaut to say the least.  I’m not even sure video games set on the easiest level could match the offensive output that the Ducks are capable of getting.  Oregon literally outscored USC Saturday night in the Coliseum.  USC really didn’t play that bad of a game yet they lost by double digits and gave up 62 points.  In fact, Oregon has scored at least 42 points in every game they have played thus far (Oregon leads the nations in average points scored per game with 54.3).  The remaining games for the Ducks include @ Cal, Stanford, @ Oregon State, Pac-12 Title game.  Of the undefeated top-5 teams, Oregon has the toughest remaining schedule, but winning out will also improve their strength of schedule enough that they should be able to leapfrog Kansas State in the BCS rankings.  At this point, some wagering sites have listed Alabama as a 4-point favorite over Oregon right now.  Interesting!

Kansas State is playing some of its best football right now.  Wildcats quarterback Collin Klein, nicknamed Optimus Klein, has not only given his team a shot at the national title, but also he has given himself a chance at the Heisman Trophy.  Klein left Saturday night’s game against Oklahoma State with what is believed to be concussion-like symptoms.  Early reports out of Manhattan say he is doing well and is likely to play this weekend.  Kansas State plays a tough schedule to end the year @ TCU, @ Baylor, Texas).  The bonus / problem for Kansas State is that there is no Big 12 title game.  Many teams, especially those in conferences like the Big Ten prior to last year, used to loathe the fact that their season was over in November while other teams played either into December or had conference championship games with which to impress voters.  Kansas State will essentially be done at the end of November.  So, while the Wildcats only have to win 3 more games to finish unbeaten, they also won’t have a chance to impress voters after that either.  It would seem that unless either Oregon or Alabama loses or has a poor showing, Kansas State will be left out of the national title picture.

Finally, Notre Dame would present the longest odds of making the title game out the four top-rated undefeated teams.  The Irish have been a breath of fresh air this season as their magical run to an unbeaten season continues.  The Irish were fortunate to remain without a loss after a 14-point come-from-behind victory over Pittsburgh this past weekend.  Notre Dame took advantage of the Panthers miscues and made the plays they had to in order to come out on top.  Unfortunately for Notre Dame and their fans, the Irish’s strength of schedule, compared to the other top teams is likely to go down.  Notre Dame’s remaining schedule looks like this: @ Boston College, Wake Forest, @ USC.  Most certainly voters will be tuning in to see how the Irish are able to do out in SoCal, but they are in a no-win spot by playing Boston College and Wake Forest.  If they win by large margins, well, they were supposed to do that.  If they lose, that’s even worse.  Close games are also no good for a team that really needs to impress voters.  While Notre Dame has had a remarkable season, one that many outside the program did not think was possible this year, I just don’t see how Notre Dame makes the title game without both Oregon and Kansas State losing a game along the way.

Some other teams that have title game aspirations would be the Georgia Bulldogs and Ohio State Buckeyes.  For Georgia its clear that their only shot at getting to the title game is to win the SEC title over an undefeated Alabama team as well as having two of the three other unbeatens (Kansas State, Oregon, Notre Dame) lose a game.  While that is not impossible, it does seem like a stretch.

Ohio State presents an interesting case because they are under NCAA sanctions.  As such, they are ineligible to participate in a bowl game as well as assume a ranking in the USA Today Coaches Poll and BCS rankings.  How can Ohio State win the national title then?  Well, they are still ranked 5th in the latest AP poll and if Alabama, Oregon, Kansas State, and Notre Dame all lose prior to the bowl games, it could be possible an undefeated Ohio State team gets the nod as national champion.  It seems unlikely a split national champion would be crowned, but that is why college football is unique and exciting.

So, with the college football’s regular season winding down, the intrigue and the excitement is just heating up.  Time and time again I hear about November games are what separate the title contenders from the pretenders.  It seems like this year is just another example where that adage is proven correct.  I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen as we come down the stretch.

OK, before we take a look at the games we have on tap for week #11, let’s quickly take a look back at how my “prime-3″ games and extra points picks for week#9 fared (Sorry I missed last week!).

For Full Disclosure:

“Prime-3″ Picks from week #9 – 1-2 ATS, 0-3 SU.  On the season, my record stands at 13-14 ATS, and 14-13 SU.

Extra Points Picks (ATS) from last week – 12-10-0.  On the season, my record stands at 82-61-2.

