Tressel: "We're preparing for Iowa"

The popular topic of conversation in Columbus after last Saturday's 24-7 win over Penn State is the improved play of an offensive unit that rushed for 228 yards, converted six of 16 third downs and possessed the football for more than 34 minutes.

The play of Terrelle Pryor is the specific topic of conversation for many fans and media moguls on the heels of Saturday's performance. 8/17, 125 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions; in addition to his five carries for 50 yards and another touchdown.

Nevermind the fact that 67 of Pryor's 127 passing yards came on one strike to DeVier Posey running unabated down the left sideline.

As far as I'm concerned the fact those numbers leave everyone feeling so froggy is little more than a testament to just how bad he's been at times this season.

I'm not trying to say Pryor didn't play well against the Nittany Lions; in fact, Saturday was probably Terrelle Pryor's best performance as a Buckeye. But, to suggest the improved play from the quarterback position should be the lead story coming out of Happy Valley borders on crazy.

Ohio State's defense is really, really good.

The Silver Bullets held a PSU attack that averages 406 yards and 28 points-per-game to just seven points and 201 total yards. Defensive end Cameron Heyward played like a dude pissed off against Penn State, setting career bests in tackles (11) and sacks (2).

The Press Box was inside Coach Tressel's press conference Tuesday afternoon when he was asked about Heyward's play, "Cam's a guy that's in the building all the time," Tressel said. "He's always putting in extra time in the film and or weight room. He just loves to prepare."

Of course, it wasn't just Heyward that turned in an impressive performance last week, Tressel was quick to credit the entire defensive unit for throttling Penn State, "We had to be relentless," Tressel said.

"No matter what they did or what the situation we had to keep coming after them."

That they did.

Penn State running back Evan Royster entered Saturday's game with 859 yards rushing for the season and Ohio State's defense held him to just 36 yards on 13 carries. Derek Moye leads the Nittany Lions in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns and the Buckeyes didn't allow him to catch a single pass in the entire game.

Pit a suffocating defense against a turnover-prone, injury-riddled offense that will start a freshman quarterback on the road and Vegas will make you a 15.5 point favorite.

When the Iowa Hawkeyes invade the Horseshoe this Saturday they will be 15.5 point underdogs after a debilitating loss at home last week to Northwestern left them with only a dream of what could've been and no starting quarterback.

Iowa's junior quarterback Ricky Stanzi had surgery to Monday repair the severely sprained ankle he suffered last week.

"The word we have is that Stanzi is out," Tressel said.

Redshirt freshman James Vandenberg will get the start under center for Stanzi Saturday. Filling in for Stanzi last week, Vandenberg completed 9 of 27 passes for 82 yards; his first throw of the day was intercepted.

Coach Tressel insists that won't affect his team's preparation one bit.

"We're preparing for Iowa," Tressel said. "They won't change dramatically in what they're doing on offense and it's going to be a heck of a challenge for us."

"They've had time to work and prepare and get better since last Saturday," Tressel said of the inauspicious numbers posted by Vandenberg in the absence of Stanzi. "If you watch them on film, everyone is always doing what they're supposed to be doing."

"The picture is clear for us, we're playing a good team, with a lot at stake."

The Buckeyes and Hawkeyes will duel Saturday for a Big 10 championship and a berth in Pasadena on Jan. 1 for a Rose Bowl date with the Pac 10 champion that will almost certainly prove an easier opponent than whichever SEC also-ran is playing in the Capital One Bowl.

Perhaps equally important is the 19 seniors that will be playing their last game inside Ohio Stadium this week.

For all fifth-year seniors Saturday will mark the 35th time they've played inside the 'Shoe and for all fourth-year seniors it will be their 28th game at home.

Tressel's right, there is a ton on the line Saturday.

Sure, the Buckeyes are used playing in big games. This is a team that has won four straight Big 10 championships and played in two BCS National Championship games in the last four years.

The difference is, we're favored to win this big game.

The Buckeyes have spent the better part of the last four years getting crapped on nationally. Certainly, much (fine, all) of that criticism was justified but the fact of the matter is the Buckeyes have not been given much of a chance to win a big game since since they beat Michigan in 2006.

Less than a week removed from winning a game against a top-15 for the first time since I can remember the Bucks are starting to get some love from those national media folks.

On Monday's show Colin even went so far as to call Ohio State a "really good football team."

Boy, is it getting in here?

It'll be interesting to see how the Buckeyes handle the success they've finally enjoyed. Eight days ago I wrote about the implications of last week's game moving forward. The fundamental argument of that piece was Ohio State could do wonders for its national image heading into next season if it could win its next four games (@ PSU, Iowa, @ MICH, Rose Bowl).
They successfully completed the first leg of that gauntlet with last Saturday's impressive performance.

The second leg will be Saturday against the Hawkeyes.