as long as the team doesn’t embarrass the big ten. The last two years, I was rooting for the Buckeyes to succeed and bring down what I feel is an overrated SEC team. This wasn’t the case as I had to close my eyes in so much pain as Florida and LSU dismantled the Buckeyes. Ohio State getting blown out by USC didn’t help my perception of the team. I am praying to bob that PSU beats OSU as I do not believe OSU can win the big game at the national state especially with a true freshman quarterback. It would be another hit to the big ten conference and I can’t watch another painful loss on the national stage. Even if OSU beats PSU, I don’t think there’s a realistic chance that the big ten will have a team in the national championship game. That blowout loss to USC was too much of a hit on the perception of everyone in the country. It will be to difficult to overcome and get them in the top two.

This is precisely what’s wrong with this town (I live in Columbus) and it is precisely why I am not fond of Ohio State. They don’t care if there team doesn’t deserve a National Championship berth and they don’t care if their teams makes a laughing stock of the rest of the conference. As long as they can say they were there. And then, when they blow it, they call for Tressel’s head on a silver platter. I think the Big Ten has a lot more to offer than mediocrity, as they’ve been known for the past few seasons, and I think Penn State has a real chance of showing the nation what that is. It’s not just me being a biased fan, it’s me being a football fan and seeing the true talent the fills ever crevice of Penn State’s team this season. I’m tired of watching the Buckeyes choke on a big stage, and this season they’ve looked weak on the smaller stages too. With their less-than-stellar showing, I don’t think the pollster will agree and I doubt too many people will be voting them into the Big Game, even if they win this weekend (which they won’t ;)

Ya know I still love ya, though, Jon!! And my Penn State-Michigan pictures are posted on my Facebook. Feel free to browse them and if you want to post any, you have my ok!! Wish I was going to be in attendance this weekend for this collassal showdown- are you going?

Though it’s not immediately evident, the post is designed to (somewhat regretfully) chronicle the essentialism that both stirs and shakes college football. (And perhaps — however subtly — the limitations of the BCS).

So, let me clear up a few things:

1. As a fan of college football in general, I’m not in favor of seeing a national championship pair anyone but the true and tested finest competitors the country has to offer. This year (barring some unimaginable developments) that likely means representatives from the SEC, Big 12, (and/or) Penn State.

Now, this foundation is in tension with another part of my enthusiasm for the sport: my love for a specific team: the ever-popular Buckeyes.

One of the more difficult aspects of being a zealot (which, I think is what makes an otherwise irrational allegiance just plain fun), is knowing how to deal with disappointment, and being something other than the best.

I had a chance to watch Saturday’s contest against MSU for a second time, and despite notable strides in line play, still see an incomplete offense, and a defense that’s shaky (in a bend but not break sort of way) against the pass.

2. Which leads me to my next point: I do not see the same kinds of fundamental limitations when I watch Penn State play: leading me to feel strongly that the Nittany Lions are the better team at this point, and should win Saturday, and the rest of their schedule. Still, that doesn’t make me want to pull for the Buckeyes any less, nor, does it mean I’m not pleased when I see Saturday’s weather forecast calls for pouring rain. Perfect for slowing down the HD.

3. But, as you’ve suggested — that’s the problem with Columbus . We want to win even when we don’t deserve to.

While I won’t defend the sophomoric obnoxious, anti-social attitudes of fair weather fans (of which we have plenty), I believe that a desire to win in the now is a value ubiquitious to sport held by every fan, every game.

You can’t blame Florida in 2006 for stepping on Michigan in the campaign to get to Glendale. Still, you might have found yourself at the time criticizing Urban Meyer and the Gators, asserting that they didn’t deserve to be there.

For the same reason you can’t blame fans in Columbus for refusing to let go.

3. I’m a little surprised to hear the “rest” of the Big 10 growling about Ohio State embarassing them on the national stage. You’re right, the scarlet did embarass you: when we played in conference and won in both 2006 and 2007. (Illinois gets a small break from this one). If Penn State is really so “upset” about a soft Ohio State usurping the legitimacy of the Big 10 they should have done something about it when they had the chance: on the field.

Then again. That’s what Saturday is all about.