…As always, I will try and do better this week!

“Prime-3 Games”:

In this week’s installment of “prime-3″, we will turn our attention to the number-1 team in the country and see how they fare after their emotional win last week.  We will then look at a game pitting two Pac-12 North teams, and finally we delve into a Big Ten match-up that will have Legend’s Division title implications.

We start with a look at some key match-ups involving the #15 Texas A&M Aggies and #1 Alabama Crimson Tide.  We then shift our focus out west as Pac-12 teams #11 Oregon State and #14 Stanford duke it out for 2nd place in the Pac-12′s Northern Division. Finally, we look at a Big Ten tilt that has Legend’s Division ramifications.  The Penn State Nittany Lions travel to Lincoln to do battle with the #16 Nebraska Cornhuskers.

And, without further ado, let’s get to the “Prime-3″ games!

Snodgrass was unable to make his planned visit to Notre Dame last weekend but was in Columbus for the Purdue game and in Happy Valley for the whiteout against Ohio State.

While many feel that the Buckeyes are the favorite, Snodgrass tweeted this following his visit to Penn State:

Last night >>>>>>>>>>>

— Thaddeus Snodgrass (@ThadSnod1) October 28, 2012

For those not hip to Twitter lingo, that’s a positive response.

Along with his top five, the 6’1″ 170 pound, four star junior wideout has offers from Ohio, Akron, Purdue, Toledo and Georgia Tech. In 2012 he had 30 receptions for 452 yards and is regarded as one of the top wide receivers in the midwest.

Will Thaddeus pick the hometown Buckeyes or will the success of guys like Bill O’Brien and Allen Robinson be enough to pull him out of Ohio? We’ll all know in about 24 hours.

For all of the latest on the Penn State Nittany Lions, follow VBR Lead Editor Tim Tolley on Twitter.

• Weeklong campouts consist of a lot of fun events and this one was no exception. Nittanyville held its first slam dunk contest, where members of the men’s basketball team came to judge. The third trashcan football tournament was held too, where proceeds to enter the tournament went to Uplifting Athletes, the football team’s charity.
• One of the best parts about Nittanyville is when players visit. They realize the support that we give them and they return the favor by coming up to Nittanyville to hang out and thank us for the support. Bill O’Brien made an appearance as well. This kind of thing really symbolizes the concept of “One Team.”
• This was also the biggest campout in the history of Paternoville/Nittanyville. The previous record holder was the 2007 Notre Dame campout. This campout had roughly 1,200 campers and it was fantastic seeing Gate A packed with so many passionate students all week long.
• Penn State Athletics gave GoPro cameras to Nittanyville president Troy Weller and Nittanyville public relations representative Allen Sheffield. They wore them on their heads during the pregame drum line and during certain parts of the game. I’m sure the footage they got is epic.
• The whiteout looked pretty awesome, to say the least. I was in the front row so it was hard to see the rest of the student section behind me. But I’ve seen the pictures and it’s clear that this whiteout was a big success.
• Now about the actual game, this was probably the loudest I’ve ever heard Beaver Stadium as a member of the student section. Kudos to the students for consistently staying loud while Ohio State was doing their no huddle offense.
• I would love to know why Bill O’Brien wasn’t going to the tight ends (especially Kyle Carter) earlier in the game in the medium passing game. It was working great at the end, but that was when the game was pretty much decided. It just looked like O’Brien got away from the play calling that got them five straight wins.
• The lack of a run game hurt Penn State a lot. Ohio State’s front seven absolutely bullied Penn State’s offensive line the majority of the game. Zwinak and Belton had no room to run and the longest Penn State running play of the whole game was nine yards.
• This might’ve been the worst performance by Penn State’s offensive line this year. However, it was against a vastly talented Ohio State front seven. John Simon, Johnathan Hankins, Nathan Williams, Ryan Shazier and other Buckeyes were disruptive, physical and made plays all night long. McGloin was pressured a lot, which forced him to scramble and make some erratic throws.
• Based on the amount of false start penalties (and penalties overall), you’d think this was an away game for Penn State. There were a bunch of questionable calls, but Penn State was very undisciplined at times when composure was much needed.
• There were just so many missed opportunities, especially early on in the game. Two notables were when McGloin under-threw a deep ball to Allen Robinson that could’ve been a touchdown and when Stephen Obeng-Agyapong dropped a pick six.
• When Penn State wins and the team runs over to the student section to sing the alma mater, it’s one of the greatest sights to see. It was as equally bad to see them slowly and angrily walk over and then just stand (not sing or sway) during the alma mater. I can’t blame them, I would’ve done the same thing. The facial expressions said it all and you could tell how much this loss hurt.

