If facing the No. 1 team in the country has at all changed the perspective of the Penn State Nittany Lions, they sure haven't shown it.

Despite the fact that Penn State is opening its Big Ten title defense against the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes at 3:30 tomorrow in Columbus, Ohio, the No. 24 Nittany Lions (2-1) are approaching the game like any other.

"You've just got to go out there and have fun. This is why you play football," sophomore wideout Derrick Williams said. "That' s the reason why I'm in it, because I love the sport so much. Once you go out there and take care of the little things, the big things will happen."

In all its years of existence, the Penn State football team has made those "big things" happen before. When facing the nation's No. 1 team, Penn State is 4-8 overall.

Since Joe Paterno took over as head coach in 1966, the Lions are 4-6 against No. 1-ranked opponents. The last four times Penn State has played a No. 1-ranked team, it has won once, edging Notre Dame 24-21 in 1990.

Ironically, the last time Penn State squared off against the top team in the nation was against Ohio State on Oct. 3, 1998. The Lions lost 28-9.

The Lions also defeated the No. 1 team in both their national championship seasons, upending Georgia in the 1982 Sugar Bowl and Miami in the 1986 Fiesta Bowl.

Though Penn State may not be treating its game against Ohio State (3-0) any differently, every player on the team has spoken of what this game does offer -- opportunity.

Last year, Penn State beat Ohio State 17-10 in Beaver Stadium in front of 109,839 raucous fans, the third largest crowd in Penn State history. After the game, former Penn State defensive tackle Scott Paxson made the famous declaration, "We're back."

Junior A.Q. Shipley, this year's starting center, said Saturday's game "very well could be" that type of defining moment.

"It's great to go into Columbus on the road and play the No. 1 team in the country," he said. "It's a great feeling, a great opportunity. I think that's why everyone on this team came to Penn State, to play big games like this."

Other players see it differently.

"It's not necessarily a game that a whole season rides on. It's too early in the season," junior linebacker Dan Connor said. "This is a game that can really help us along, put us on the map ... We think we're a really good football team and should be up there."

Penn State will have the tough task of containing a potent Ohio State offense that features Big Ten Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Troy Smith and speedy wideout Ted Ginn Jr.

Defensively, Ohio State proves troublesome, too. Despite replacing nine starters on defense, the Buckeyes have allowed just 8.7 points per game, including just seven to last year's national champion, Texas.

Though Penn State leads the all-time series 11-10, the Lions haven't fared well in Columbus. Since joining the Big Ten in 1993, Penn State is 0-6 there. Add in the fact that Penn State hasn't beaten a ranked opponent on the road since 2002, and history isn't on the Lions' side.

"We are going to play a superior football team ... one of the better football teams we have played in, probably, the last five or six years," Paterno said. "[We will] go out and play. It is a game. Let's go out and have a little fun. Who knows what can happen?"