Post by el_duderino on Nov 20, 2008 23:26:57 GMT -5
So it's hate week. A lot of rivalry games this week, including the Holy War (Utah-BYU, which has some huge BCS implications this year) and the Ohio State-Michigan battle (really hoping tOSU loses). Oh, and apparently Iowa and Minnesota hate each other. Like really hate each other. The things you learn in the blogosphere...
As for us, we have Sparty. And we don't hate Sparty, per se - they're just another team in our path to the Big Ten title. In fact, if it wasn't for the forced rivalry, we'd hate them as much as we hate Northwestern - you remember them, right? But alas, they're our season ending rivals. And they gave us a trophy to boot.
As in, the shittiest trophy ever...
It's the Land Grant Trophy. And it sucks. And I think this picture of JoePa sums up my feelings about that eyesore...
Those sneaky Spartan bastards have also found a way to make sure we have to find new places to hide that trophy 11 times out of the 15 matchups. That's right - we're 11-4 against MSU since joining the Big Televen.
While this has absolutely nothing to do with Saturday's game, it hopefully starts to set the mood. The mood for a game which will be cold as nuts to be attending. (What better way to give my sis and bro-in-law their first Penn State football experience!) And there's a bit at stake here. A win over Sparty clinches a share of the Big Ten title with Ohio State (unless tOSU loses to scUM, in which case we win it outright). And our win over tOSU means we'd be considered the Big Ten champs for BCS purposes and would be heading to the Rose Bowl.
And yes, I'm thinking about tickets already.
So what's it going to take to take down this last hurdle? Well, Sparty is like a number of teams we've faced to this point. Very good run game, and a suspect passing game. I think we all know about Javon Ringer at this point, and the point of the game will be to stop him at all costs. Force Brian Hoyer to throw, or more importantly, force their WRs to try to catch a pass. In similar games, our defense has stepped up to that challenge (Wiscy, tOSU, Iowa). Only once did the opposing QB actually take advantage of our soft defense.
On the opposite side of the ball, MSU has a pretty good pass defense, but is soft against the run. So if we actually decide to run the ball with any regularity this game, we should be able to control the game from start to finish. Of course, calling three passes to open the game will be stupid and will dictate which asshole coordinator is doing the play calling for the game.
Somewhere between the home crowd and the fact that it's senior day will put the team at top form. They'll be energized from the start and will be looking to make a final statement to the home faithful. It starts out quiet, but we make a final statement and put it away big.
State wins, 47-17.
As for us, we have Sparty. And we don't hate Sparty, per se - they're just another team in our path to the Big Ten title. In fact, if it wasn't for the forced rivalry, we'd hate them as much as we hate Northwestern - you remember them, right? But alas, they're our season ending rivals. And they gave us a trophy to boot.
As in, the shittiest trophy ever...
It's the Land Grant Trophy. And it sucks. And I think this picture of JoePa sums up my feelings about that eyesore...
Those sneaky Spartan bastards have also found a way to make sure we have to find new places to hide that trophy 11 times out of the 15 matchups. That's right - we're 11-4 against MSU since joining the Big Televen.
While this has absolutely nothing to do with Saturday's game, it hopefully starts to set the mood. The mood for a game which will be cold as nuts to be attending. (What better way to give my sis and bro-in-law their first Penn State football experience!) And there's a bit at stake here. A win over Sparty clinches a share of the Big Ten title with Ohio State (unless tOSU loses to scUM, in which case we win it outright). And our win over tOSU means we'd be considered the Big Ten champs for BCS purposes and would be heading to the Rose Bowl.
And yes, I'm thinking about tickets already.
So what's it going to take to take down this last hurdle? Well, Sparty is like a number of teams we've faced to this point. Very good run game, and a suspect passing game. I think we all know about Javon Ringer at this point, and the point of the game will be to stop him at all costs. Force Brian Hoyer to throw, or more importantly, force their WRs to try to catch a pass. In similar games, our defense has stepped up to that challenge (Wiscy, tOSU, Iowa). Only once did the opposing QB actually take advantage of our soft defense.
On the opposite side of the ball, MSU has a pretty good pass defense, but is soft against the run. So if we actually decide to run the ball with any regularity this game, we should be able to control the game from start to finish. Of course, calling three passes to open the game will be stupid and will dictate which asshole coordinator is doing the play calling for the game.
Somewhere between the home crowd and the fact that it's senior day will put the team at top form. They'll be energized from the start and will be looking to make a final statement to the home faithful. It starts out quiet, but we make a final statement and put it away big.
State wins, 47-17.