This is it. The game not just Penn State fans and Ohio State fans have been waiting for, but the entire nation has been waiting for as well. This is the game that will crown the Big Ten champion and the bad news is, it will be played in Columbus.

The No. 3 Nittany Lions travel to the Horse Shoe this week to take on the No. 9 Ohio State Buckeyes.

Looking at both teams on paper and watching how both these teams have performed throughout the season, both are evenly matched. Both have prolific offensive units and defensive units that have stood up against all of their opponents. There is no doubt, these are the two best teams in the Big Ten.

The Buckeye offense is powered by quarterback Terelle Pryor and by quarterback Todd Boeckman. Pryor is a great player and exciting to watch, however, being a true freshman, he is not really on a level of consistently playing great college football. He still makes mistakes and performs like a high school senior. But, make no mistake, Pryor poses to be a major threat to the PSU defense, both on the ground and through the air. In addition to Pryor, the Buckeyes have a strong running back in Chris Wells. The fact is, when Chris Wells runs the ball, Ohio State wins...big. Even though these two players are dominating, I take comfort in the fact that both these players are geared up for the run attack and the Penn State defense has done better defending the run rather than the pass game. Stopping Chris Wells on the ground and pressuring Pryor and Boeckman early is the only way the Nittany Lions will shut down this offense.

For Clark and company, this defense will be hard to play against. This is one of the better units that the Penn State offense will be playing against all year. The line is anchored by James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman and they are backed up by a secondary that has returned all starters from last year. This unit will be tough to face against for the Nittany Lions, but playing like they have been all year and keeping cool under the pressure from this unit, the Lion offense should have plenty of opportunity to score.

This game is a big one for the Nittany Lions. Actually, this is THE big one for the Nittany Lions. Their Big Ten championship and National Championship hopes are riding on this game. This will be a tough one for the Nittany Lions, but they can't be worried about how tough this game is going to be. They have to focus on playing good football and performing like they have been all year.

THE GOOD NEWS: The Nittany Lions go into Columbus favored (however slight)

THE BAD NEWS: The Nittany Lions go into Columbus (at night)

KICKOFF: 8:00 p.m.

TV: ABC

INJURY REPORT: TB Brent Carter (knee-out), DE Jerome Hayes (knee-out), C Doug Klopacz (knee-out), LB Sean Lee (knee-out), S Anthony Scirrotto (head- possible), DE Devon Still (ankle- out), S Nick Sukay (foot-out)

BOTTOM LINE: Lions slip past the Bucks with a win under the lights

PHOTO: Dan Conor takes a chunk of a Buckeye in the 2007 edition of the rivalry