The surreal journey that has become the Penn State University football season includes this potentially harsh reality: The Nittany Lions actually have to travel outside of State College, their small community that has been rocked by allegations that a former assistant coach sexually molested boys.
The team's first road trip since Jerry Sandusky was formerly charged with 40 counts of various sex crimes comes this Saturday, when Penn State visits Columbus, Ohio. Though unwilling to divulge specifics to the public, OSU officials have assured their PSU counterparts that their safety is a top priority. "We have adjusted our security plan for this Penn State game to specifically watch over and assist the Penn State football travel party from their arrival and departure in and out of Columbus,"' associate athletic director Ben Jay told the Associated Press in an e-mail Wednesday. "We have been in communication with Penn State officials this week and they have made arrangements for additional security at their team hotel. Although we would prefer not to detail what changes we have made, I can tell you that we will redirect our police coverage for their coaches, players and visiting fans to observe any potential trouble before and after the game."
During last week's home game against Nebraska, Penn State players were joined by visiting Cornhuskers in an on-field prayer. This week, players and coaches from Penn State and Ohio State will meet at midfield for a handshake between the coin toss and opening kickoff, which is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET.
"It's important to remember the victims of this tragedy," said OSU student body president Nick Messenger. "But it's also important to remember that our visitors are not the people to whom we should direct our anger."
Ohio State student-athletes, including members of the men's basketball team, contributed to a short video titled "Best Fans in the Land" that encourages OSU supporters to show Penn State representatives respect on Saturday. As of this morning, the video had been viewed more than 10,000 times.
In particular, Buckeye football players, who have had to deal with the fall from grace of their successful and popular former coach Jim Tressel, can relate on some level to the adversity experienced by this week's opponents. "You do feel for them," defensive end Solomon Thomas told the AP writer Rusty Miller. "You don't wish that on anybody else. You don't try to use that to your advantage. We're all college athletes."
