Review: Penn State 52, E. Illinois 3

Maybe, finally, this Penn State team is ready to roll. Following the Nittany Lions' second-straight 500-yard day on offense, and another dominating performance on defense, Penn State easily pounded FCS (I-AA) opponent Eastern Illinois this past Saturday. With nothing but Big Ten teams ahead of them, including Minnesota in a homecoming clash this week, last week's glorified scrimmage might just have been the last ingredient Penn State needed to cook up a championship season.

In today's game review, we'll break down Penn State's unit by unit performance.

Offense

• Offensive Line: Penn State was missing both right tackles, starter Nerraw McCormack and backup/former starter DeOn'Tae Pannell, out with injuries. So, in stepped senior Ako Poti. Poti, and the rest of the Nittany Lions front line, brushed aside Eastern Illinois defenders like they weren't even there. Since the coaching staff settled on the current starting lineup -- LT Dennis Landolt, LG Johnnie Troutman, C Stefen Wisniewski, RG Lou Eliades -- even without McCormack in this week, the offensive line has played night-and-day better than it did through the Iowa game three weeks ago.

Stats: 7.9 yards per rush; NO sacks allowed

• Receivers: It was expected that Penn State's receivers wouldn't have to do much to gain a ton of yards this week. But that didn't mean the young guns didn't put on an impressive show Saturday. The wideouts looked sharp all around. Chaz Powell (4/79, TD) came down with one of the best catches I've seen this season, fighting through pass interference for the 51-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Graham Zug (1/24) and Derek Moye (2/43, TD) did what they had to do, playing like veterans. True frosh Justin Brown (3/45) made his first three career catches this week. He's played some this season, but had no receptions. Brown is big, tall, has tons of talent, and it's great the coaches are getting him involved early.

The tight end situation is great, but disappointing at the same time. I've fallen in love with what the staff has done to get Andrew Quarless (2/36) the ball so far.

The receivers did a great job blocking downfield this week. Hopefully, that's a sign of things to come, as Penn State will be sure to run more as the weather gets worse. One big block on the outside could mean the difference between gaining three yards or six points.

Stats: 13 receptions, 229 yards, 3 TD

• Running Backs: Evan Royster (8/94) ran for all his yards in the first half, as Stephfon Green (8/54, TD) took over full time after the break. Penn State ran Powell (1/19) and Devon Smith (1/18) from the receiver spots, but there wasn't a lot of trickery on offense. The backs ran straight ahead, mostly due to the offensive line opening mammoth running lanes.

Clark (4/11, TD) didn't have to run the ball much, scrambling once or twice, and sneaking it into the end zone from a yard out. I was really impressed by Kevin Newsome (7/49, TD), who ended the day as Penn State's No. 3 rusher. Newsome is easily one of the most all-around athletic player on Penn State's roster. His running style this week reminded me of Michael Robinson, who ran a bit more like a running back, lower to the ground than Clark's style.

Stats: (RB/QB only) 34 attempts, 248 yards, 3 TDs

• Quarterbacks: Daryll Clark (13-19/234, 3 TD, INT) looked calm and confident this week. Then again, how else should the 2008 All-Big Ten quarterback look against Eastern Illinois? The interception wasn't a huge deal, but I'd rather Clark just took the sack. It was a good day for Clark, but not great since it wasn't a tough opponent.

We waited nearly three full quarters to see Kevin Newsome (4-5/34) come in, so that was a little disappointing. However, the young gun played well and looked fantastic compared to his first couple games this season. As I mentioned earlier, I really like his running style.

Stats: 17-26, 268 yards, 3 TDs, INT

Defense

• Defensive Line: This was another unit that got a bunch of backups into the action. Earlier this week, Joe Paterno said Jordan Hill would burn his redshirt and play this week. He did, finishing the day with four stops. Nearly all of the regular defensive line starters had great days, as Jared Odrick (5 tkl, 3.5 TFL, 2 sacks) turned in a huge performance, while Ollie Ogbu (2 tkl, 1.5 TFL, Sack, FF) and Jack Crawford (2 tkl, 1.5 TFL, Sack) were also everywhere, mostly in the Panthers' backfield. Kevion Latham (TFL), Eric Latimore (Tkl), Devon Still (PBU), Sean Stanley (PBU), James Terry (Tkl) and Jonathan Stewart (Tkl) all saw time. It was a very "play the rest of'em" kind of day.