It’s another three week break until Penn State’s next home game, which is against the Indiana. The Nittany Lions travel to Purdue next week followed by a trip to Nebraska before coming back home to face the Hoosiers. Despite this loss to a very good Ohio State team, Bill O’Brien and his team need to regroup and finish strong in this last third of the season.

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Offensive Player of the Game

Oct 27, 2012; University Park, PA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller (5) runs with the ball up field during the third quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Ohio State defeated Penn State 35-23. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-US PRESSWIRE

Braxton Miller

While these awards are generally reserved for Penn State players here, Braxton Miller was the entire offense for the Buckeyes and while he only completed 7 passes, he managed to account for 287 total yards and 3 touchdowns. He was often times the best player on the field; not a new accomplishment for the sophomore Heisman candidate.

HONORABLE MENTION: Matt McGloin

As most are aware, neither Penn State nor Ohio State will be going to the post-season due to NCAA sanctions.  Many have dubbed this game the Ineligi-Bowl or the Sanctions Bowl, but even so, this game has a lot riding on it.  Both teams want to be able to say they were the best team in the Legend’s Division in 2012.  While Wisconsin may be the division’s representative, most people would agree that Penn State and Ohio State are the two best teams right now.

Penn State head coach Bill O’Brien has his team hitting on all cylinders coming into this game.  Last week the team put on an impressive display out in Iowa City as they carved up the Hawkeyes, a place they hadn’t won since 1999.  Behind a dazzling display of running and passing the ball, Penn State wore down the Hawkeyes on both sides of the ball.  Coming into the game, much of the scuttlebutt was about whether running back Mark Weisman would even dress.  Indeed he did dress and actually saw a few snaps, but it made no difference.  The Nittany Lions were on a mission to erase the ghosts of the past, much the same way they are trying to do this week against Ohio State

A stat worth mentioning is that Ohio State has not lost back-to-back conference games to an opponent since ’03-’04 when the Wisconsin Badgers were able to pull off the feat.  This year, Michigan State, Nebraska, and Purdue have all had a crack at the repeat, but were unable to pull it off.  Next up…Penn State.  Can the Nittany Lions pull off a second-consecutive win against Ohio State?  The last time Penn State won 2 straight over Ohio State was 1978 and 1980 (pre-Penn State Big Ten days).  Since Penn State has joined the Big Ten, Ohio State and Penn State have battled it out 19 times and Ohio State leads the series 12-7.

For Penn State to pull off the win, keep reading to see what my keys to the game are.

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Despite their claims, Ohio State loves Michigan.

Need proof? “Script Ohio” was a gift, presented to the Buckeyes, by their “hated” rivals. I don’t know about you, but if somebody who I claimed to hate more than life itself gave me a gift, I wouldn’t go out of my way to show it every single person who came to my house following that day. Also, stop saying “tsun.” It’s ridiculous.
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Ohio State = Kidnappers

Most of you probably don’t remember, but once upon a time, Brutus Beef Patty lived among his friends and peers in McDonaldland. That was, before the Buckeye football team swept in and removed him from his home, forcing him to shame on a weekly basis as the mascot for their atrocious football team. Shame on you!
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Cam Williams, Armani Reeves, Tommy Schutt and Joey O’Connor

Nevermind. I SAID I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!
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This Picture:

 
and this picture…

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The 2006 AND 2007 National Championships

The Buckeyes took a pair of conference championships (probably shared) and rode them into the MNC. They were (undeservedly) given a chance to represent the Big Ten on a national stage and failed. Horribly. Twice. After losing by a combined 79-38, perception of the entire conference went in the tank. The blame for that falls squarely on the shoulders of Jim Tressel and his anemic offense. And Ted Ginn’s touchdown celebration.
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High Street reeks of stale beer, urine and vomit.

