AP Photo

And I do mean welcome, even though the Aggies won't think the Horseshoe too hospitable. Ohio State, and Pryor in particular, needs an opponent like this.

New Mexico State is a 44-point underdog largely because the Aggies have the worst offense (120th) in major-college football and the No. 75 defense. It is a money game for New Mexico State, the trade of a likely blowout for $850,000.

For an Ohio State team walking a tightrope between looking lost and looking legitimate, the game offers an opportunity to feel good about who they are and how far they have come.

Pryor is the central figure of this one-day tournament, and the quarterback could not have picked a better place to play than the Stadium Course. The Aggies will bring nary a pass rush. Their secondary is...