Stats: 1.8 yards per rush allowed; 19 tackles, 8.5 TFL (-36), 4.0 sacks (-29), 3 PBU, Forced Fumble

• Linebackers: Just imagine if Sean Lee was on the field this whole time. Penn State's linebackers have been beaten up all season long, but now things are settling down. Lee is the only remaining big player out with injury. Good thing for the Nittany Lions that there are about a half dozen more linebackers behind him that could start for most BCS-level programs. Josh Hull (11 tkl) led the team in tackles once again, while Navorro Bowman (5 tkl, 3.5 TFL, FR TD, PBU) is pushing his way back into All-America consideration. Bowman's 91-yard fumble return touchdown was easily the play of the game, as Eastern Illinois was threatening to score from the nine yard line.

In his first significant action as a Nittany Lion, junior Chris Colasanti (6 tkl, TFL, Sack) played very well. I wouldn't be surprised to see him more as the season goes on. He's a big time talent that you'd hate to see riding the bench.

Stats: 29 tackles, 3.5 TFL (-6), Sack (-1), FR for TD (91 yds)

• Defensive Backfield: Eastern Illinois never really tested Penn State's secondary, but was able to find some holes in the zone coverage. This unit was masked by the defensive line's ability to pressure the Panthers' pocket and force throws. AJ Wallace (7 tkl, INT) did come up with a nice pick over his shoulder; he now leads the team with two.

Next week against Adam Weber and Eric Decker will be very interesting.

Stats: 26 Tkl, PBU, INT

Special Teams

• Kicking/Punting: The kicking game wasn't really needed this past weekend, as Colin Wagner (1/1, Lng 25; 8 KO, 63.4) remained steady, and Ryan Breen (70 yd KO) got to launch one kickoff. Jeremy Boone (40.0 YPP) was as good as always.

• Returns/Coverage: The return game took a twist this week, as Justin Brown (3/24, Lng 20) was given a tryout after halftime, and actually made something out of his returns. Then again, when the returns have been this terrible, anything is better. I'm looking forward to seeing if the coaches stick with Brown next week.

Andrew Dailey (Tkl, Blkd) set up a Penn State touchdown with a blocked punt, which is exactly the kind of plays the Lions will need at some point during the second half of the season. Coverage overall was decent this week, but not fantastic.

Overall

I apologize for this review being so late. You see, this game was really a glorified scrimmage. So, what could we really learn from it? The young guys were able to get some good playing time, and the starters were given easy reps against a living, breathing opponent. Most of the time, teams will play down to their opponents, and frankly, I was afraid of that against Eastern Illinois. Penn State proved me wrong, winning the way a good team should.

There is not much else to take away from this game. I look forward to the day Penn State stops scheduling FCS/I-AA teams, but it doesn't look like that will happen any time soon.

• Official Stats, via GoPSUSports.com:

Full Box Score

Post Game Quotes

Post Game Notes

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Penn State Gameday: Eastern Illinois

Your Penn State football gameday headquarters.



Pregame

• Preview: Eastern Illinois at No. 12/14 Penn State
• Penn State depth chart (as of 10/09)
• Official Game Notes
• Penn State Roster
• Joe Paterno's Press Conference
• Blue White Roundtable :: Eastern Illinois
• Big Ten Pick'em: Week 6 2009
• ZN's CFB Top 25 :: Week 6 2009

Postgame

• Game Review: Penn State 52, E. Illinois 3

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Preview: Eastern Illinois at No. 12/14 Penn State

Kickoff/TV: Sat., Oct. 10, 12:00 p.m. ET/ESPN Classic (Dave Lamont and JC Pearson)
Weather Forecast: Cool, Sunny. Ground could be wet from Friday rain.
Series Record: First ever meeting.