How do I know? Because I spent my 21st birthday there, volunteering my services to all three scents. Regardless, the strip of “fun” at Ohio State University has all the smells of Time Square without any of the lights, buildings or attractive women. It makes College Ave. look like a portrait out of Heaven’s picture book.

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Woody Hayes’ refusal to use his left.

Coach, we’ve been through this! Use the jab to set up the hook! You can’t afford to be predictable when fighting kids 50 years younger than you!

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Their fans.

These are the spoiled people who wanted Jim Tressel fired after every time he’d lose a game, as though 12 wins a year is supposed to happen to them. The same people who called Urban Meyer a snake and a cheater just a couple years ago, and now bow at his feet. The people who refuse to acknowledge Penn State as a rival, despite the fact that they’re just 4-3 against Penn State in their last 7. They cling to a dead rivalry with Michigan, who hasn’t been competitive with them since the Clinton administration. These fans, despite being owned by Purdue in recent years, entered last week’s game confident that they’d win by 30 simply because they wear red. This is the group of people who go out of their way to say “THE” in front of random things and refuse to say the word “Michigan”, acting as though it gives them some form of competitive advantage. The fans who will embark on central PA this weekend, fueled with Natty Light and jokes about pedophilia. Ask around the Big Ten and you’ll quickly learn which fans are the least liked in the conference. To further prove their worth, Ohio State fans will justify that hate, claiming it’s because of their success on the field. Meanwhile, those same people would be disgusting even if Ohio State didn’t have a football team. Except for my beautiful, loving wife. She’s cool.
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Yeah, that’s eight. But who doesn’t want extra reason to hate “THE” Ohio State Buckeyes?

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For all of the latest on the Penn State Nittany Lions, follow VBR Lead Editor Tim Tolley on Twitter.

Oct 20, 2012; Madison, WI, USA; The Wisconsin Badgers celebrate with the Paul bunyan Axe following the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin defeated Minnesota 38-13. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Rivalries, like the changing of the leaves, are a staple of college football that most enjoy and look forward to each year.  No doubt people in Michigan and Ohio know what game is played the last Saturday in November, as well as those that live in Alabama.

Our rivalry games take on such significance that we even dub them with nicknames.  For example, the Oregon-Oregon State game is called “the Civil War” while the Washington-Washington State clash is titled “the Apple Cup.”  The Montana – Montana State game is called “the Brawl of the Wild” or the annual tilt between Mississippi and Mississippi State is given the moniker “the Egg Bowl.”  So, in deference to the time-honored tradition of college football rivalries, let me list some of my favorite rivalry nicknames (in no particular order!):

#10 – The Holy War (BYU – Utah)

#9 – The Backyard Brawl (Pitt – West Virginia)

#8 – The Red River Rivalry (Oklahoma – Texas)

#7 – The Biggest Little Game in America (Williams – Amherst)

#6 – The Big Game (Cal – Stanford)

#5 – The Iron Bowl (Auburn – Alabama)

#4 – The Game (Michigan – Ohio State)

#3 – Bedlam (Oklahoma – Oklahoma State)

#2 – The Border War (Missouri – Kansas)

#1 – The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party (Georgia – Florida)

Perhaps some of you may be wondering why all this talk of rivalries with the calendar still saying October, well, Penn State is playing its biggest rival since the glory days of Pittsburgh.  They will be squaring off with the scarlet and grey of “the” Ohio State.  For those of us old enough to remember, the last college football Saturday used to be filled with taunts, jabs, and I dare say, hatred for the boys on the left of the state, but since the Pitt and Penn State ADs can’t seem to find enough common ground for a continual series, we will settle for the occasional home-and-home dates like the one set up for 2016 and 2017.  Since Penn State joined the Big Ten, they were without a natural rival, until we looked a little further left of Pitt.

Sure I miss all the Pitt hatred I could spew at them, but now I have another team that I get to dish on, and that is the state school of the “mitten-state”.  As Reggie Jackson of the New York Yankees once said, “fans don’t boo nobodies.”  We cling to Ohio State as our lone rival not because they are from Ohio, though that would be a good enough reason, but because they are good.  It’s a measuring stick for Penn State each and every year, and we know it.  Even though Penn State and Ohio State will not be going to a bowl game this year, it still doesn’t stop each of us from thinking that we are the Big Ten Conference’s best team.  I know, Michigan and Nebraska would like to have something to say about that this weekend as well.  No matter, the winner of the annual Penn State – Ohio State game gets bragging rights for an entire year.  Those of you that like teams involved in a rivalry game know that feeling when you walk up to your vanquished foe and say, “nanny nanny boo boo” and stick your tongue out at them.  Perhaps we aren’t that juvenile, but we all want to puff out our chest when we walk around because we are kings for a year.  No team engenders that type of feeling like a rival.  So, as we watch the leaves turn colors and begin to fall, we celebrate our rivals because the bring out the best (and the worst) in the college football fan in all of us!

