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Penn State vs Ohio State
Penn State by 4*

Name (Season Prediction)

 W L W L
Mark Harrington (11-2) 7 2 8 1
Mark Brennan (11-2) 5 4 8 1
Nirav Dalal (10-3) 5 4 8 1
Tom Hoffman (12-1) 5 4 8 1
Jamie Trescavage (11-2) 5 4 8 1
Rob Riva (10-3) 5 4 7 2
Scott Cole (11-2) 5 4 7 2
Cory James (12-1) 5 4 7 2
Keith Conlin (12-1) 4 5 8 1
Tom McLaughlin (12-1) 4 5 8 1
Scott Neal (11-2) 4 5 7 2
Baseline Monday Line* Straight Up



Mark Brennan, mxbscout
This Week’s Game: Penn State 28, Ohio State 17
JoePa and JayPa don't think QB Daryll Clark is getting enough credit. Because of that, we're going to see Penn State vary from the typical play-it-close-to-the-sweater-vest approach it uses against Ohio State and open up the passing game. Clark gets a chance to make a statement against the Buckeyes after being injured at a key moment in last year's game. Will he come through?

Player To Watch: Daryll Clark. Expect him to have a big game passing and running. Also, this appears to be the perfect time for OLBs Navorro Bowman and Sean Lee to both be hitting their respective strides.
Last Week: Penn State 31, Northwestern 14. PTW: Chaz Powell

Regular Season Prediction: 11-2
I see one road hiccup, either at Illinois or Michigan State. And the past few years, the Lions have dropped at least one game they seemed a lock to win. Too many question marks on the O-line and in the secondary to predict a national title run.



Scott Cole, Psu96
This Week’s Game: Penn State 17, Ohio State 13
These teams seem to dial up a conservative offensive game plan that favors the field position game when they meet and this year should be no exception. Both defenses are fierce, but the Penn State defense will tilt the field in the Lions' favor by forcing a couple of Terrelle Pryor turnovers and get just enough offense to pull out a win.

Player To Watch: Andrew Quarless. Daryll Clark will face a lot of pressure from the Buckeye pass rush, giving the athletic Quarless a chance to be the big difference in the passing game.
Last Week: Penn State 31, Northwestern 13. PTW: Daryll Clark

Regular Season Prediction: 11-2
I expect this team to win the Big Ten title for a second consecutive year. Illinois appears the likeliest candidate for the lone regular season loss to me although a loss to Ohio State is certainly not out of the question. That would put Penn State back in a BCS bowl game against a national power, and I'm just not sold that the revamped secondary will be able to handle the likes of Texas, Florida or USC.



Keith Conlin
This Week’s Game: Penn State 27, Ohio State 13
This will be a classic PSU-OSU slugfest early until the Penn State defense forces Terrelle "City" Pryor into a few turnovers and the big old country boy Nittany Lion offense capitalizes and finishes off the Buckeyes. TP will lose control late in the game after being ridiculed by PSU fans and do something stupid.

Player To Watch: Jared Odrick. The defensive tackle has not been blocked all season, so I don’t see Saturday being any different. The PSU defense will be hyped up to control Pryor.
Last Week: Penn State 30, Northwestern 17. PTW: Nick Sukay

Regular Season Prediction: 12-1
Penn State drops one game, either to Ohio State or at Michigan State. There is a three-way tie for the conference title among those teams, with the Spartans going to the Rose Bowl and the Lions landing in the Orange. Daryll Clark is named Big Ten POY, while Odrick, Lee, Bowman and Wiz all become All-Americans. Odrick ends up as a top 10 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.



Nirav Dalal, PlaybookNirav
This Week’s Game: Penn State 20, Ohio State 14
The two defenses are going to keep both offenses under wraps. The difference in this game is that Penn State has a competent kicker and the Buckeyes have to break in a walk-on or a redshirt freshman in their biggest conference game of the year. As a result, I give the edge to Penn State in this one.

Player To Watch: Dennis Landolt and Ako Poti. The two tackles will have to play well to keep Thadeus Gibson and Cameron Heyward out of the backfield.
Last Week: Penn State 31, Northwestern 14. PTW: Jared Odrick

Regular Season Prediction: 10-3
The Lions get a very favorable schedule this year but there are still some tough road games on the schedule with Illinois and MSU. Iowa and Ohio State are going to be tough home games as well. I like the Lions still getting into the BCS but via an at-large bid rather than a conference championship.



Mark Harrington, PlaybookMark
This Week’s Game: Penn State 23, Ohio State 13
On paper, Penn State has a better offense, better kicker and home field advantage. However, Ohio State’s defense is a monster that could make this a slug-fest like year’s past. Clark needs to have an efficient game and rely on the weapons around him. He doesn’t have to do everything himself. And PSU as a whole has to protect the ball. If they do that they should put some successful drives together.

Player To Watch: Navorro Bowman. If PSU uses him as a spy, Bowman could have some huge opportunities to impact the game, but he needs to get back into his pre-Northwestern play.
Last Week: Penn State 28, Northwestern 13. PTW: Andrew Quarless

Regular Season Prediction: 11-2
Impeccable leadership and solid veteran experience should lead to another impressive campaign for PSU. With some scattered question marks in the secondary, receivers and offensive line the Lions could get nipped a few times by teams that look to take some risks to exploit their issues.