Host: Penn State Nittany Lions
Record: 4-1 (1-1 Big Ten)
Last Game: Won at Illinois, 35-17
Injuries: LB Navorro Bowman (groin - probable), LB Nate Stupar (ankle - possible), RT DeOn'Tae Pannell (possible - ankle), LB Sean Lee (knee - doubtful), RT Nerraw McCormack (doubtful - ankle), WR Devon Smith (concussion - doubtful), DT Brandon Ware (ankle - out), DB Jacob Fagnano (ankle - out), FB Josh Matzkin (foot - out), DE Pete Massaro (ACL - out ssn), LB Mike Mauti (ACL - out ssn)
Key Players: (offense) QB Daryll Clark, RB Evan Royster, QB Kevin Newsome; (defense) DT Jared Odrick, SS Nick Sukay, LB Josh Hull
Head Coach: Joe Paterno, 44th season at Penn State, 387-128-3; 23-11 bowl record
Season Statistics:
Offense - 169.4 rush/233.0 pass/27.0 points per game
Defense - 86.4 rush/179.2 pass/11.6 points per game
TO Margin - (-3)/(-0.6) per game

Penn State, on paper -- Any chance of an Eastern Illinois upset bid went out the window when Penn State's offensive line woke up from a four-week-long nap. At Illinois, Penn State was able to wear down the Illini defense, highlighted by a completely dominant third quarter, during which Penn State out-gained Illinois 208-8 in 15 minutes. Most of that was due to an offensive line that plowed holes bigger than anything the Nittany Lion running backs have run through all season. Not only did Penn State boast two 100-yard running backs for the day, but Daryll Clark chipped in for 83 yards, including a 51-yard jaunt on third down that seemed to break Illinois' collective back. It was easily the Lions' most complete game on offense all season long, after being unable to do so in any of the four previous games.

While the offense had struggled before last weekend, the defense had kept Penn State in or ahead of every game. Even against Iowa, the Penn State defense surrendered only 13 of the 21 points against the Lions. Last week, the defense gave up a few big plays to Juice Williams and Arrelious Benn, but only three points going into the half. The defense was key in the game-changing third quarter, stalling drive after drive, usually in a three-and-out. It was a prime example of Penn State's "bend, but don't break" defense. However, the final numbers from Illinois are a bit misleading, as the Nittany Lions went into prevent-mode towards the end, which meant a ton of garbage yards and points for the Illini. Penn State looks like it's found an offense to go along with an already great defense.

Visitor: Eastern Illinois Panthers
Record: 4-1 (2-1, Ohio Valley)
Last Game: Lost vs Eastern Kentucky, 36-31
Injuries: N/A
Key Players: (offense) RB Mon Williams, QB Jake Christensen; (defense) LB Cory Leman, CB CJ James
Head Coach: Bob Spoo, 22nd season at EIU, 136-110-1 overall.
Season Statistics:
Offense - 152.2 rush/219.4 pass/29.2 points per game
Defense - 94.0 rush/171.4 pass/15.2 points per game
TO Margin - (-1)/(-0.2) per game

Eastern Illinois, on paper -- The Panthers have more talent than a middle of the road FCS team, with transfers from Iowa, Florida and Michigan in the starting lineup. That talent has led to EIU's top 25 ranking, and a 4-1 record with the only loss by five points to no. 18 Eastern Kentucky. In last week's loss, Eastern Illinois couldn't get out of its own way. Despite several leads in the game, turnovers and poor pass protection absolutely killed the Panthers. Former Iowa quarterback Jake Christensen fumbled twice and was sacked six times, but was still able to have a good day through the air. Christensen passed for 21-of-35 for 294 yards and 3 touchdowns in the losing effort. Florida transfer Mon Williams was held under his season average coming in, rushing for only 77 yards and one score against the Colonels. This season, EIU has lost a whopping 10 fumbles, on top of three interceptions by Christensen.

