While shopping in his local bookstore for the materials he needs for the upcoming academic year, Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor just walks past all the magazines predicting him to tear up opposing defenses this season. USA friendly sportsbooks have been as friendly to the Buckeyes, and have set them as favorites to win their sixth-consecutive Big 10 title.
“Actually, I hate magazines,” the junior quarterback said. “I don’t even want to see that, because I don’t want my mind to be distracted.”
The Buckeyes currently enjoy being ranked number two or three by most pre-season ranking systems, and a lot of experts have Pryor as one of the favorites to win the 2010-2011 Heisman Trophy. Alabama’s Mark Ingram won the the award last year, and added a BCS national championship to his resume.
On paper, the Buckeyes have the strongest team in the Big 10, and could realistically contend for a national championship this year. However, Pryor doesn’t need the hype.
“We don’t need none of the hype,” Pryor said. “There’s always going to be the roundup of the top teams. We don’t need to read any of that stuff. We just need to focus and to take care of the business we need to take care of.”
Hype is a dangerous animal in college football, and many teams have buckled under the pressure of high expectations. The Buckeyes are no stranger to those type of failures after embarrassing losses in 2006 to Florida, and LSU in 2007.
“You think back to the ’06 year where the team was unbelievable,” defensive lineman Dexter Larimore said. “We stuck together. Then guys started to kind of think they were better than they were. Then it kind of just all fell apart. In ’07 it wasn’t as bad as far as the team thinking they were all so good. In ’07 we were all humble and stuff, but we just didn’t get it done.”
While the memories of season’s past are still fresh in the fan’s minds, the players on this team has put past setbacks behind them. College football betting lines surely back up their confidence.
“We really just try to shut it out,” linebacker Ross Homan said. “It’s good being in camp because we really shut out all outside sources, all media sources. We kind of just focus on the team. We come out here and we don’t even think about that stuff.”
BetUS sportsbook has currently set the odds for Ohio State to win the Big 10 at -250. Pryor is among the betting favorites to win the 2010 Heisman Trophy at +450.
