Terrelle Pryor is a Pennsylvania native who chose an Ohio school for college. He delayed his decision 42 days, and he deemed Penn State "too country." He is the starting quarterback for Ohio State and, in just his second season, he has drawn a bigger spotlight than anyone in the Big Ten.

That spotlight will be magnified tenfold when he brings his No. 15 Buckeyes into Happy Valley to take on the No. 11 Nittany Lions at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Beaver Stadium.

The game will be Pryor's first in Pennsylvania since the Jeannette native committed to Ohio State as the nation's No. 1 recruit in March 2008. Despite all the hoopla surrounding the occasion, Pryor's father believes his son will approach Saturday as if it were any other game.

"He takes it as if every game is the same," Craig Pryor said. "Every game in the Big Ten is a big game. He's gotta do his best at any given time and play Penn State like any other team in the Big Ten."

Given the circumstances, that may be easier said than done.

On Feb. 6, 2008 -- national signing day -- Pryor held a news conference to say he needed more time to choose a school, citing Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and Oregon as his final four choices.

He then finished out his basketball season at Jeannette, which culminated in a state title with an overtime win over Strawberry Mansion -- at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Four days later, on March 19, Pryor announced he would be a Buckeye, the final thorn in Penn State fans' sides after a draining process that even included a rare home visit from Lion coach Joe Paterno.

"It would've been nice if Pryor would have come to this school," Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark said.

"He's a tremendous talent and he would've been a huge asset to this football team. How close he came to picking this school, I really do not know."

Clark could not finish last year's game against Ohio State, which Penn State won, 13-6.

Perhaps fittingly, the game turned on a Pryor fumble in the fourth quarter with the Buckeyes leading 6-3.

With Clark sidelined with a concussion, reserve quarterback Pat Devlin led the Lions on a pair of scoring drives before Pryor threw an interception to Lydell Sargeant to end the game.

Afterward, Pryor sat alone on a bench on the Ohio State sideline, an image that has become emblazoned in Penn State lore.

Pryor, who was not made available to Penn State reporters this week, told reporters in Columbus he expects a rude welcoming Saturday.

"It can be pretty intimidating because it did come down to Penn State. I think it was one of his top schools," Penn State running back and Ohio native Brandon Beachum said. "There were a lot of people rooting for him to come here, so I think it'll be really intimidating. With them losing the game last year, I think there's a lot of pressure on him to do well when they come out here."

This season has not been much easier for Pryor. He's gained more than 2,000 yards of offense and has been responsible for 19 touchdowns, but poor performances in losses to Southern California and Purdue and controversial comments earlier this season, have kept him at the center of attention.

In his first game this season, Pryor wore eyeblack with the word "Vick" on it under his left eye -- a subtle tribute to beleaguered NFL player Mike Vick.

What was alarming, however, was Pryor's explanation for his decision.

"Not everyone is the perfect person in the world," Pryor told reporters after the game. "Everyone does -- kills people, murders people, steals from you, steals from me. I just feel that people need to give him a chance."

Comments like those have added more fuel to the anti-Pryor contingent.

But Pryor's coach, Jim Tressel, sees a different person each day at practice.

"He's one of the most compassionate and caring young people I've ever been around," Tressel said. "He really doesn't like to disappoint people."

And the Buckeyes don't expect him to, with players reiterating their faith in their 20-year-old leader this week.

"Terrelle's played in so many big games," Ohio State safety Kurt Coleman said. "He started the bowl game for us, played in several big games, especially this one against USC this year, so I don't think that's gonna be as much of a factor, him being distracted."

Penn State fans will do their best to distract Pryor this Saturday, having created a Facebook group "The Pryor Crier Project" and buying up T-shirts downtown slamming the sophomore.

Still, Pryor's father knows it all comes with the territory, and he doesn't expect him to play any differently in his home state.

"Whether you're doing good someone's gonna have something negative to say or whether you're doing bad someone still has something negative to say," Craig Pryor said.

"You gotta take the good with the bad and just keep your poise."