But with all those turnovers, the defense has been fantastic at giving the ball back to the offense, recovering eight fumbles and picking off four passes. The Panthers defense also blocked a punt last week, but the offense wasn't able to capitalize on the great field position handed to it. Cory Leman, brother of former Illinois All-American J Leman, has emerged this season as a leader on defense, topping the charts in tackles (47) from his linebacker spot.

On the field -- Eastern Illinois may be a good FCS team, but not nearly good enough to pull the mammoth upset in Happy Valley. With such a stock of FBS talent on offense, it wouldn't be the least bit surprising to see the Panthers hang around for a quarter or two. It will all depend on the defense Tom Bradley decides to run for Penn State. If the Nittany Lions can attack the Panthers' offense, not allowing Christensen to get into a rhythm, it should be a rough afternoon for EIU.

The Nittany Lions will be missing a ton of players this week due to injuries, but with such a deep roster, particularly on defense, Penn State shouldn't miss much of a beat. With such a banged up depth chart, this is essentially the perfect week to host a team like Eastern Illinois. It will allow Penn State to rest its starting lineup, and finally give the backups some meaningful playing time. If the Lions can get out to a big lead before halftime, all eyes will be on second-string freshman quarterback Kevin Newsome. Even Joe Paterno said this week he wishes Newsome had seen more time in the first five weeks. This should be the time to do it.

The biggest indicator of the talent gap between two teams is usually found on defense. Eastern Illinois could move the ball a bit against Penn State, but the real difference in this game will be the Panthers' defensive speed against the Lions' offense. Even if it takes Penn State a few drives to get things rolling, scoring points in this game won't be a problem for the Nittany Lions.

Extra points -- This will be the third time in four seasons Penn State has played an FCS opponent... Beaver Stadium has only reached capacity once this season, Sept. 26 vs Iowa... EIU has won four Ohio Valley Conference titles since 2000... Attendance prediction: 104,800

Prediction: No. 12/14 Penn State, 38 - Eastern Illinois, 3

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Blue White Roundtable :: Eastern Illinois

Penn State hosts Eastern Illinois this weekend. So, the Lions basically have a glorified scrimmage. Anyway, roundtable time...

W. F. Yurasko (host)
Happy Hour Valley
The Nittany Line
Zombie Nation
Nittany Whiteout
Penn State Clips
2 The Lion

Blue White Roundtable - Week 5, Illinois Fighting Illini

1. Penn State played its most complete game of the season thus far against Illinois. What pleased you the most about the performance?

I couldn't put my finger on one unit or player. Although, the offensive line and defense were fantastic. But I really liked how Penn State grew stronger and more dominant as the game wore on. That's an attribute any championship team must have to reach its goals. This Illinois win reminded me a lot of the 2008 Michigan win, where Penn State wasn't doing so hot early on, but gradually wore down the Wolverines into a blowout.

2. Has your outlook on the season changed dramatically compared to this time last week? What about before the Iowa game?

I thought the Iowa loss had a bit of a fluky feel to it. Turnovers skew results more than any other statistic in football. Penn State was minus-three in turnovers against Iowa, but only lost by 11. The Iowa loss didn't change how I think this team will do this season. 10-2 was a realistic regular season prediction, and it still is, especially in this year's Big Ten.

That being said, I'm not jumping the gun after one really good-looking win at Illinois. Yes, this team did much better, on the road, after a tough loss. But a team like Penn State should do those things.

I guess I try to not overreact either way after a good win or a bad loss.

3. Eastern Illinois actually looks like a decent I-AA err FCS team, having been in that division's top 25 this season. How long can they stay in it with Penn State?

I'll give it until halftime. By "in it," I mean keep it to a two-score game. If Penn State goes into the half up by 14 or 16, then consider it a close game. EIU has a very good coach, so it's kind of an x-factor that can't be schemed for. You can't double-cover a coach. If this team had just really good players, but only a decent coach, then I'd call for a blowout early. But Spoo hasn't been a head coach this long for nothing.

