Big Ten Title Game: Your Complete ZN Coverage
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I'm going to use this post as an "open thread" all day, posting my comments on everything from the ESPN Gameday Crew, to in-game thoughts and updates. So feel free to stop by and post your own comments about what's going on throughout game day, right here at ZN!
•Full Game Preview - No. 8 Penn St vs No. 15 Michigan St
•PSU vs. MSU :: The Land Grant Trophy
•ABC/ESPN Coverage Map
•Guest Blogger - The Enlightened Spartan (MSU)
•Blue & White Roundtable: Regular Season Finale
•Big Ten Bloggers weekly Pick'em: Week 13
•Reader Poll Results: Readers pick Penn State over Michigan State
still several hours left, so you can still get your vote in!
54 Commented on this story:
The GameDay Crew is defending four one-loss teams–Texas, Oklahoma, Florida and...USC–and why they deserve a shot at the National Title. Chris Fowler just mentioned Penn State, and how they still have an outside shot if other teams lose... Lee Corso just laughed. Douchebag. Kirk Herbstreit even chimed in with a "Big Ten... Awful." Wow, Kirk. I know you work for SEC-BigXII-TV, er, ESPN, but you disappoint me by spewing those talking points.
But all Penn State fans should worry about right now is Michigan State. Go State... Penn, that is.
Although, now that they're talking about this game... Kirk doesn't think MSU has a shot.
Lee Corso is predicting a last-second win, "late field goal" for Penn State. Shut up, ass.
Kirk... "I think Penn State looks great today."
Kirk's not very consistent today.
Nice feature on the Rodgers brothers, James and Jaquizz. I still don't think the media is giving Penn State enough credit for pounding Oregon State. I like the Beavers, but I hope they lose one of these two games. If Penn State faces OSU in the Rose Bowl, win or lose, it won't improve the national perception. Penn State needs to play USC.
Corso picked Penn State, so did Kirk. Corso is usually wrong about Penn State, and Kirk is usually right. What does this mean for Penn State? Let's hope today the Herbie Force is stronger than the Corso Force.
Terrelle Pryor just threw a horrible pick, staring down his receiver worse than Anthony Morelli and Daryll Clark combined.
Pryor just hit Hartline for a 14-0 lead. Considering Michigan has (-1) yards total offense, I'd say this game is over.
As Pryor rolled left, rolled right, and left again, to complete a pass deep downfield, did anyone else get an eerie flashback to Troy Smith?
You heard the phrase, "it's a one-game season," right? Well, this is definitely one of those games. Let's go fellas.
Oh, and on the weather... I'd like to see Florida, Alabama, or Georgia come in and win in this kind of environment! They'd win? Bullshit!
Go State! Win one, Northern (REAL!) Football Style!
While the Penn State offense looked very mediocre on its first possession, the defense came to play. Michigan State just went negative on three straight plays. Michigan State looks intimidated. Penn State–mainly the defense–looks intimidating. Good start.
Perfect call after the big defensive stop! Perfect throw up the seem to Norwood! Now punch it in!
TOUCHDOWN, PENN STATE. Way to capitalize on the big play.
Five-yard pass from Clark to Graham Zug.
Sack by Ogbu. Nice coverage downfield.
Would have been nice to put together a somewhat sustained drive. But, just keep attacking on defense.
Following the MSU 3-and-out, PSU made a stupid block in the back. Nate Stupar did it, so I'll give him a pass. Just once, though. The offense has to get Royster going on this drive.
Nice read by Clark, recognizing the blitz and single-coverage on Williams, for the third down conversion.
If the cheerleaders cost us this game, I will be very upset.
Good screen call to Royster for the third and long conversion.
Moving down the field methodically.
Penn State's doing what I said it should do, get its players in space. Norwood was wide open on a short drag route. Short pass for a long gain.
TOUCHDOWN PENN STATE! Fantastic call to Dan Lawlor. Penn State used that call all the time in 2005 with BranDon Snow, and it worked then, too. Great drive.
Javon Ringer has no daylight against the PSU front. Penn State is dominating on both sides of the ball, right now.
Beautiful sack by Maurice Evans, sticking with Hoyer, even with the good play-action fake. Penn State was in need of a big play, with MSU driving.
The PSU secondary is just blanketing the MSU receivers, forcing a lot of coverage pressure on Hoyer. MSU's punt can't even take a good bounce for the Spartans. Not a whole lot is going well for MSU. But it's still early.
What the hell was that? Mike Lucian totally let Greg Jones through. That was a bad play to start this PSU drive. And now, a sack by Jones. Third and 17? Nice, nice. But yet again, Penn State had a great play call ready. I'm beginning to see what PSU wanted to run at Iowa, with screens keeping the pressure at bay.
Where's Royster? I understand that Green is good for big plays, but this coaching staff still doesn't seem to get that he's not good inside the tackles. And when you get pushed back on first down, and then drop the second down pass (Zug), you're feeding into MSU. But Zug makes up for it, with a great catch over the middle down to the two. Fantastic pass protection by the O-line.
