urprising breakout season. STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Ohio State coaches and players are plenty familiar with the difficult environment that awaits them

Formula 1 faces yet another vote on Thursday, with the sports bosses reconvening to discuss whether aggregate qualifying should replace the little-loved current elimination format. The system was heavily criticised again after its second outing in Bahrain and team bosses met with the sports supremo Bernie Ecclestone and FIA president Jean Todt to address the situation.However, no agreement on what to do for the next race in China was reached and a new idea was instead put forward... How would aggregate qualifying work?A drivers two best times in each of the three knockout sessions are combined to find the aggregate and set the order.How will Thursdays vote go?In a bid to keep cars on track for longer - an obvious flaw in the current format - Q1 would be lengthened to 18 minutes, with the slowest seven drivers eliminated at the end of the session. Aggregate laps for qualy? Vote on the format youd like to see used in qualifying Q2 will follow a similar method; the seven drivers with the lowest aggregate times knocked out after 15 minutes.The top eight would then be decided by their fastest two laps in the 12-minute Q3 session.What difference would it have made in Bahrain?Striving for one-lap perfection at the weekend, Lewis Hamilton ran wide at the final corner on his first run in Q3. Though he went on to set the fastest ever time at the Bahrain International Circuit, with an aggregate format the Mercedes driver would have started third on the grid behind Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel. To stress the obvious: the fastest lap would no longer necessarily result in pole position.However, with a minimum two laps required from each driver per session, the criticism that there are not enough cars on track would at least have been a thing of the past. What would teams do to combat the system?With the aggregate system, drivers would be punished for any errors - such as Hamilton in the case above - and could therefore opt for more bankers. Its feasible teams would advise their drivers not to go for broke on a lap in case they made a mistake and slipped down the order.Strategy would be key. Teams could put fuel in for one more lap and run two consecutive fliers only to be usurped by a rival who has used new sets of supersofts on two separate stints, at the beginning and end of the session. Simon Lazenby is joined by Ted Kravitz and Martin Brundle to discuss whether an aggregate qualifying system would work Would it shake up the grid?One change F1 is certainly striving for is extra unpredictability - even though fans will stress that last years qualy format provided just that.Elimination qualifying was seen as the best way of providing grid upsets. However, the only notable unpredictability the format has thrown up so far is Daniil Kvyat and Sergio Perez not making it out of Q1.But the new proposed format may result in even fewer surprises.Take Pascal Wehrlein, one of the standout performers in Bahrain, who squeezed the life out of the Manor with a superb lap to jump into 16th. Force India werent expecting the F1 rookie to trouble Perez and didnt have enough time to counter. When is the Chinese GP on Sky? Sky Sports is the only place to see all the action from Shanghai But using the aggregate system, the Mexican would have finished comfortably ahead of Wehrlein with two laps in the 1:32s.Stoffel Vandoorne - another youngster who made a name for himself in the desert - also wouldnt have made it out of Q1 if this format was adopted in Bahrain, assuming Nico Rosberg, Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas set a second flying lap.The final four shootout between Ferrari and Mercedes may run to a familiar beat with the leaders chasing quick-but-not-risky laps to set an impressive aggregate time.But other drivers, particularly those in less-fancied cars, would now need to produce two special laps rather than one to either proceed to the next qualy stage or produce a stand-out result. What about the fans?Aggregate qualifying may be slightly ahead of the elimination format in our vote, but its clear to see F1 fans would prefer a return to 2015s system. It was easy to follow, simple to understand and rewarded the fastest lap with pole.While fans would no longer need to be almost permanently looking down at a clock to check who was going to be counted out next, the aggregate system also appears to have its flaws when it comes to complexity.Moments like Hamiltons record-breaking lap in Bahrain to snatch pole could be eliminated, with fans instead needing to grab a calculator to check if his next fastest lap has given him a leading combined time.Todt, however, is confident the aggregate format will be right for all parties.You need to be patient, by Thursday you will have all the information, he said. I hope that fans will be happy. Will it make a difference for tyres?Sky Sports understands that Pirelli will provide extra sets of tyres for the Chinese GP should aggregate qualifying be approved, though teams could still have to set qualifying laps on used tyres to save rubber for the race. Is it time to change the qualifying format after just two races of the new season? Some of F1s leading drivers have their say What do the drivers think of aggregate qualy?Its fair to say the drivers sound less than enthused by the prospect.Its time to go to the circus, said Sebastian Vettel. Its a good idea if you want random things to happen, but Formula 1 should be about racing. Its a s*** idea.Daniel Ricciardo, meanwhile, stressed: Qualifying is about that one perfect lap. To have an aggregate, it starts to sound more like some form of endurance racing.Jenson Button, however, felt anything would be an improvement on the current format: Drivers driving round with one eye open is better than this one. And to the teams support aggregate qualy?Red Bulls Christian Horner, who rejected the proposition of a hybrid of the elimination system and 2015s, said: No one likes the current system, so this idea is a step in the right direction. It at least has elements of the 2015 system, which is what the teams prefer.Ferraris Maurizio Arrivabene claimed it doesnt sound that bad while Claire Williams said: It is quite a well thought through proposal that the FIA have come up with and hopefully it will be a