Terrelle Pryor doesn’t have to be reminded that he hasn’t led Ohio State to a “big win” at this point in his career. In fact, the sophomore quarterback was very candid when discussing the No. 15 Buckeyes’ game at No. 11 Penn State on Saturday (3:30 p.m.; ABC).

“To tell you the truth, speaking as an individual, I haven’t led us to a big win yet,” Pryor said Wednesday evening. “That’s what a quarterback needs to do, lead, and I haven’t led us to a win in a big game.

“We’re just going to go in there and I’m going to (be accountable) and help the other 10 players on the field and try and get a win. I know our defense is hyped up and ready to go. So, it’s up to me to lead the 10 guys out on the field. That’s what we need to do and that’s what we need to focus on. That’s going to be our focus from here on out because that’s what it’s going to come down to.”

Last season, the Nittany Lions won their first game in Columbus as a member of the Big Ten when they emerged with a 13-6 comeback victory.

Ohio State was on its way to what looked like a 6-3 victory when Pryor fumbled the ball away on what was supposed to be a QB sneak late in the fourth quarter. Pryor tried to bounce the play outside, but the ball was punched from his grasp, completely changing the landscape of the game.

And on occasion, OSU’s coaches remind Pryor of what took place last year for motivation.

“Yeah, it pushes me every time in a workout when a coach is in your ear like, ‘Look what happened. They did this to you. You lost,’” Pryor said. “All that comes in my mind is that fumble, and it was just a very stupid play and a very young player doing it. I would never do that again, obviously.

“But that’s the only thing that comes to my mind when I think of Penn State. Of course we want to beat them. But we need to go in there first stress-free and relaxed and just play our game.

“So, we’re really looking forward to this and I think we’re going to be ready. It’s going to be a show and it’s going to be a very fun game. But whoever comes out on top is going to be who doesn’t turn the ball over. That’s what it’s going to come down to. We’re looking forward to it and I think we’re pretty focused.”

Going home, kind of

Pryor is a native of Jeannette, Pa., which is near Pittsburgh and roughly a two-hour drive to PSU’s campus in State College. However, Pryor did not grow up following or rooting for Penn State football. He followed the NFL and was a big North Carolina Tar Heel fan in basketball.

However, it did come down to Ohio State and Penn State in the much-hyped Pryor recruiting wars and he is a Pennsylvania kid. So, it’s going to mean something extra to him playing the Nittany Lions, especially considering it’s his first time playing at Beaver Stadium.

“It’s always great to go back home,” Pryor said. “But I also know that I’m going back home on a mission. We’re just going home to Penn State and it’s going to be a fight and that’s all I can think about. I’m not really thinking about going home to see my family and stuff like that because I’m going there to try and help my team get a W.”

Pryor was reminded that he is likely going to get ridiculed by rowdy PSU fans when he enters the stadium and when he’s on the field. They are not going to let him forget about comments that he made after he selected Ohio State in the spring of 2008 such as Penn State was “too country” for his tastes.

“Being a Pennsylvania guy and being recruited by Penn State … just from being there and watching games and stuff like that and just seeing the stadium rocking and shaking a little bit, it will be a crazy atmosphere,” Pryor said. “But that’s what we come here for, right? That’s what we come to play football at Ohio State for. So, we’re looking forward to it and we’re going into it as a team. So, if I get spit on, they spit on the whole team and stuff like that. So, we don’t have to worry about that.”

Penn State fans went as far as to create a “Terrelle Cryer” T-shirt with a Nittany Lion consoling a dejected Pryor on the sideline (a play on Pryor’s reaction after his fumble in last year’s game). It was actually kind of funny … and quite tame from what we understand in comparison to past anti-OSU shirts. (Keep in mind that Penn State fans consider Ohio State their No. 1 rival.)

However, in the latest act of political correctness that will one day bring down our proud society, the T-shirts were recalled. (Therefore, the students can just break out their old F--- OSU” shirts and keep everyone happy.)

“They made a shirt about me and stuff like that,” Pryor said with a smile. “But it’s all about the team. I have 70 guys traveling with me, along with the coaches. And I’ll have all my family there to see the little patch of red and white that we’re going to have there and the band. So, that’s what we’re going to war with.

“They made a T-shirt about me, but it’s not a big deal. It’s all fun.”

Clean bill of health

Pryor has been battling a few minor injuries, but says he’s fine and that he won’t be limited in any fashion against PSU.

“I’m a little sore,” he said. “But like I told some people earlier, ‘You’re going to have to kill me for me not to play.’ It don’t matter. I’m going to give it my all and I owe the seniors in there and I owe the team 100 percent of my play on Saturday.”

Pryor has spent extra time in the training room getting ready for what he knows will be a physical game. When he met with reporters after Wednesday’s practice, he was starting to feel a bit under the weather, but didn’t think it was anything serious.

“I feel a little bit sick today, too,” he said. “So, as a team, you just have to make sure to keep pounding it. We have to make sure we’re getting fluids in our body and just taking care of our bodies in general. Getting in the cold tub and just always taking care of your body, even for later on in life after you’ve taken all those hits. And especially coming into a big game. We have three big games in a row and Penn State is going to be very tough and we’ve just got to take care of our bodies so we can give it our all.”

Blueprint to stop OSU: stack the box?

Going back to the Penn State game last year and even in games like USC, Wisconsin and Purdue this year, the blueprint to stopping the Pryor-led OSU offense is to stack the box and try and make the Buckeyes beat you with the pass.

In fact, if PSU defensive coordinator Tom Bradley does anything except crowd the line of scrimmage, daring Pryor to chuck the ball, it would be the surprise of the year.

However, without getting specific, Pryor thinks the Buckeyes have installed some things that might work against the Nittany Lions.

“Really, it’s about whatever our coaches call,” Pryor said. “They’ve got a plan for us that is really, really good. I think our coaches did a really good job on this game as far as preparation. They’ve prepared a real good scheme for us and we’re all very happy about the scheme. Especially me. I feel very comfortable with the scheme and I’m very excited about it. I can’t wait to get on the field.

“We’ve got practice (Thursday) and we’ve got to try and not put any balls on the ground. That’s what I strive to do every day in practice. I mean, some stuff like that is going to happen occasionally, but we just want to be as perfect as we can.

“I just know what we do on offense and what I’m preparing for from watching film. And whatever they do, they do and we have to counter it and just come back at them. I don’t know what they’re going to do.”

Pryor says he doesn’t know what Penn State is going to do. But isn’t it pretty safe to say they will put eight, maybe nine defenders in the box like they did last year?

“We had Beanie Wells last year and we have very good running backs this year. I mean, they might stack the box, but there’s things they have to account for like me running the ball, throwing the ball or giving it to other players to run the ball. So, I really don’t know.

“That’s what’s so fun and so special about football is you don’t know what is going to come at you because everything changes. Once you get that mental rep in practice and that mental rep in the film room, once you get out on the field they may do something else. So, that’s fun just to see what you prepared for and how you’re coming along. That’s the fun thing about football.”

Only one team is going to walk away thinking football is fun after Saturday’s smash-mouth affair, though. Will it be Pryor and the Buckeyes? Will they get that quality win they’ve been thirsting for? Stay tuned.

Here is video of Pryor's interview session from Wednesday.