Lightning round

Will the scoreboard be fixed by Saturday? Some panels blew off in the wind on Wednesday.

I get a hunch they'll get lazy and not rush this one.

Anybody having luck selling their Eastern Illinois tickets at face value?

Actually got face value for them.

What is your favorite college football blog that isn't about Penn State?

I like buffets. You get a little bit of everything. Can't say I have one favorite.

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Paterno presser quick hits

Penn State hopes to use this bye week game against Eastern Illinois to work out any left over kinks (been using that word a lot, huh?) from the first five weeks. Let's do a quick run down of everything you've probably already heard about Joe Paterno's Tuesday press conference.

• Even though it wasn't addressed until later in the presser, let's run down the injury updates for this week: Sean Lee (out - knee); Devon Smith (out - concussion); Nerraw McCormack (doubtful - ankle); Brent Carter (possible - N/A); Stephfon Green (possible - N/A); Chris Colasanti (possible - N/A); DeOn'Tae Pannell (possible - ankle). Joe wasn't very specific as to the exact injuries. He said if this were a bye week, they would all rest. But I won't be surprised if all those guys are held out just to be safe.

• Joe isn't holding his breath when it comes to the running game. He knows that one good day doesn't mean everything will be hunky-dory from now on. Eastern Illinois is a blitzing team, so this should be a good, but relatively light, test to see if the run game is for real or not. The balance was much better on offense this past week.

• Why would any Penn State beat reporter with half a brain think Joe is going to comment about Florida State and Bobby Bowden right now? Well, I guess when you have two reporters with half a brain each, that makes a full brain, no? Joe said that one of his coaches toll him, "Well, you better be ready to answer some questions about Bobby Bowden." Joe said, "What's going on?" The coach said, "Well, there's some pressure on Bobby." Joe said, "Well, what I don't know I can't talk about."

• Someday, Jack Crawford and Eric Latimore will be good defensive ends. Someday.

• Joe is not overlooking Eastern Illinois just because they're an FCS team, and he's kind of pissed off that the reporter insulted them by saying they were inferior (even though he was right). But I know what Joe means, so whatever.

Joe added that he would have rather had a bye week around this time of the season, but because the Big Ten said no to games after Thanksgiving, Penn State crammed everything into the 12-week schedule. However, as Joe noted, another Big Ten team (*cough*Illinois*cough*) then turned right around and scheduled opponents after the holiday.

• Depth at defensive tackle hasn't been an issue, even with the injuries and dismissals the past few years. Devon Still and Sean Stanley have made really nice additions to the line this year. But Joe is more concerned with the linebackers' health and the secondary's lack of big plays.

• Jeremy Boone is great. Duh.

• The staff had gone into the Illinois game wanting to get the ball to the tight ends more, mostly due to what they expected the Illini to do on defense. Turns out, they might just throw it to them more. Joe really liked how Mickey Shuler and Andrew Quarless played this week.

• Jake Christensen seems to have settled in nicely at Eastern Illinois. Joe offered his standard lines about how EIU is a good team that doesn't beat themselves.

• One of these days, Stephfon Green will be a really good running back. One of these days.

• The press got a bit snarky today, asking Joe why Penn State is playing an FCS team. When Joe hit back by asking why not ask him to talk about all those other big time schools playing FCS teams, the reporter said "go ahead." Douche. So Joe listed about a dozen top 25 teams playing FCS teams this year. But the reporter pushed the question again, even though Joe already talked about it (see a few comments up). Why are these guys so dumb? They even stayed on this topic for four or five more questions, asking who makes the scheduling decisions, should college football go back to 11 games and such. This is why I'm glad I'm not a reporter anymore. The stupid, repetitive questions you ask, just to get a quote for the next edition.

• Although Joe doesn't know EIU coach Bob Spoo all that well, he's very familiar with his body of work. He's won a bunch of games, so he must be doing something right.

• Mike Zordich and Chris Colasanti are seeing more action lately because of all the injuries to the linebackers. I'm not really sure why Colasanti is out there, wasting a redshirt season. Joe said they wanted to redshirt him, but aren't because of the said injuries.

