Following consecutive losses in the BCS Championship Game, Ohio State struggled to find respect on the national stage.
A Week 3 showdown in Los Angeles was circled as a benchmark game both for where the Buckeye program stood and where it headed.
During the offseason, Jim Tressel locked down a commitment from a talented quarterback from Jeannette, Pennsylvania. After an awkward delay with his decision, Terrelle Pryor eventually elected to take his talents to Columbus.
Pryor's decision to play for the Buckeyes was the first step of what eventually became of him, Tressel and Ohio State football.