#15/12 Ohio State (7-2, 4-1) vs. #11/10 Penn State (8-1, 4-1)
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 - 3:30 p.m. ET
Beaver Stadium (107,282), State College, Pa.

The Broadcasts
Television: Saturday’s game will be televised live on ABC with Sean McDonough (P-by-P) and Matt Millen (analyst) in the booth and Holly Rowe on the sidelines.

Radio: WBNS (FM 97.1 The Fan) is the flagship station for the 73-station Ohio State radio network. The Jim Tressel pregame show airs 30 minutes prior to kickoff. Paul Keels will call the play-by-play with former Buckeye Jim Lachey in the booth and Marty Bannister on the sidelines. The game can also be heard on Sirius satellite radio Channel 127.

FIRST AND 10
• This will be the 25th meeting between the schools in football; the series is tied 12-12

• Three of the last four meetings in State College have been decided by a total of 10 points

• Ohio State leads the Big Ten in scoring in conference games with 30.0 ppg. Penn State is second with 26.8

• Coach Jim Tressel is 90-21 in 9 seasons at Ohio State; 225-78-2 in his 24th season overall

• The Illinois win was the 500th for the Tressel family as head coaches, second only to the Bowdens

• Under Tressel, the Buckeyes are 26-8 in Big Ten road contests

• Ohio State ranks among the NCAA Top 10 in four defensive categories

• Eight Buckeyes are on the ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-America district ballot

• Ohio State is 53-0 when scoring 30 points or more since 2001

• Ohio State has won four Big Ten titles in a row, won at least 10 games in each of the last four years, played in the national championship game twice and two other BCS bowls

PENN STATE AT A GLANCE
The Nittany Lions are 8-1 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten and are currently ranked No. 11 in the latest BCS standings. Their only loss came at the hands of Big Ten leader Iowa who won 21-10 Sept. 26 in Happy Valley. Penn State is coming off a 34-13 win over Northwestern in Evanston Saturday.

Like Ohio State, Penn State features one of the better defenses in the country. They lead the NCAA in scoring defense, giving up just 9.3 ppg, while ranking fourth in sacks (3.56), fifth in rushing defense (84.11) and total defense (254.78) and sixth in pass efficiency defense (95.65).

Senior quarterback Daryll Clark leads the Big Ten with a 149.3 passer efficiency rating. Junior running back Evan Royster is second in the Big Ten in rushing at 95.4 ypg to go along with five touchdowns. Derek Moye is the team’s leading receiver with 39 catches for 648 yards and five scores.

Head coach Joe Paterno is college football’s all-time winningest coach with 391 wins. He is in his 44th year as head coach.

SERIES RECORD
The Buckeyes’ series with Penn State is tied 12-12. Penn State holds a 5-4 lead in all games played in Happy Valley. Ohio State has an 8-6 advantage in all games played in Columbus and a 10-6 advantage in games since Penn State began Big Ten football participation in 1993.

IN THE BIG TEN
Since joining the Big Ten Conference in 1913, Ohio State is 454-190-28 all-time in Big Ten games, and 258-112-18 in conference home games. The Buckeyes’ all-time conference win percentage of 69.6% is the best of any Big Ten school.

IN NON-CONFERENCE GAMES
Under Jim Tressel, the Buckeyes are 25-2 at Ohio Stadium versus non-conference teams, the only loss coming to USC earlier this season and 25-22 to No. 2 Texas in 2005. The Buckeyes are 30-4 overall in regular season non-conference games since 2001.

FORCING TURNOVERS
The Buckeyes have forced 24 opponent turnovers through the first nine games, an average of 2.7 per contest. Ohio State has forced 15 interceptions and recovered nine opponent fumbles; the Buckeyes also scored a defensive two-point PAT on a Brian Rolle pass interception and runback versus Navy.