• Joe contradicted himself a bit when discussing Daryll Clark and the offense, saying "that's not exactly something that you say, 'you're going to do this and you're going to do that.' You play it by ear, I guess." But in the same response, he said that the past few weeks he wasn't "going be happy if we have to run Clark a lot until the younger kids come along." That sounds a lot like "you're going to do this and you're going to do that."

• Kevin Newsome hasn't played as much as Joe wants, but that's mostly because Penn State hasn't put itself in position (blowouts) in games to do so.

• Sean Lee isn't playing because Joe and the doctors want him to be able to play in the NFL. I happen to agree with this decision. The kid's got a lot to lose.

• Lou Eliades has come along nicely, but still has some progress to make. Joe likes what he's seeing so far.

• Stephon Morris has what it takes to be a good defensive back. He played more corner back this week, since they would move D'Anton Lynn into the nickel when that package was used.

Read the Full Transcript at GoPSUsports.com

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Eastern Illinois game notes released

Penn State released the official Eastern Illinois game notes, so head on over and check them out. Then, of course, come back here for even more Penn State football!

Penn State rebounded nicely from the Iowa loss, but now it's time to really work out any remaining kinks in this team. The schedule only gets tougher after this week, so it's imperative to demolish Eastern Illinois before halftime.

Coming tonight/tomorrow

I'm finishing up the unit-by-unit Illinois game review, so I'll get that up ASAP. Then, tomorrow we'll have Joe Paterno's press conference.

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First Look '09: Eastern Illinois Panthers

When Penn State hosts Eastern Illinois this season, it will be the third FCS (formerly I-AA) opponent since 2006. Many upset fans have pointed to this game as a major reason Penn State's non-conference schedule has been mocked by everyone in the main stream media. But the game is here to stay, so we can only hope Penn State uses it wisely to fine-tune its attack and rest up during the thick of the Big Ten slate.

The problem with FCS opponents is that they are not covered in any substance by the ESPNs or SIs of the world. There's not a whole lot of in-depth information floating around; so you have to go by stats and records. To top it all off, FCS teams rarely have a blog dedicated to them. As we dive into Eastern Illinois, let's see what we can find out about Penn State's most enigmatic 2009 opponent.

Two decades of consistency - Head coach Bob Spoo has shown he can win at Eastern Illinois, with a 140-114-1 record since taking over in 1987. Spoo has led his team to 12 winning seasons and nine playoff appearances. His EIU teams have always displayed a remarkable capability to put out a balanced attack, even during down seasons. In 2008, a 5-7 year, the Panthers still put out a 143/160 rush/pass ratio, and holding opponents to 189/173 ratio. Two seasons ago, an 8-4 playoff-bound team, EIU had a 191/191 rush/pass ratio, holding opponents to a 143/210 ratio. Spoo's Panthers might not win in flashy blowouts, but he's proven that winning is the ultimate goal, flashy or not. Sounds like a coach we all know in State College.

Lost, but not irreplaceable - The Panthers lose some key players from 2008, but all is not lost, as several younger athletes should step up and play well. Running back Travorus Bess is gone after rushing for 1,086 yards, but backups Chevon Walker and Desmin Ward have every chance to make up for the loss of Bess. Ward scored a team-high 11 touchdowns, but rushed for only 322 yards, which indicates that he's most likely the go-to guy at the goal line, ala Michigan State's Jehuu Caulcrick a few years back. In the pass game, quarterback Bodie Reeder returns with his top target, Charles Graves. If the air attack can keep opponents from crowding the line, it should give Ward and Walker some space in the run game.

On defense, two of the top four tacklers, including the tackle leader from '08, are gone, but all is not lost. Defensive backs, Seymour Loftman and Rashad Haynes both return after combining for 130 tackles last year and seven interceptions. What could prove to be the biggest issue for the Panthers is the loss of two stars on in the front seven. Donovan Johnson and Pierre Walters combined for 30 TFL and 10.5 sacks last season, with no one else coming close to their production. If the front wall cannot fill those holes, then the back seven could be in deep trouble.