solution that will work for everybody, and that will be be easy for our fans to understand.However, asked if aggregate times are a kick in the stomach for F1 purists, Mercedes Toto Wolff said: I think the kick is even lower than that. What happened with F1s last aggregate experiment?It was 11 years ago that F1 last aggregated two qualifying times to set the grid.After Michael Schumacher and Ferraris domination of the 2002 season, when the German won his third consecutive world title by July with a record six races to spare, F1s rulemakers introduced new measures to increase unpredictability in the sport - with changes to qualifying at the heart of them. Ted Kravitz interviews F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone on F1 Qualifying and other topics Between 2003 and 2005 various versions of single-lap qualifying were devised, with the latter year seeing an aggregate system adopted. Across two sessions - one on a Saturday afternoon followed by a second on Sunday morning - drivers would complete single flying laps, with their two times combined to determine their position on the grid.However, the new idea proved unpopular with fans and, with TV companies not carrying the Sunday session live, aggregate qualifying was binned after five races to be replaced by one single-lap session on Saturday. The three-part Q1, Q2 and Q3 knockout system was then introduced to more successful effect in 2006.Dont miss the F1 Report: Bahrain GP on Wednesday night at 8.30pm when The Times Kevin Eason and Ben Hunt of The Sun will join Natalie Pinkham to review events in the desert Every race live in 2016 Sky Sports F1 brings you every race live in 2016. Fast and easy online upgrade - click here. Also See: VOTE: Aggregate qualy for F1? Tyre choices for Chinese GP Official Air Max 2018 Shoes . -- Whether Jeremy Hill deserves a prominent role in LSUs offence this early in the season is a matter for debate. Orange Nike Air Max 2018 . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season. http://www.discountairmax.com/ . Varlamov made 33 saves and Ryan OReilly had a goal and scored in the shootout as the Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Thursday night. Sale Air Max Online . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. Cheap Air Max 95 VaporMax . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season. STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Ohio State coaches and players are plenty familiar with the difficult environment that awaits them in Happy Valley.The No. 2 Buckeyes (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) survived against Wisconsin in a hostile, raucous atmosphere last week, similar to the one theyll face in their third-straight road game against Penn State (4-2, 2-1), where Ohio State will have to deal with more than 100,000 fans clad in white.Theres a lot of energy right now in that program, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said. Wins do that for you. They played their best game, obviously, against Maryland, all the way around.Its a trend thatll have to continue for Penn State -- nearly three touchdown underdogs -- to have a shot against a team thats 30-1 in Big Ten regular season games under Meyer.Ohio State brings the nations third-ranked scoring defense and fourth-ranked offense into Beaver Stadium where the Buckeyes are 4-0 since 2005. But save for Wisconsin last week, Penn State is the only other team thats pushed Ohio State to overtime since Meyer took over, falling in two extra periods in 2014.The margin of error when you play a team like this is so small, youve got to be almost perfect on your details, Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley said.Thats a lesson Penn States young lineup learned the hard way in their previous game against a top 5 team, a blowout to then-No. 4 Michigan where the Nittany Lions managed just three first downs in the first half.Thats something where the margin of error showed up, McSorley said.But McSorleys taken a page out of Ohio State counterpart J.T. Barretts book lately. His 26 rushes for 154 yards and two touchdowns the past two games coupled with his ability to buy time with his feet so his receivers can get deep has led to big plays down the field.Its evidence Penn States offense has turned a corner since the Michigan game and is confident it can hang with Ohio State.I think we would be extremely comfortable if its a shootout, tight end Mike Gesicki said. I think we would be extremely comfortable if its going to be one big plaay that changes the game.ddddddddddddRESPECTING BARKLEY: Ohio States defense has allowed just one 100-yard rusher so far but hasnt faced one as dynamic as Saquon Barkley.Leading the Big Ten with nine touchdowns, Barkley has 51 carries over the past two games and ran for 202 yards against Maryland.Hes probably one of the top running backs in the nation, if not the top running back in the nation, Ohio State safety Malik Hooker said. Hes got a lot of vision, makes a lot of jump cuts and stuff like that, and once he does that and gets a lot of teams out of their coverage, its hard to get him down because hes got a lot of speed, too.LINEBACKERS BACK: Both teams are healthier at linebacker.Penn State had seven out with injuries before starters Brandon Bell and Jason Cabinda returned to practice on Tuesday. Theyll play after missing the last five and four games with leg and hand injuries, respectively.Ohio States Dante Booker, whos missed the last five games with a knee injury, is also expected to return.END OF THE LINE: Penn State will likely use a combination of Paris Palmer and Chasz Wright to plug the hole left by Andrew Nelsons season-ending knee injury and keep Ohio States surging defensive line at bay. The Buckeyes had four sacks last week including a game-sealing swarming of Alex Hornbook in overtime.GUSTY EVENING: Heavy rain and flooding Thursday evening into Friday around State College forced the athletic department to close a handful of parking lots prior to the game. While the rain is expected to stop before kickoff, wind could pick up with local forecasters predicting possible 40-mph gusts at game time.TOUGH COMPETITION: A win for Penn State would be big to snap out of a long slump against the nations best teams. Penn State is 0-9 against top 5 teams since 2005 -- with four of those losses coming to Ohio State -- and is 0-7 against the Buckeyes, Michigan and Michigan State since James Franklin arrived. ' ' '