Ross Homan had an interception against New Mexico State, while Brian Rolle recovered an Aggie fumble in the endzone for a touchdown. Thaddeus Gibson also recovered a New Mexico State fumble.

The Buckeyes picked off two Minnesota passes, with interceptions by Austin Spitler and Kurt Coleman (for a 40-yard return). The Buckeyes also recovered two Gopher fumbles.

Coleman (89 yards) and Jermale Hines (32 yards) each returned interceptions for touchdowns against Wisconsin. That was the first time since Sept. 23, 2006 vs. Penn State, when Malcolm Jenkins (61) and Antonio Smith (55) each returned picks for TDs, that Ohio State had two interception returns for a score in a single game. Coleman’s return was the fifth longest in Ohio State history.

Three defenders – Rolle, Lawrence Wilson and Hines – had interceptions against Illinois. The last time the Buckeyes had three interceptions in a game was Sept. 6, 2008, against Ohio.

Chimdi Chekwa: INT (Pur)
Kurt Coleman: INT (Navy, Wisc/TD, Minn); FF (Navy, Tol, Illi); FR (Pur)
Todd Denlinger: INT (Ind)
Zach Domicone: FR (Minn)
Thaddeus Gibson: FF (Navy, Illi); FR (Minn, NMS)
Cameron Heyward: FR (Navy)
Jermale Hines: INT (Illi, Wisc/TD)
Ross Homan: INT (USC, NMS); FF (Wisc); FR (Tol)
Brian Rolle: PAT INT (Navy); INT (Illi); FR (NMS/TD)
Anderson Russell: INT (Ind), FR (Ind, Minn)
John Simon: FF (Minn)
Austin Spitler: INT (Minn)
Andrew Sweat: INT (Tol); FF (Ind)
Devon Torrence: INT (Pur); FF (Ind)
Nathan Williams: FF (NMS)
Lawrence Wilson: INT (Illi)
Doug Worthington: FR (Navy)

THREE AND OUT
The Ohio State defense is averaging 5.7 three-and-outs per contest this season; Ohio State forced New Mexico State to go three-and-out 12 times in that 45-0 shutout. The Buckeyes forced both Toledo and Indiana to go three-and-out seven times. OSU recorded five three-and-outs against both Southern Cal and Illinois, and four against Navy, Purdue, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Ohio State has 52 total three-and-outs for the 2009 campaign.

COLEMAN LOTT TROPHY QUARTERFINALIST
The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation has announced the 20 quarter-finalists for the annual Lott Trophy, among them Ohio State safety Kurt Coleman.

A three-year starter, the senior shows 53 tackles in eight games this season. He has forced three fumbles in 2009, recovering one, and has three interceptions, including an 89-yard return for a touchdown against Wisconsin (the fifth-longest such play in OSU history). His totals against Minnesota put him above the 200-tackle mark for his career; he now shows 204 career stops.

Named after Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, the Lott Trophy is awarded to college football’s Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. Now in its sixth year, the Lott Trophy is the first college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player. Sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT* Foundation in Newport Beach, the award is given to the player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.

There are eight defensive backs on the quarter-finalist list; six linebackers and six defensive linemen. The Big 12 has six players on the list, the SEC five, the Pac-10 four, the Big Ten three and one each from the Mountain West and WAC.

The semi-finalists will be announced Nov. 3 and the four finalists Nov. 24. Those four finalists will be flown to Newport Beach, Ca. for the annual black-tie banquet that will be televised by FOX Sports West.

In five years, the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation has donated more than $650,000 to various charities, including $25,000 to each of the winners’ universities. Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the IMPACT Foundation, the IMPACT Foundation Board of Advisors comprised of retired NFL players and the Legends Coaches, a distinguished group of former college head coaches.