Tough road ahead - Eastern Illinois has to travel to six of its 11 games this season, including the sure-loss in Happy Valley on Oct. 10. The Panthers are coming off their first losing season since 2004, having gone 9-3, 8-5 and 8-4 prior to 2008's 5-7. With such a tough schedule in 2009, things might not get any better. After hosting Illinois State in the opener, the Panthers must play three consecutive away games, then two home games sandwiching the Penn State trip. The good news is that the Panthers could end on a nice note, with two home games to end the year. I wouldn't count on a playoff appearance this year, but Spoo is a clever guy who knows how to get the most out of his teams.

For more on Eastern Illinois:

EIU 2009 Schedule
Full Team Roster
Spring Game Review

More from First Look '09:

Illinois Fighting Illini
Iowa Hawkeyes
Temple Owls
Syracuse Orange
Akron Zips

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Rumor mill, revved up: PSU eyeing Mizzou, Utah?

◊ So the rumor mill is starting to redline already, specifically speaking of Penn State's Oct. 10 non-conference matchup against Eastern Illinois (I-AA/FCS) possibly being replaced by a BCS conference opponent. This would be great, but we haven't heard much outside of the blogs, and one unsubstantiated bit by the Allentown Morning Call. Remember a few years ago, when Penn State was supposedly trying to schedule TCU? Yeah, how'd that turn out?

Some of the message boards this week threw around the possibility that an ACC team, North Carolina particularly, could be swapped in for EIU. That would make some sense, as it would be beneficial for both teams' recruiting along the east coast. But I was very surprised, if not baffled, to hear this from Rock M Nation today (actually, it was a 'fanshot' posted Jan. 23):

"Aside from some ACC teams, the two other teams strongly speculated to be in negotiation are Utah and the Missouri Tigers."

Uh, ok... I realize this is about as credible as a message board post, but luckily the blog's author doused some of the flames:

"I'd love to see it happen... but I’ve got a feeling it won’t on multiple accounts... Missouri AD Mike Alden has already said he’s pursuing an FCS team to fill the open slot in Missouri’s schedule vacated by the removal of SMU from the schedule. (RIght now, Missouri is actually sitting on 11 opponents, not 12.)... Missouri won’t go for the 2-for-1 because of the neutral site games mentioned above, which are already hurting the Columbia area enough as it is. Missouri already declined a 2-for-1 offer from Notre Dame recently, and I think the Missouri program is starting to view itself highly enough to feel it shouldn’t have to accept a 2-for-1 deal from anyone... Something tells me Nevada doesn’t want out of the home game in Reno..."

The strongest indicator that this won't happen between Mizzou and PSU, is that both teams want another home game, and you can't do both in 2009. However, you could turn that right around, and say that Penn State already has eight home games in 2009, so it wouldn't be outrageous to take the trip to Columbia, for a return trip in 2010. That would create a dynamite opening schedule that season, with a home/season opener against Missouri, followed immediately by a trip to Tuscaloosa. If that happens, that's the kind of schedule that wins big BCS points.

For now, we can't know exactly what will happen, which basically means this entire post was pointless and a waste of time. But what else is there to do right now?

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EIU added to 2009 schedule

Well, you thought PSU would man up and avoid a FCS (I-AA) opponent for its Oct. 10 open date in the 2009 football season. Think again. The Journal Gazette/Times Courier Online, of Charleston/Mattoon, IL announced that Eastern Illinois has finalized an agreement to play a football game versus Penn State in Happy Valley, Oct. 10, 2009. This is pathetic. Penn State has dropped down as far as it could possibly go. It's not like Syracuse is good, or Notre Dame. Why not schedule a big-time game with someone like West Virginia or FREAKING PITT!!! Then wait until the schedule allows for a return date. The PSU athletic department's logic on this one is just crazy. Maybe PSU just likes beating up on teams called "the Panthers."

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