2011

#21 Penn State (8-2) at Ohio State (6-4)

Final Score: Penn State 20-14

Penn State was coached by someone other than Joe Paterno for just the second time since 1965. Coming off their second loss of the season, to Nebraska, Penn State jumped out quickly in Columbus scoring 10 in the first quarter. Interim head coach Tom Bradley utilized the Wildcat successfully against the Buckeyes, while Braxton Miller was limited for the most part. Both teams would go scoreless in the second half, though the Buckeyes would make a late push after stopping Penn State on fourth and goal from the one. Penn State would end up 9-4, losing to Houston in the TicketCity Bowl, while Ohio State finished 6-7, losing to Florida in the Gator Bowl.

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2010

Penn State (6-3) at #9 Ohio State (8-1)

Final score: Ohio State 38-14

This game was a tale of two halves, unfortunately for the Nittany Lions. After Ohio State kicked a field goal, Penn State would respond with two Matt McGloin touchdown tosses, putting the Nittany Lions up 14-3 in Columbus. Ohio State would find their running game and (pre-O’Brien/Fisher) McGloin would regress. The third quarter featured a rushing TD and a pick six for the Buckeyes. There would be more bad luck in the fourth for the Nittany Lions when a tipped pass fell into Dane Sanzenbacher’s hands for a touchdown, followed by the second pick six of the day. Penn State would go scoreless in the second half, registering only 3 of 13 third down conversions. Ohio State would end up 12-1, beating #8 Arkansas in the BCS Sugar Bowl, while Penn State would go 7-6, losing to Florida in the Outback Bowl.

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2009

#16 Ohio State (7-2) at #11 Penn State (8-1)

Final Score: Ohio State 24-7

Penn State was looking to have a solid season with a likely BCS run until a rain-soaked White House was turned upside down against Iowa. Despite that, a top 20 matchup in State College with Ohio State looked like a great chance to push for a BCS spot. Pryor and Clark would trade touchdown runs, with only a Devin Barclay field goal as the difference in the first half. Before the close of the third, Pryor would hook up with Posey for a 62-yard touchdown on a poorly covered route by Penn State. Penn State was again held scoreless in the second half. The difference in the game would be Ohio State’s ability to run the ball, racking up 228 yards to only 76 for Penn State. Ohio State would end up 11-2, beating #7 Oregon in the BCS Rose Bowl, while Penn State finished 11-2, beating #12 LSU in the Capital One Bowl.

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2008

#3 Penn State (8-0) at #9 Ohio State (7-1

Final score: Penn State 13-6

This game was as tight as any in the series. Both top-ten teams were almost even in yards, Ohio State 287 to Penn State 281. The telling stat of the night would be turnovers, as Ohio State committed two, both costly. Driving in the fourth with a lead, Pryor – on third and short – tried to break a run outside and was famously stripped by Mark Rubin. After an all-out effort, Penn State would recover, and score a touchdown on the next drive, putting them up 10-6. Penn State would kick a field goal on their next possession, forcing Ohio State to drive the field in hopes of scoring a game-tying touchdown. With under a minute left, Pryor would toss an ill-advised pass up for grabs which was intercepted by Lydell Sargeant, sealing the victory at Ohio State for the first time since 1993. Penn State would end up 11-2, losing to #5 USC in the BCS Rose Bowl, while Ohio State finished 10-3, losing to #3 Texas in the BCS Fiesta Bowl.

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2007

Penn State (6-2) at #1 Ohio State (8-0)

Final Score: Ohio State 37-17

After sporting a top-ten ranking, Penn State dropped early games at Michigan (14-9) and at Illinois (27-20). They would not fair better against the top team in the nation – who would later also drop a game to Illinois. Penn State was outmatched from the beginning, and was outgained by almost 200 yards. A kick return touchdown with 3 minutes to go in the game by A.J. Wallace did little to help the Nittany Lions. Ohio State would end up 11-2, losing to #2 LSU in the BCS National Championship Game, while Penn State finished 9-4, beating Texas A&M in the Alamo Bowl.