100/200
Only three times in Ohio State history has a Buckeye quarterback rushed for 100 yards and passed for 200 yards or more in the same game, a feat achieved twice by sophomore Terrelle Pryor already this season. The three times it has happened at OSU:

Rush/Pass
145/241 - Troy Smith vs. Michigan (2004)
110/262 - Terrelle Pryor vs. Toledo (2009)
104/239 - Terrelle Pryor vs. Minnesota (2009)

TOTAL OFFENSE
Midway through his sophomore season, Terrelle Pryor has eclipsed 4,000 total offense yards for his career. He is now in 13th place on Ohio State’s all-time list with 4,032 yards; next on the list are Rex Kern (4,158), Cornelius Greene (4,414) and Craig Krenzel (5,097).

Pryor totaled 343 yards of total offense in the win over Minnesota, rushing for 104 yards (his third career 100-yard rushing game) with a 15-yard TD run and passing for 239 yards with scoring strikes of 62 and 57 yards to DeVier Posey against the Gophers. That was the ninth-best single game in OSU history.

Pryor’s 372 yards of total offense against Toledo marked a career high for the sophomore signalcaller, and the best total offense game of his career. His previous high was 232 against Penn State last season. The Toledo win was the first time an Ohio State player had 300+ yards of total offense since Troy Smith had 328 against Michigan in 2006. Pryor’s performance was the fifth best total offense game in OSU history.

412 - Art Schlichter (Florida State, 1981)
408 - Troy Smith (Notre Dame, 2005)
388 - Joe Germaine (Penn State, 1997)
386 - Troy Smith (Michigan, 2004)
372 - Terrelle Pryor (Toledo, 2009)

Against the Rockets, Pryor recorded career highs with 17 completions, 27 attempts and 262 yards. He also rushed 12 times for 110 yards, including a career-long 43-yarder in the third quarter.

Pryor’s 200-Yard Total Offense Games

POSEY AND SANZENBACHER
Ohio State’s top targets in 2009 have been sophomore DeVier Posey and junior Dane Sanzenbacher, with 1,055 yards and 12 touchdowns between them through nine games. And the two even connected on a 39-yard touchdown pass from DeVier to Dane off a reverse against New Mexico State.

Posey, who shows 43 receptions for 595 yards this year, has scored six times this season; his long gain was a 62-yard TD against Minnesota. Posey’s scoring plays have averaged 33.8 yards per TD catch.

Sanzenbacher, with 23 receptions for 460 yards, is averaging 20.0 yards per reception this season. His long gain was a 76-yard touchdown from Terrelle Pryor in the win over Toledo.

PRYOR ON THE RUN
Sophomore Terrelle Pryor has surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for his career, just the fifth Buckeye quarterback ever to rush for more than 1,000 career yards. He has totaled 1,185 yards on the ground in 22 games, and is averaging 4.75 yards per career carry. Pryor has scored 12 rushing touchdowns at Ohio State.

An Ohio State quarterback has rushed for 100 or more yards in a game 26 times in school history. Pryor’s 104-yard effort against Minnesota was the third 100-yard rushing performance of his career. Only Cornelius Greene, Rex Kern and John Mummey had four career 100-yard rushing games among all-time Ohio State quarterbacks.

Top 10 Rushing Yards by an Ohio State Quarterback in a Game

SCORE BY QUARTERS
This season in the first quarter, the Buckeyes have outscored the opposition 58-17. In the second quarter, the Buckeyes are ahead 89-26, and Ohio State holds a 76-24 advantage in third-quarter scoring. Ohio State has outscored its 2009 opponents 56-38 in fourth-quarter play.

Ohio State has held the opposition scoreless in 21 quarters this year (58%).

The Buckeyes are outscoring opponents by 19.3 points per game (31.0-11.7) this season.

OHIO STATE CAPTAINS
Seniors Kurt Coleman, Austin Spitler and Doug Worthington were elected as 2009 captains of the Ohio State football team. An offensive game captain will be selected each week.

