I'll be heading up to State College later this afternoon, so I'm going to go ahead and post the open thread now. The two greatest live sporting events I have ever been to in my life were PSU-Nebraska in 2002 and PSU-OSU in 2005. I'm expecting the game tomorrow night to be right up there with them.
Every team that makes the step from being good to great has one win that defines them. One win over a perceived better opponent that turns the switch on and makes the players and fans believe they can win any game against any opponent because that's what great teams do. The 2002 Nebraska game was like that. Last year the Ohio State game was like that for both Penn State and Texas. For the 2006 Penn State team, this game makes or breaks the season and the future.
Win this game, and Penn State continues dreaming of winning out, sharing the Big Ten title, and going to the Rose Bowl. And they can enter next season ranked in the Top 10 riding the expectations of a great finish.
Lose this game, and Penn State is destined to finish in the middle of the Big Ten, go to a second tier bowl game, and keep plugging along as a mediocre team until next year.
That is what's at stake. Last year we were Goliath to their David. This year the roles are reversed.
