Are Pryor, Ohio State Really That Surprising?
Monday, July 27, 2009 at 5:39PM By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season
NEW YORK -- It's amazing what we like to describe as "controversial."
Is it a surprise pick that Big Ten writers picked Ohio State to win the league? And that those same writers gave preseason offensive player of the year honors to OSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor? Both are slight surprises I think, but hardly controversial, as some bloggers are suggesting today.
+ YOUR THOUGHTS: Surprised at preseason picks?
+ ALSO: Big Ten Preview
Pryor had a good freshman season. He'll be a better passer in 2009 and will likely transition well from coddled young star to offensive leader. The athletic tools are already in place, and he showed good poise as a rookie last year. That trend will continue and he'll be the best player on what many think will be the best team in the league. It's not any crazier than a wideout from the fourth- or fifth-best team in the league (Arrelious Benn, Illinois) or a decent quarterback who lacks superstar potential -- Penn State's Darryl Clark -- being named.
I laugh when rich, old, white men in suits like to say their sport is for the fans. We all know it's really for the networks, but what are for the fans are silly preseason teams. They mean nothing. What means far more is what happens in the postseason, and I'm pretty sure if you check Google, you just be able to find, oh, maybe one or two or a million online jabs at the Big Ten's postseason track record in recent years.
For each team, a college season often shakes out as a reflection of how well your quarterback plays and how well your team performs on the road. If the slight advantage in the first category goes to Ohio State over Penn State, I think the same-sized cushion goes to the Nittany Lions in the second category, and for just one reason: Ohio State plays at Penn State in November.
We saw it in 2005 when the evenly matched Nittany Lions and Buckeyes played a tough game that Penn State won largely because of its home-field advantage. Both teams finished 7-1 in the conference, but PSU got the league's BCS bid and defeated Florida State in the Orange Bowl. I think Penn State wins the league because Ohio State has to visit Happy Valley this year. It's as simple as that.
Big Ten, Ohio State, Penn State, Terrelle Pryor
Reader Comments (6)
PSU wins the Big Ten? fine, the season will be a smashing success if we beat USC, Michigan and win a BCS bowl game.
I think TP will rally the troops for a HUGE win in Happy Valley. All the naysayers from Pennsylvania will make him elevate his game to something special. Early early prediction, 21-20 OSU.
Wall, you are correct, but that's a large if. A USC win will be difficult, a win at Michigan will not be easy and a BCS win would likely need to come at the hands of an SEC or Big XII team. And Trane, winning under the lights in Happy Valley is difficult to do for visitors. I hope you're right.
I'm a huge OSU shill. I was very surprised that Penn State didn't get the nod. So much so I said the exact words to my 13 year old boy. He replied " we have to go to Happy Valley". With that said, we should be gelling on the defensive side with the LB"s and DB's. We have a long way to go though. The huge positive is that TP has a full year under his belt and a very good O-line coming back. Assuming they play to the abilities.
"a win at Michigan will not be easy"
WTF? Have they re-animated Bo Schembechler?
My Jacket, just because Michigan is struggling doesn't mean the Wolverines won't have something to play for. By the time Nov. 21 rolls around, they'll be a full two seasons into Rich Rodriguez's system and probably playing for a lower-tier bowl appearance. The game is at their place and I know you don't need me to remind you how good they were at playing the spoiler role several times back in the 1990s when there was far more at stake for OSU.