Blue & White Roundtable :: Iowa week

No. 3 Penn State travels to Iowa this week. I thought some questions were appropriate.

The usually unusual suspects:
There is No Name on My Jersey
Tangled Up in White and Blue
Y. F. Yurasko
Happy Hour Valley
Black Shoe Diaries
The Nittany Line
We Want the Lion
Zombie Nation
Nittany Whiteout

1. Do you agree with Joe Paterno, that teams shouldn't have to artificially inflate scores just to please the voters? We all know it's just how college football works, but how comfortable are you with that?

ZN:I just had this conversation at work. A friend of mine was looking at Texas Tech's schedule, and I said "they allowed 24 points to Eastern Washington." He made the point that teams take their foot off the pedal when winning big. I shot back, "ok, so let's look at the box score." Well, what'dya know, the score was only 28-17 at halftime. I think this whole problem could be solved if the voters (I still think coaches are the worst voters, as they just don't have real time to look at all the teams) would just look at the freaking box score. I don't think a team should have to score more points just to "look" more impressive. Penn State holding Ohio State to SIX points in the Horseshoe was much more impressive than winning 38-31 or something.

2. Iowa has been a very up-and-down team this season, and it's defense can actually play. What are some of the unit-to-unit match ups you're looking forward to seeing this week? Which team will win your chosen battle and why?

ZN:The Penn State wide receivers have to torch the Iowa defensive backfield. At Ohio State–a far better secondary than Iowa–PSU had trouble breaking coverage and getting open. Deon Butler, Derrick Williams and Jordan Norwood have to, at least, put a scare into the Iowa secondary, even if it's just to open up the 3rd and 4th reads. I'm pretty confident PSU can do this, as Iowa is giving up 200 yards per game through the air. Penn State threw off Wisconsin by passing from the get-go, and should use the same style in Iowa City. And if Daryll Clark isn't 100%, then we all know Pat Devlin has the guts and talent to step in.

3. Backtrack a week. There were riots downtown following the Ohio State win. The State College Borough Council had plenty of discussion about "why" it happened, and what could be done to "prevent it" in the future. Of course, they got nowhere. Are wild, dangerous events like this just a part of life at a big-time football school? Or should (or, can) something be done about it?

ZN: Even as I'm out of school for several years now, I still defend the students' action... most of the time. This is one of those times. I used to hate when townies* would bitch and moan about how loud it was living a few blocks from Beaver Canyon, or how many drunk students would walk around their neighborhood at 2 a.m. Man, you chose to freaking live there. That's like moving to California, then complain constantly about the earthquakes, wild fires and mudslides. College kids (and most other rabid sports fanbases) act like this when it's a big win. It's just a part of sports life. The borough council had to pretend to address the issue, just to make the townies feel better. State College knows it would be nothing without the students. It's not run by complete idiots.

[*Townies: Usually, people think of townies as the "locals," but it's completely different. Locals are residents of the area that have no real connection, or interest in the college. "Townies" usually have some connection to the college, whether they're alumni who decided to settle there, or work for the college, or grew up as children of alumni. Things like that. I just wanted to clarify.]

Lightening Round

Royster has a big game (100+ yds)?

I'll go with 119 yards and a receiving touchdown.

Devlin sees decent playing time?

They'll get him in before the half, as long as PSU isn't stinking it up.

Chances (%) PSU holds Iowa below 10 pts?

40%. I'm thinking it will be around 10 points, but can't say if it'll be in the single digits or not.

***I'll have the Iowa preview up this afternoon.