PSU 35 ILL 17

I was there.

And here are my friends:

Pictured PSU fans (top row, from left to right): Mikey, Zac, Brian, and Kevin.

Pictured PSU fans (bottom row, from left to right): Darren, Richard, Adam, Sameena

Also, a second screenshot:

That's Mike, my roommate on the far right side of the picture.

AND THEY'RE ALL FRIENDS OF MINE, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM, NO BETTER AND NO WORSE.

...And we'll probably end up down there together when it's all over. And that's why we say: B-bay-b-bay-b-bay-b-bay-bay-ba-baby...

Christ, what a trip. 35 hours of total driving, many of which were spent in the RV playing craps and drinking.

This week, PSU is off. Well, for all intents and purposes, they are.

PSU "B" Team: 45

EIU: 6

God, I'm still hurting from last weekend. Hangovers tend to linger as one ages, but this one is ridiculous.

'Cuse Recap, Iowa Fishin'

'Cuse Recap
We won. Awesome. The pain has mostly subsided, and the preseason is over. Let the real season begin.

F$%kin' Iowa, Man

Remember last year when we pantsed OSU on national TV, and then went undefeated coming into Kinnick Stadium? Remember how Iowa had lost to Pitt that season, but had started looking competent the previous week? Remember how that game ended on that cold afternoon? You don't?, Here's a quick reminder:

Look at it. I SAID F%^KING LOOK AT IT. DO YOU SEE? Now don't look. NOW LOOK BELOW:

To say the least, last year's matchup was disappointing. The weather sucked, PSU forgot the sideline heaters, and opted to pass into the wind 3 times on it's opening possession. PSU had multiple chances to put this game away in the first half, but kept coming up with field goals. And then Iowa realized that they weren't the team who lost to Pitt. Or something.

I was so depressed after this game that I spent $250 on dinner for me and the ex at the Capital Grille.

But all that is done with. Iowa has been owning our collective keister's now for the better part of the past 10 months, and it ends on Saturday.

Preview
Iowa started the year with a near bedshitting to Northern Iowa. I watched. This wasn't the Iowa team that dominated the backstretch of their schedule and postseason. This was the Iowa team that lost to Pitt. They won on two FG blocks at the end of regulation. The skin of their teeth, indeed.

No, I say throw that game out. The Iowa team that rolls into town on Saturday is the one that blew out Arizona and Iowa state. Let's take a look at the relevant stats from Iowa's two games vs. PSU's season:

Offense
(all stats from ESPN, BSD, and big12sports.com)

Statistic (units) : Iowa/ PSU

Rush (yds/game) : 162/ 133.3

Pass (yds/game) : 220/ 264.0

PPG : 31/ 30.0

Sacks (allowed/game) : 2.0/ 1.67

Turnovers (lost/game): 1.5/ 2.0

Defense

Pass (yds/game) : 109.0/ 166.0

Rush (yds/game) : 149.0/ 46.3

Turnovers (rec'vrd/game) : 3.5/ 1.33

Sacks (inflicted/game) : 1.0/ 3.33

PPG : 10.0/ 6.67

For a PSU victory:
PSU needs to limit the turnovers, run the ball, and wreak havoc in the Iowa backfield. Earth-shattering, eh?

For an Iowa Victory:
Keep picking off Clark, stack the line, and dominate special teams.

Other stuff:
Sean Lee is out for the week. Ouch. He would have a field day, considering Iowa dominating LT Bryan Beluga is on the mend.

The good news? Navarro Bowman is back from his groin issues, so that sheds some of the Lee injury evil mojo. But not all.

Other bad news includes Stupar tweaked his ankle in practice this week. I would feel much better with him in the lineup this week.

Intangibles:
PSU has them all-a home game, at night, revenge, and the whiteout. Plus, I heard Stanzi called Jack Crawford's mother a "stink pig".

Final Thoughts:
I have no problems with the PSU offense in this game. However, I do have issues with the defense, the onus of which will be on the defensive line. The tackles have to make up for Lee's presence (or lack thereof), and must get some heat on on Stanzi. The line can handle Iowa's running game, it's just I fear that PSU goes into the dreaded "rush four tired lineman late in the game, back the corners off" EPIC FAIL gameplan. We saw how that ended last year. Rush 4 with a "joker" LB shooting the gaps. Their armor is weak on the left side, and that's where the first point of attack should be. Above all else, exploit the mismatches created by the inexperienced Beluga replacement.