Jim Cordle served as captain against Navy and Purdue; Jake Ballard was the fourth captain for the USC and Wisconsin contests. Bryant Browning was offensive captain for Toledo, and Dane Sanzenbacher was captain for Illinois. Brandon Saine and Dexter Larimore served as game captains at Indiana. Aaron Pettrey was a captain for the Minnesota contest. Andrew Moses served as captain versus New Mexico State.

The last time Ohio State had only defensive players as permanent captains was in 2002, when Mike Doss and Donnie Nickey were captains of the national championship squad.

TRESSEL VS. FIRST-YEAR COACHES
Since coming to Ohio State in 2001, Jim Tressel has faced coaches in their first year at the opposing school 15 times. In those games, the Buckeyes hold a 14-1 record. This season, Toledo’s Tim Beckman, Purdue’s Danny Hope and New Mexico State’s DeWayne Walker are in their first campaign as head coach at those schools.

AGAINST RANKED TEAMS
Ohio State is 128-104-12 all-time when facing a ranked opponent, and 39-41-7 on the road against ranked teams. Under Coach Jim Tressel, the Buckeyes are 34-13 overall and 12-6 on the road against ranked teams.

DOWN THE STRETCH
During the Jim Tressel era, the Buckeyes are 78-6 (.929) when winning or tied at the half. Ohio State is 83-6 (.933) when winning or tied going into the fourth quarter of a game under Tressel.

BUCKS WIN 77 PERCENT OF OHIO STADIUM GAMES
The Buckeyes boast an all-time record of 390-107-20 (.774) in Ohio Stadium since that facility opened in 1922.

The crowd of 106,033 against Southern California was the largest ever to watch a game at Ohio Stadium, besting last year’s crowd of 105,711 against Penn State. The attendance of 105,092 against Navy was an opening day record for Ohio Stadium.

Ohio State has hosted 54 consecutive crowds of 100,000 or larger at Ohio Stadium; three of last year’s crowds ranked among the top 10 all-time. Ohio State’s all-time record in Columbus is 533-154-35 in 721 games.

FOR STARTERS
When the Ohio State-Penn State game kicks off, the Buckeyes will have a total of 37 players with at least one game of starting experience.

Those are: Anderson Russell (34); Kurt Coleman (32); Doug Worthington (31); Jim Cordle, Cameron Heyward (29); Bryant Browning, Chimdi Chekwa (22); Jake Ballard, Mike Brewster, Thaddeus Gibson, Terrelle Pryor (19); Ross Homan (15);, Jermale Hines (14); Todd Denlinger, Dane Sanzenbacher (11); Lawrence Wilson, Dane Sanzenbacher (10); Brian Rolle, DeVier Posey (8); Dexter Larimore, Justin Boren (8); Dan Herron, Austin Spitler, Zach Boren, J.B. Shugarts, Devon Torrence (7); Ray Small, Brandon Saine (6); Rob Rose (5); Mike Adams (4); Andrew Miller (3); Andre Amos, Tyler Moeller, Jake Stoneburner (2); Aaron Gant, Duron Carter, Nathan Williams (1).

Getting their first Ohio State start against Navy were six players: Andre Amos, Justin Boren, Zach Boren, Andrew Miller, DeVier Posey and Brian Rolle. Jake Stoneburner made his first start against USC. Devon Torrence, Duron Carter and J.B. Shugarts were first time starters vs. Toledo. Mike Adams was a first-time starter against Illinois, and Nathan Williams made his first start vs. New Mexico State.

The Boren brothers – Justin (OG) and Zach (FB) - products of Pickerington, Ohio, are the first siblings to start in the same game for the Buckeyes since John (LB) and Mike (NG) Sullivan from Mentor, Ohio, started nine games together during the 1988 season.

IN NOVEMBER
The Buckeyes boast an all-time record of 284-132-19 in November games. Ohio State is 179-78-11 in November home games and 105-54-8 on the road that month.

