EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -The Big Ten lacks a championship game.
The Penn State-Ohio State game, however, probably will end up deciding who wins the title.
“It’s either ours or Penn State’s world and we’ll find out next week,” Buckeyes guard Jim Cordle said. “We like our chances with the momentum we’ve got going into it.”
Ohio State dismantled Michigan State on the road Saturday, starting with four unanswered touchdowns and going on to win 45-7.
“I don’t know what the nation is going to think, but we made a statement for ourselves,” receiver Brian Robiskie said. “As big of a game as this was and to do what we did, it definitely helps your confidence.”
The victory kept the Buckeyes (7-1, 4-0 Big Ten) atop the conference standings along with the undefeated Nittany Lions, who are coming off a 46-17 win at home against Michigan.
, trailing No. 3 Penn State. Michigan State fell out of the Top 25 after being No. 20 last week, but was among the teams getting votes.
The stakes alone will be big Saturday night at Ohio Stadium without a story line that will likely be rehashed all week and during the nationally televised game.
Freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor chose to be a Buckeye after Penn State made a late push to keep him closer to his home in Jeannette, Pa.
Does Pryor expect to hear much about his decision from people back home this week?
“I really don’t care,” he said. “I’m in Ohio now. Jeannette is still my hometown. Don’t get me wrong, but this is where I’m at. I’m not at Penn State. I’m not in Pennsylvania. I’m here to make not Penn State happy, but Ohio State happy.”
Pryor made many Buckeye fans happy at Spartan Stadium, where he completed all of his passes in the first quarter, ran for 62 yards and scored twice.
“When Terrelle is clicking, he can do a little bit of everything,” said Robiskie, who caught Pryor’s touchdown pass. “He’s scary in the open field.”
Pryor used his speed to get to the outside and sprint up the sideline. He also showed his strength, stiff-arming defenders and running over them at times.
“You’ll see more of that,” Pryor said.
cause Ohio State is off their schedule the next two years.
“Whew,” Michigan State safety Otis Wiley said. “He’s a big, tall quarterback.”
Michigan State quarterback Brian Hoyer was shook up in the first half, getting hit on his right hand and head. Hoyer, who returned for one series in the fourth quarter, was to have a concussion test Sunday.
Freshman Kirk Cousins was 18-of-25 for 161 yards with a TD, interception and fumble.
Whoever is at quarterback for the Spartans, they vow not to let the loss to Ohio State jar them as they prepare for Saturday’s game at Michigan Stadium – where they haven’t won since 1990.
“We’ve been trying to prove we’re not the same team, where we lose one and fall apart,” said Javon Ringer, who was held to a season-low 67 yards rushing. “It’s not going to be that hard to get over this game. We have Michigan next week. That speaks for itself.”
Michigan State’s 38-point loss to Ohio State matched the combined deficits from their previous seven losses under Mark Dantonio and marked the team’s worst loss at home since Nick Saban’s debut in 1995.
“We’re disappointed, but it’s not the end of the world,” Dantonio said. “We’re a 6-2 football team. We’ve had a lot of people slapping us on the back until now.
s, too. It all starts there. I didn’t do a good job.”
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