When Penn State's offensive circus invades Northwestern, it will encounter a defense that's been whipped. And whipped badly.

If this Saturday's game against Northwestern was being played six or seven years ago, the big story that would have been splashed all over Pennsylvania's newspapers this week would have been how Penn State's defense was preparing to stop the spread offense of Randy Walker's Wildcats.

When people think about the Big Ten, they rarely think about Northwestern.

Penn State's women's soccer team has won the Big Ten regular season title seven straight times, so nobody should be surprised that the Nittany Lions have been picked by the Big Ten coaches to claim an eighth consecutive conference title.

Russ Rose wants to seize the day.

If Emeril were prepping the Penn State field hockey team for this weekend, he might have this to say: "Let's kick it up a notch!"

The road to the NCAA National Team Championships starts tomorrow.

What to do for an encore?

Each and every race is another step forward in the eyes of Penn State men's cross country coach Harry Groves.

The women's cross country team bounced into Monday's practice with a sense of accomplishment and boosted confidence from last weekend's meet.

This weekend marks the beginning of the fall season for the Penn State women's tennis team at the University of Pennsylvania's Cissy Leary Invitational in Philadelphia.

If you go to Penn State, chances are, just mentioning the word "Michigan" brings immediate feelings of disgust.

No rest for these golfers, because it's back on the road for the Penn State women's golf team. This weekend, the team finally gets its first glimpse at Big Ten competition, as the Nittany Lions will compete in the Lady Northern tomorrow and Sunday at the Indiana Golf Course in Bloomington, Ind.

Penn State men's tennis coach Jan Bortner, who was named assistant athletic director yesterday, said he is now living out a dream.

Big Ten wins have been in short supply recently for Penn State football.
For game predictions, click here.

Sports in brief

My Opinion: Sirage Yassin

Pre-game statistics

Surveillance cameras in apartment buildings help to catch criminals

My Opinion: Bryan Peach

What do you think of the Constitution Day requirements?

• Whiny writers don't make for good reads
• Optimism important at University Park
• Main campus what students make of it
• PSU offers plenty of transfer information
• Readers wrong for ridiculing columnist
• Online master's classes beneficial for students
• Student opposition to Arctic drilling crucial
• Old Spice column gives break from real issues
• Career fairs require professional clothing

Revision will be returning to Zeno's, 100 W. College Ave., at 10 p.m. tomorrow to funk-ify the onlookers packed into the basement pub.

This weekend, a Canadian-based band is brewing up a mix of East Indian, jazz and global music.

I'm a huge Missy Elliot fan, and I have been since her Supa Dupa Fly days.

From time to time, bands from all over the indie world join hands and start a love train. Some pairings are unlikely (the fantabulous Britt Daniel from Spoon and the king of the wusses, Bright Eyes), and some seem almost preordained (noise-rockers Sonic Youth and noise-folkers Dirty Three).

Anyone who lamented the fact that they missed all or part of the critically acclaimed ABC series Lost can now get their fill, as season one of the show has hit shelves on DVD.

Oh boy. If you've never heard The Pussycat Dolls' inescapable summer hit "Don't Cha," count yourself among the lucky ones.

Just Like Heaven was an out-of-body experience -- but not the good kind.

Allen Street Grill, 100 W. College Ave., will feature Bill Filer (231-4745).