Tom Hoffman, underscoreTom
This Week’s Game: Penn State 12, Ohio State 10
This will be one of those games. Purdue really showed a blueprint for how to handle OSU, but the PSU staff will do just enough to eke one out again.

Player To Watch: Daryll Clark. Many don't like the term "legacy" as it relates to how we remember a player. But all eyes are on him as he searches for that "big" win.
Last Week: Penn State 35, Northwestern 17. PTW: Jeremy Boone

Regular Season Prediction: 12-1
There's enough talent on this team to go 6-2 in a typical Big Ten, but with the schedule the way it is, 8-0 is not out of the question. But, the questions Penn State does have need answers before 13-0 can be discussed.



Cory James, CoryJames
This Week’s Game: Penn State 13 Ohio State 7
Another defensive masterpiece on both sides as the offenses will be trying to find what works. I expect it to come down to who chokes at QB. And Pryor is too shaky to go with the Buckeyes.

Player To Watch: Darryl Clark. If Penn state wins it will be due to the play of clark, no doubt about it.
Last Week: Penn State 38, Nortwestern 13. PTW: Derek Moye

Regular Season Prediction: 12-1
I have to admit I can't find more than one loss on Penn State's schedule at most. However, Penn State can notoriously get bitten on one game they sleep walk through. I see one regular season loss, not to Ohio State, followed by a BCS bowl win.



Tom McLaughlin, WeRPSUPlaybook
This Week’s Game: Penn State 27, Ohio State 24
This is the heavyweight prizefight that Penn State fans have been looking forward to all year, for better or for worse. As is typical of this type of matchup, I expect to see the best and worst of Penn State both on and off the field this weekend. On the field, I expect Bradley to dial up some defenses that will put pressure on Pryor and force his hand, which plays right into the Lions' teeth. The offense will have their hands full, but should be able to manage just enough to squeeze out a win. This one could come down to a field goal, and the Bucks are short a kicker.

Player To Watch: Daryll Clark has taken his share of abuse in the media, and from the fans. He has also earned his share of praise. The bottom line is that other than a bowl, this will be his last really big game before the home crowd and against a ranked opponent. Will this be the game where he finally silences his critics once and for all?
Last Week: Penn State 42, Northwestern 17 PTW: Evan Royster

Regular Season Prediction: 12-1
The Nittany Lions have returned to a perch among the nation's elite college teams, but a challenging conference schedule that includes always dangerous Ohio State, and road trips to improving Illinois and Michigan State makes at least one setback likely.



Scott Neal, PSUMtnBike
This Week’s Game: Penn State 24, Ohio State 13
The Penn State fans are already in the opposing quarterback's head, which doesn't bode well for the Buckeye's future pro "wide receiver". While the defenses are comparable, the Lions are significantly better equipped to move the ball.

Player To Watch: Navorro Bowman. Expect the Lions to shadow Pryor with Bowman all day.
Last Week: Penn State 45, Northwestern 13 PTW: Josh Hull

Regular Season Prediction: 11-2
Penn State will battle for the Big Ten championship, but inexperience at key spots and the worst out of conference schedule in the nation will hurt the Lions at some point in the season.



Rob Riva, rriva
This Week’s Game: Penn State 20, Ohio State 17
Classic defensive battle, with the game likely coming down to which team makes the fewest mistakes and which team's quarterback performs the best. There's no question that right now, Daryll Clark is the better quarterback, but the Buckeyes' stout defense could easily cause the Nittany Lions' offense trouble and cause turnovers.

Player To Watch: Daryll Clark. Clark has been on top of his game as of late, and he will be the catalyst behind Penn State's ability to put points on the board.
Last Week: Penn State 31, Northwestern 13. PTW: Daryll Clark

Regular Season Prediction: 10-3
This is a relatively inexperienced but talented football team with excellent leadership on offense and defense. Penn State has an excellent chance of going undefeated at home but could just as easily drop three of four road games.



Jamie Trescavage, jsT10
This Week’s Game: Penn State 17, Ohio State 10
Anyone who loves defense will probably love this classic November Big Ten match-up. The Nittany Lion defense received a pretty good wake up call against Northwestern. While Buckeye quarterback Terrelle Pryor is a better runner than Mike Kafka, he will not be able to beat the Nittany Lions with his legs alone. Therein lies the rub--he will not beat Penn State with his arm either. Like the 2008 game, Penn State does enough offensively to win.

Player To Watch: A.J. Wallace and D'Anton Lynn. The Penn State cornerbacks will lock down DeVier Posey, Pryor's safety blanket.
Last Week: Penn State 40, Northwestern 16. PTW: Jerome Hayes

Regular Season Prediction: 11-2
Despite talent at key positions, Penn State is inexperienced and raw enough that early play may be inconsistent. The soft non-conference schedule will help a lot of Nittany Lion youngsters to get their feet wet and play should become crisper, but Penn State will still drop a conference road game (at Illinois or Michigan State perhaps) on their way to a BCS at-large bid.



*Note: Point spread is from Monday to allow timely picks.