Iowa 13

PSU 20

Let's Go Fishing
Iowa reminds me of the King Mackerel, aka the "Kingfish"

Noted parallels include:

• The kingfish has one hell of a bite, and will make you work for a victory. Any weakness in skill will be exploited. Ditto Iowa.
• The kingfish is higher in the food chain in its realm. The same can be said for Iowa to this point in our schedule.
• I usually haul 2 out of every 8 hits in. Kind of like the success rate of PSU vs. Iowa.
• They are a very striking looking fish-the above picture does no justice to it's rather distinct appearance in blue waters. I've always liked Iowa's uniforms.
• Thoroughly enjoyable to fight and land. Best consumed when smoked. Just like Iowa.
• Children and pregnant women should stay away from both of them due to high mercury content.

Recently, I haven't caught many. When I do, yer for damn sure I light up afterwords.

Trap Game?

Meh, it already happened last night with Ole Miss.

Oops....

"Temple: I Don't feel good about this one. Al Golden knows our program, which means he knows how to exploit the weaknesses of the program. Namely, that our MLBs tend to have weak knees. Sean Lee, watch your ass." (see below).

Note that it was ILB, not MLB. But yeah, no more negative predictions.

The Ohio State Has Their Buckeyes...

Crikey. At the beginning of the year, most of us had the Lions with a loss at this point in the season. Now we roll into Columbus for a night game at the 'Shoe, ranked #3 with national championship aspirations. I don't even play for either team, and am incredibly nervous already. I can only imagine how the starters feel. But hey, that's why OSU players get payed the big bucks (ed-bad puns and hate already flowing), eh?

Reasons why we can win in Columbus:
1) Pryor can't pass the ball. Yet.
2) Bradley has scouted Pryor for the past 3 years in Jeannette, and was the lead recruiter on him.
3) When the PSU run is stopped, we can pass. If the pass isn't working, we can run.
4) While the OSU defense is arguably the best in the Big10 11(especially their corners), they are VERY soft over the middle.
5) Tressel cannot vary his offensive strategy too much on a game-to-game basis.

Reasons we can lose:
1) PSU comes out flat, like they have in the past few games.
2) PSU rushes 4 the entire game. We did this last year and got picked apart (not likely, given #1 under why we win). Same with Michigan last week.
3) Hull and Sales start and remain in the game.

So its very simple (kinda); on defense, rush 5-6 on every play, keep Wells and Pryor contained. I don't even care if we get burned by Pryor in the air on a few plays. He will f up. For proof, look how Wisconsin played him. Granted, Pryor finally broke through at the end, but the lessen should have been learned from tape of said game.

On offense, go deep early, and crack the secondary. Clark cannot fumble the ball. Our most consistent running play for the year is off right tackle. Keep pounding it there.

Actually, that was the game plan for PSU going into Madison.

Music I'm using to get my head right before game:

I'm old. let's go old school with some MAARS. Because MAARS needs women.

The enginerd in me just squealed a little. Hell, might as well keep going with that late 80's/early 90's goodness. That's Eric B and Rakim, bitches.....

...and then Big Daddy Kane. Yes, the "Juice" soundtrack was one of the best ever. So was "Purple Rain". What of it?

And yes, I am aware that I might be the whitest man ever.

PSU 27
OSU 20

Weekend Updates

First the good news of the day. Justin King has decided to forgo his senior season at PSU.

http://www.bwi.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=761216

King came in our school as a highly regarded prospect, and exceeded expectations his first two seasons with the Nits. He had a rough go this year due to injuries and lack of pressure on the QB.

I think King more than made the right decision. I believe he is graduating a year early, and it would be the right time for him to go. He has all the characteristics and raw talent that NFL scouts like, and he will do well for himself provided he has a strong combine. I expect him to go mid-late 2nd round, and would absolutely love for the Eagles to grab him. The Eagles have a great tradition of molding all-star CBs. This is all provided that the Birds' CB coach stays, and does not accept a position elsewhere.

What does this do to PSU? Wallace is returning, and our defense will improve(and hopefully stay healthy) next year. Hopefully, Timmons will get the message that he is on Joe's last good nerve. I don't think it will hurt us all that much, really. Then again, we all fully expected PSU to have a dominant defense, but we all saw what happened there.

So good luck to King. He played well, is graduating, and I wish him the best of times. Just don't go to any other NFC East teams. Selah.

Looks like my picks were spot-on. No, wait, what's the opposite of that...sucking poo. Some notes:

Figure 1-1: "The Seahawks were due!"

• The only game i got right was the Pats beating Jacksonville. I'm a freakin' regular Creskin.
• The Giants just kept getting stronger as the game went on. The Cowboys just couldn't do anything right after the first drive of the second half. And Romo still made a mistake at the end of playoff game, ruining the Cowboys' hopes 2 years i a row. Very unclutch, which I thought was Eli's job.
• The Chargers got heart. Except for Rivers, who did his Morelli impression of getting into it with the fans at a game.

Basketball rundown tomorrow.