TOUCHDOWN PENN STATE! Two-yard run by Clark. Great blocking, and a good call. This is very reminiscent of my senior day, Wisconsin 2005. You just don't mess with PSU on senior day!
21-0.
INTERCEPTION PENN STATE! Anthony Scirrotto! We might look back and say that was the play of the game.
TOUCHDOWN PENN STATE! Clark to Williams! This is Penn State Football at its Finest. Looks like that INT was the play of the game, after all.
Go back to senior day 1994, vs MSU. PSU got a turnover, and went deep on the next play to Bobby Engram. Sound familiar?
Score update: Ole Miss 21, LSU 3. How far has LSU fallen? Pretty far. And it must be nice to play the Citadel, at home in sunny Gainesville, *cough*Florida*cough*
Ok, MSU is driving down the field. PSU has gotten a bit lax on defense, which is very disturbing, so early in the game. I understand it's 28-0, but remember when Penn State was up big in East Lansing last year? Yeah, PSU has to sharpen up, quick!
TOUCHDOWN MICHIGAN ST. These pass interference calls are getting really annoying.
Score update: Cal Poly 20, Wisconsin 14! Holy shit, did I not tell you? I said this week that the Wisky-Poly game was the scariest for the Big Ten this week. This is why.
Good half. The last MSU drive shouldn't get us down too much. I'll take 28-7 at the half, any day of the week. And the last Saturday of the Big Ten schedule, with the Rose Bowl on the line, it's a great day. Now, keep it going in the second half!
Start of the second half, MSU gets the ball. Takes it out to the 24. Clamp down on the Spartans just like you did in the first half!
MSU is going to nickle and dime PSU the whole way, as long as PSU gives it to them. But the penalties are becoming a problem for MSU, which is very uncharacteristic of the Spartans.
Makeup has to fire whoever did Holly Rowe's face.
Good opening series for PSU, highlighted by great open-field tackles by Mark Rubin and Lydell Sargeant. Good field position for PSU's opening drive of the second half. Keep it going.
Where's the run blocking for Royster? PSU can't keep hoping to convert third and long, which it didn't this time. Three and out is not a good way to start the second half. But a good punt by Boone.
Jared Odrick could probably go early to the NFL if he wanted to. Nice play in the backfield.
And just as that happens, the other "best pro prospect on the field," Aaron Maybin, crushes Ringer on third and short. Tom Bradley should definitely be on the short list for the Broyles Award.
Big run by Royster, on the second play of the drive. There's the run blocking we've been waiting for.
Nice pass to Norwood! Great pass protection up front, and at the perfect time, on third and long. No field goals, just touchdowns. Either way, PSU is rollin'!
TOUCHDOWN PENN STATE! Three yard pass to Deon Butler. The senior class has come to play today, and will not let this one slip away! Great call, great catch. Thank you seniors!
Nothing is going right for MSU. You almost feel bad for the Spartans, almost. After last year, I don't mind if PSU launches a half-hundred on MSU tonight. The trick play is under review, and even if Sargeant's interception is overturned, it's still a big loss for MSU.
The interception stands. This game is as good as over. Now, watch for more seniors to play, along with maybe some Pat Devlin thrown into the game. Not on this ensuing drive, though. From the four...
Why is Green being run up the middle?!?! Dammit, get him outside or on screens! He's worthless between the tackles. Nice play to Norwood to convert, and keep the chains moving.
TOUCHDOWN PENN STATE! Now Clark is done. I said that earlier play was 1994 all over again, but this was definitely 1994! Going for the jugular! 42-7. Smelling Roses, Baby!!!
Devlin's in the game. Good for him. He has a whole quarter to play, against a still-decent team. Clark did a wonderful job tonight. He should feel good about his performance, and carry it over to the bowl game. Devlin's first few passes look good.
Score update: Syracuse 24, Notre Dame 23. Charlie Weis is in deep, deep trouble now. Good for PSU's strength of schedule.
TOUCHDOWN PENN STATE! Perfectly placed pass to Butler from Devlin. Penn State is playing for votes now. It's about time Joe Paterno does it. Mark D'Antonio better not whine like a little bitch about PSU running up the score.
I can't remember a more dominant performance over a good, ranked football team. And this isn't one of those early-season blowouts, where the opponent turned out to be a fraud. MSU is still 9-3, and on its way to a New Years Day bowl game. Penn State took the Spartans to the woodshed tonight, just when the nation was looking for it.
Now Mike Patrick, Todd Blackledge and Holly Rowe are talking about the Rose Bowl, understandably so. It's good to see the third string offense in the game. Looks like one more first down will do it for Penn State. Not this time. Penn State went for it on fourth with three minutes left, up 49-10. Unless MSU scores, this will be my last entry on this open thread tonight. I'll have my full initial thoughts posted as soon as the game is over. Great win, fellas! WE ARE!!!
TOUCHDOWN MICHIGAN STATE. Long pass to Mark Dell, going for two... Got it. Ok, we'll give it to them. 49-18.
Hey Michigan State. YOU LOST! Calling timeouts to obviously piss off Penn State won't make you look any better. In fact you look like sore losers right now.
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