Eleven members of the Buckeye roster have birthdays during November: Bo DeLande, Scott Sika, Jermale Hines, Etienne Sabino, Andrew Miller, Brian Rolle, Grant Schwartz, Don Matheney, Rocco Pentello, Travis Howard and Aaron Gant.

AVERAGE PER DOWN
Here’s a breakdown of how the 2009 Ohio State offense is operating on first, second, third and fourth down.

On first down, the Buckeyes have run a total of 253 plays, gaining 1,626 yards for an average of 6.4 yards per play. On second down, OSU has tried 189 plays for 1,010 yards, a 5.3 average. On third down, the Buckeyes have run 119 plays, gaining 847 yards for a 7.1 average. Ohio State has tried only seven fourth-down attempts, gaining 14 yards.

Ohio State’s touchdowns this season have come 10 times on first down (six rushing and four passing TD), 12 times on second down (four passing and eight rushing), six times on third down (five passes and one rush) and once on a fourth-down pass.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Ten true freshmen have seen action for the Buckeyes in 2009. Seven Ohio State true freshmen made their first collegiate appearance in the opener against Navy: DB C.J. Barnett, FB Zach Boren, WR Duron Carter, TE Reid Fragel, FB Adam Homan, LB Storm Klein and DT John Simon. Tailback Jordan Hall, another true freshman, saw his first action against Toledo, and LB Jonathan Newsome played for the first time against Illinois. OL Marcus Hall played for the first time at Indiana.

BOUNCING BACK
During the Jim Tressel era at Ohio State, in the games following the Buckeyes’ 21 losses, OSU has a 19-2 record. Thirteen of those games were at Ohio Stadium, where the Buckeyes under Tressel are 12-1 in the game following a loss. Only once during the Tressel era has Ohio State recorded back-to-back losses, a three-game stretch with losses at Northwestern, to Wisconsin and at Iowa in October, 2004.

ON SCHOLARSHIP
Three Ohio State seniors received scholarship aid for the 2009 autumn quarter that began Sept. 23: Marcus Williams, who is in physical therapy school; Andrew Moses, who is working toward a second bachelor’s degree after earning his first in political science; and Jon Thoma, who is completing his degree in communication. Three additional seniors – Ryan Schuck, Joe Gantz and Tom Ingham – will receive scholarship aid for the winter quarter.

THE GRADUATES
Six members of the 2009 Buckeye squad have already earned their bachelor’s degrees: Andrew Moses (political science), Aaron Pettrey (social and behavioral sciences), Anderson Russell (communication), Austin Spitler (communication), Marcus Williams (health sciences), Lawrence Wilson (communication). Nine more members of the team are expected to graduate following the autumn quarter.

HONOR ROLL
In 2008, 27 Buckeyes were named to the Big Ten’s all-academic team; the Buckeyes have led the conference over the past seven years. Additionally, 46 Ohio State football players qualified for the annual OSU Scholar-Athlete Dinner in May, which requires a grade-point average of 3.00 or better for the past academic year.

CHRIS SPIELMAN TO ENTER COLLEGE FB HALL
Two-time Ohio State All-American linebacker Chris Spielman, the 28th Buckeye inducted into the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame, was recognized at halftime of the Navy game. The four-year letterwinner (1984-87) and the winner of the 1987 Lombardi Award will be inducted at a ceremony in South Bend, Ind. in the summer of 2010.

Spielman, hailing from Massillon Washington High School, ranks third all-time in tackles (546) at Ohio State and first in solo stops (283). Perhaps the most notable performance by Spielman was his 29-tackle day against Michigan in 1986.

Tenacious and hard-hitting on the field, the linebacker is just as strong away from the field, as is his wife, Stefanie. In 1998, the couple learned that Stefanie had breast cancer. Despite the physical and emotional strain of dealing with such a disease, and the unthinkable worries, the couple has been tireless advocates for cancer research and they have helped to raise millions to fight the disease.

