Saturday at noon a top four showdown awaits in Happy Valley when fourth ranked Ohio State heads to third ranked Penn State. This marks the eighth consecutive year these two teams will have faced each other as top 25 teams. It’s also the second time ever that both of these teams have been ranked in the top five when facing each other. Playing Michigan has always been the biggest tradition on the schedule for OSU but another constant for the Buckeyes has been the middle of the season test against the Nittany Lions. This is the 32nd consecutive year that the two schools have faced each other. Over the years this matchup has offered so many classic games from JT Barrett’s shootout win in 2017 to Penn State’s colossal upset in 2018 when the Nittany Lions returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown. It has been a wild series to say the least, but Ohio State has a comfortable lead all-time at 24-14.
Looking at this Penn State team the first thing that always seems to come to mind is how well coached and reliable their defense is. Year in and year out the Nittany Lions have leaned on their defense to close out games which gives truth to the team’s nickname, “Linebacker University.” Penn State head coach James Franklin is currently in his 11th season at the helm and always seems to be a contender in the Big Ten Conference. Along with the help of Bill O’Brien before him, Franklin has brought Penn State up from the ashes of controversy and despair and made them a regular contender again. Before his time in Happy Valley coach Franklin was the head coach at Vanderbilt.
This year’s Penn State team, while on a roll, has received some skepticism despite their 7-0 record. The Nittany Lions have yet to play a currently ranked opponent so this game with the Buckeyes will be their first real test. The big knock on James Franklin has been his inability to defeat the Big Ten powerhouse teams. Coach Franklin will look to his star players to step up Saturday if they want to knock off the Buckeyes for the first time in six years.
Defensively the Nittany Lions are led by their Senior leader, safety Jaylen Reed. Leading PSU in both tackles and interceptions, Reed’s ability to stretch the field makes him major threat to the Buckeye offense. Will Howard needs to be aware of number one and where he is on the field at all times. Speaking of Will Howard, this is a huge homecoming game for him. The Pennsylvania native will be representing the scarlet and gray with a giant chip on his shoulder because Penn State overlooked him in the recruiting process.
Penn State’s offense has improved from a year ago. Quarterback Drew Allar from Medina Ohio has thrown for over 1,600 yards and twelve touchdowns so far this season but got injured last week in Penn State’s game at Wisconsin. Coach Franklin has listed Allar as a game time decision. This could drastically change the offense on Saturday. Back up Sophomore quarterback Beau Pribula would step in if Allar is absent. Regardless of the quarterback, Penn State has a variety of skill players like star tight end Tyler Warren who leads the team in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. The NFL prospect already had 559 yards and 4 touchdowns on the season making him a huge target for Ohio State’s defense. Defensively, the secondary has been hit or miss for the Buckeyes in the last two games. Covering Tyler Warren will be their priority heading into the matchup.
Behind Warren on the receiving side is Junior Harrison Wallace III with 350 yards and two touchdowns so far for Penn State this season. Layton Allen and Nicholas Singleton form the running back by committee backfield as a nice change of pace option for the Nittany Lions. It’s going to be interesting to see how Ohio State tries to continue to get pressure to the quarterback as they did in last year’s 20-13 win in Columbus. After struggling on offense last week against Nebraska, look for the offensive line to step up despite battling injuries including losing star tackle Josh Simmons for the year. Running the ball on this Penn State defense just may win them the game down the stretch.
Saturday’s 3 vs 4 matchup is at noon on Fox from Beaver Stadium in Happy Valley.