COLUMBUS, Ohio - A.J. Hawk and the Ohio State linebackers welcome the chance to take their act to Linebacker U.

The sixth-ranked Buckeyes play at No. 16 Penn State on Saturday night, introducing one of the top linebacking corps in the nation to a place that has produced some of the best to ever play the position.

Hawk said the showdown in Happy Valley is more than just Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Schlegel and him against the rejuvenated Nittany Lions.

"People always try to get us in linebacker battles with the other teams," said Hawk, who leads a defensive unit ranked No. 1 in the nation against the run and fifth in total defense. "But we're trying to be the best defense in the country. We're going in as a defense and to make a statement."

Penn State has had a long line of 'backers who made bold statements with their play: Jack Ham, Shane Conlan, Andre Collins, Matt Millen, Dennis Onkotz, Greg Buttle and LaVar Arrington, just to name a bunch. The latest class at Linebacker U. is led by outside linebacker Paul Posluszny - just like Hawk, a two-time Big Ten defensive player of the week - along with Tim Shaw, Butler grad Tyrell Sales and Dan Connor.

Posluszny is third in the conference in tackles while Hawk is fifth for Ohio State (3-1, 1-0). Largely because of its active and aggressive linebackers, Penn State (5-0, 2-0) ranks 21st in the country in scoring defense (16.6 points a game) and 27th in total defense (308.6 yards per game). The Buckeyes' numbers are even better, 12.8 points per game and 249 yards.

Carpenter tops the Big Ten in sacks and is third in tackles for a loss.

"The two outside linebackers (Hawk and Carpenter) are as good as anybody has in the country," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. "It is one of the better defensive teams you will ever see. I don't mean just this year, but you will see play any time. In all of the years I have been coaching, this is probably one of the better defensive teams I have seen."

He added, "If we are comparable to them, I would feel pretty good."

Carpenter can't wait for the comparisons with Penn State's linebackers to begin.

"Oh, most definitely," he said. "Our linebackers' goal every week is to play the best that we can, individually and as a unit. So when we go in there we're going to try to dominate up front and hopefully take their run game away and get some pressure on Mike Robinson."

Ohio State's linebackers are keying on Robinson, Penn State's versatile and tough quarterback.

"That's what we do every game: affect the quarterback and just be a physical defense - a defense that people like to watch," Hawk said.

Robinson doesn't shy away from physical play, either. In last week's surprisingly lopsided 44-14 win over then-No. 18 Minnesota, Robinson lowered his shoulder and ran directly into and over Golden Gophers safety Brandon Owens. Owens, one of Minnesota's best defensive player, may have suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.

A quarterback pancaking a defensive player? Apparently, even the players at the glamor positions have that Linebacker U. mentality.

The stakes are high for both teams, with the loser falling back in the Big Ten race and possibly out of the national title picture.

"It's a defining point for us, and for Penn State," Carpenter said. "You can't ask for much more in a game. Two teams that it means a lot to, with good records and two historic national powers."