After his playing days in Columbus, Spielman was drafted in the second round by Detroit in 1988 and went on to play for the Lions and Buffalo Bills before finishing up his career with the Cleveland Browns. The 12-year NFL veteran and four-time Pro Bowler then made the move to the broadcast booth where he is a college football analyst for ESPN and co-hosts The Big Show on WBNS radio in Columbus. He and Stefanie are the parents of four children.

OHIO STATE REPRESENTED AT JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Buckeye freshmen Storm Klein (LB, Newark, Ohio) and Jack Mewhort (OL, Toledo, Ohio) spent three weeks this summer as part of USA Football’s Junior National Team in the inaugural IFAF Junior World Championships held in Canton, Ohio. Team USA won the gold medal with wins over France (78-0), Mexico (55-0) and Canada (41-3) in the championship game. Klein (who was also a team captain) and Mewhort were both named to the all-tournament team.

NATIONAL CHILD ID PROGRAM
The American Football Coaches Association and FBI’s National Child ID Program along with the FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association have joined efforts with Gov. Ted Strickland, Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel, and the Walmart Foundation to provide more than 270,000 Child ID Kits to students in the state of Ohio.

A $250,000 grant from the Walmart foundation will provide an AFCA/FBI National Child ID kit to all kindergarten and first grade students throughout the state through their schools this fall. The Child ID Kit is the only FBI approved DNA/fingerprinting kit of its kind and provides parents with a non-intrusive means of collecting their child’s identifiable information (including fingerprints, DNA, physical characteristics and picture) that can be recorded and stored at home. In the event of an emergency, the Child ID Kit can be provided by the parent to give law enforcement vital information and to assist their efforts to locate a missing child.

To raise awareness for this initiative, Governor Strickland will declare the month of November “Child Identification Month” in Ohio at Tuesday’s football press conference.

NOT SINCE 1922-24
Ohio State ranks second among all NCAA Div. I programs with 84 consecutive seasons since last posting back-to-back losing records. The Buckeyes have not been under .500 for two or more consecutive seasons since 1922-24, which trails only Tennessee; the Vols have not had back-to-back losing seasons since 1909-11, a span of 97 consecutive seasons.

BIG TEN ROAD TRIPS
The loss at Purdue snapped an Ohio State 16-game win streak in Big Ten road games. That’s the longest such string ever by an Ohio State football team. The conference record is 17 games, set by Michigan between 1988-92.

17 - Michigan (Oct. 29, 1988-Nov. 7, 1992)
16 - Ohio State (Oct. 22, 2005-Oct. 3, 2009)
11 - Ohio State (Nov. 16, 1974-Nov. 5, 1977)
10 - Michigan (Oct. 6, 1945-Nov. 6, 1948)

Ohio State is 196-77-10 (.709) all-time in Big Ten road games. By decades on the road in the Big Ten: 7-4 (1913-19); 12-6-1 (1920-29); 17-6-1 (1930-39); 8-9-2 (1940-49); 17-8-1 (1950-59); 24-6 (1960-69); 30-5-1 (1970-79); 26-14-1 (1980-89); 26-11-3 (1990-99); 29-9 (2000-09). Under Coach Jim Tressel, the Buckeyes are 26-8 (.787) in Big Ten road games overall.

IN NIGHT GAMES
Ohio State is now 6-3 at home (27-13 away from home) in night games (games starting 5 p.m. or later local time) since 1959 and 33-16 in night games all-time. Under Coach Jim Tressel, the Buckeyes are 15-10 in night games and 8-3 in Big Ten night games away from Ohio Stadium. Tressel’s teams are 2-3 at home in night games.

WHERE THEY GO NEXT
Ohio State hosts Iowa Saturday, Nov. 14, for a Big Ten contest that will be the seniors’ final appearance at Ohio Stadium; that will be a 3:30 p.m. game televised by ABC. Penn State hosts Indiana that day in a Big Ten matchup.