Terrelle Pryor -Ohio State or Michigan?

Even if they are undefeated when they meet, even if they are ranked #1 and #2, even if they play to triple overtime...the most important victory and the most devastating defeat of this college football season for OSU and Michigan will most likely happen on the campus of a AA high school in Pennsylvania.

That's because finally, he's going to choose.

After leading his team to a AA state basketball title, Terrelle Pryor,the nation's most prized football recruit said , "I'm going to say the school I'm going to, sign it and get it over with".

Thank God. Now maybe Jim Tressel and Rich Rodriguez can stop pulling their hair out.

Back before National Signing Day, Terrelle Pryor had all but committed to Ohio State University. But when signing day rolled around, he said that he was still considering four schools, Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, and Penn State. This no doubt led to a great deal of strife for Jim Tressel, and a trepid jubilation for the other three.

It would be a great coup for any of the other schools to lure Pryor onto their campus, but the easiest (and most upsetting to the OSU flock) sales job might be had by Michigan's coach Rich Rodriguez. With the West Virginia campus a mere 65 miles from Jeanette, it was the closest major college program that Pryor considered. (You might think it was Penn State, but you'd be wrong, PSU is approximately 120 from Pryor's hometown) The close proximity no doubt gave Pryor an up-close view of what Rodriguez's spread option offense was doing for fellow speedy QB, Pat White's stats. It probably also gave good ole' Rich and his staff some close connections to Pryor and his high school coaches. If RichRod does convince Terrelle to become a Wolverine, it could result in Michigan putting up some absurdly gaudy numbers on offense. Michigan has already signed one of the best draft classes in the country, with the two headliners being top rated o-lineman Dann O'neil and Cypress, TX speedster running back Sam McGuffie. And if all of that weren't enough, there is also a family connection. Michigan's Sophomore Wideout Toney Clemons happens to be Pryor's cousin.

Still all of that said, most sports pundits believe that Pryor will stay with his first choice, namely THE Ohio State University. Terrelle has remarked on his affinity for the Buckeyes' coach on several occasions, saying, ""I like Tressel. I like Tressel's discipline". And the men in Scarlet and Gray have recruited quite a class of their own, adding three blue chip offensive lineman (in Michael Brewster, J.B. Shugarts, and Mike Adams) to an already monstrous protection unit. When asked in Rivals.com fan chat (prior to the Army AA Bowl) about the possibility of playing with OSU's newly bolstered line, Pryor responded, "Today, Adams and Jenkins blocked real well and I know Brewster's a beast. If I was to choose that school I know they'll have my back". Brewster was also Pryor's roommate during bowl week, so he was undoubtedly secretly programming the OSU fight song into Pryor's Ipod.

The other schools have seemed like afterthoughts all along, as Pryor has rarely mentioned them in his uncountable number of interviews. Penn State did garner some attention, but with Pryor saying all along it was his father that wanted him to give PSU some consideration. And being as the only time he's ever discussed Oregon was when he listed his final remaining school choices, it makes you wonder if he :

A) doesn't like the number three so much that he randomly threw in Oregon as a fourth choice
B) Is placating Phil Knight by mentioning that he would consider Oregon, in hopes that it will pay dividends in an endorsement deal when he is finally playing on Sundays.
Either way, Oregon is a non factor in the Terrelle Pryor Sweepstakes.

Even if Terrelle Pryor holds off on naming his school of choice this week, according to NCAA guidlines, he must do it by April 1st. So in the next two weeks the sports world can stop specualting on where he will go. And that's good because they need to get a head start on the 3+ years of endlessly comparing him to Vince Young.