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2006

Penn State (2-1) at #1 Ohio State (3-0)

Final Score: Ohio State 28-6

This one was a lot closer than the score would indicate. Penn State would take a 3-0 lead into the locker room at half, despite a scoreless first quarter. After Troy Smith eluded two should-have-been tackle-for-loss attempts, he tossed a jump ball that was secured by Brian Robiske in the end zone, giving Ohio State a 14-3 lead in the fourth. Penn State would drive with no luck as Anthony Morelli would throw two pick 6’s within 90 seconds of each other to ruin any comeback attempt for Penn State. Ohio State would end up 12-1, losing to #2 Florida in the BCS National Championship Game, while Penn State finished 9-4, beating #20 Tennessee in the Outback Bowl.

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2005

#6 Ohio State (3-1) at #16 Penn State (5-0)

Final Score: Penn State 17-10

This game would turn out to be the best game I’ve ever attended. After waiting hours in the rain, I would end up in the 12^th row with a bunch of my friends to watch Penn State prove to the world they were back. A top notch defense would do its job as a Michael Robinson led offense, complete with skilled freshman, did just enough to get the win. I’m not sure if there has been a crowd as fired up as the one that provided a White Out that evening. Penn State took a 14-10 lead into half, and a Tamba Hali sack fumble on Troy Smith would ice the game for the undefeated Nittany Lions. Penn State would end up 11-1, beating #22 Florida State in the BCS Orange Bowl, while Ohio State finished 10-2, beating #5 Notre Dame in the BCS Fiesta Bowl.

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2004

Penn State (2-5) at Ohio State (4-3)

Final Score: Ohio State 21-10

This year was by far the worst for both programs collectively, though Ohio State did fair better than 2011. The two offenses were ranked among the worst in the Big Ten. Ohio State passed for a mere 69 yards while Penn State mustered only 59. The difference in the game would be two non-offensive touchdowns, one punt return and one interception return. Ohio State would end up 8-4, beating Oklahoma State in the Alamo Bowl, while Penn State finished 4-7, not selected for a bowl game.

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In summation, since 2004, Ohio State is 5-3 versus the Nittany Lions, holding a higher ranking in all meetings except two, twice holding the #1 national rank. The series is currently 14-13 in favor of the Nittany Lions (not including any vacated wins by either school). This has been a highly competitive series overall, and have had some great games in the last bunch of years, including down-to-the-wire finishes in 2005, 2008 and 2011. More often than not, the winner of this game takes at least a piece of the conference title – this year is no different – as the winner will stay undefeated in Big Ten play.

Ohio State comes in undefeated; however, it is fair to say the teams are trending, slightly, in opposite directions. Ohio State comes off a close call at Indiana and a shaky, overtime win at home against Purdue. Penn State comes off an easy, dominating performance in Kinnick, winning five in a row after dropping their first two. Both teams have shown resolve this year: Ohio State has many close victories, while Penn State scored 22 unanswered in the fourth against a then-undefeated Northwestern team.

This game is huge, there is no downplaying it. For Ohio State, this may be their toughest test of the season (visiting Camp Randal is up there also), and will be their fiercest opponent yet. If they can get a win in a rocking Beaver Stadium, they could be looking at an undefeated season in year one under Urban Meyer. That would no doubt set the Buckeyes up for a nice run in the next few years. For the other side, this may be the most important game in years. Nittanyville (formerly Paternoville) has a record number of campers. It has been reported that Penn State has maxed out their available recruiting passes; some say 80-100 recruits were contacted for a visit. If Penn State could send Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes home with their first loss of the season, it would no doubt send a message to recruits, fans, national media and more that Penn State will continue to be competitive under Bill O’Brien.

The professionals in the desert have set this game, for the most part, as a pick em – that tells you a lot about this matchup between an undefeated team and one that sports losses to Ohio and Virginia. Penn State can start Halloween weekend off right by containing Braxton Miller’s running and forcing him to be a pocket passer. Ohio State will need to defend much better than they have this year if they want to survive the 2012 White Out.

Follow Craig Dauman on Twitter!