Penn State Football: Previewing The Opponent: Ohio State

Penn State and Ohio State face for the 30th time in series history this weekend with Ohio State leading the series 15-13 after a 63-14 victory last year in Columbus.

Ohio State enters this edition of the showdown ranked 12th in the nation and on a four-game winning streak after an early season loss to Virginia Tech. The Buckeyes are led by freshman quarterback JT Barrett who averages 274 yards through the air per game and an Ohio State running game that racks up 274 yards on the ground a contest.

Beating the Buckeyes will be a tough task for Penn State. The Nittany Lions enter the game on a two game losing streak and facing the best team it has seen all year. A White Out crowd might keep things interesting but it’s hard to imagine a Nittany Lion victory. Even so, the game isn’t played on paper. 

Last Week: The Buckeyes continued to run through the opposition with a 56-17 victory over Rutgers in Columbus for a fourth straight victory since falling to Virginia Tech in the second game of the season. The win marked the fourth straight game that the Buckeyes have scored 50 or more points as well having given up no more than 28 points in any game over that same span.

The Good: Ohio State’s balanced attack on the ground with maybe the most talented running back not mentioned among the conference’s best in Ezekiel Elliot and through the air with freshman quarterback JT Barrett. With five different rushers over 100 yards on the year and six receivers over 100 yard catching, there isn’t a shortage of offensive weaponry on this roster. The Buckeyes’ 259 yards on the ground per game and 274 through the air is about as balanced as you can get.

On the defensive side of the ball, DT Joey Bosa has proved to be one of the best in the conference (and maybe the nation) as a backfield disrupter with 5.5 sacks on the year.

The Bad: In theory you can pass on Ohio State’s defense against a secondary that has been prone to giving up a big play or two. The Buckeyes are a far better pass defense team than they were at the start of the year, but if there is a weakness that would be the area to try and exploit. Ohio State has had issues stopping the run from time to time but more often than not Bosa and company are going to keep that area fairly well in check. Overall Ohio State is younger team than most, but that hurt the Buckeyes far more in the early going than as of late.

The Player To Watch: Chances are that Penn State can keep Elliot and the rushing attack under control long enough to keep Penn State in the game, but if that ground game gets going along with JT Barrett’s passing it will spell a long night in Happy Valley. 

That being said, if Penn State is going to win that will have to happen on the offensive side of the ball and that means keeping Bosa in check. The Nittany Lion defense will make enough stops to keep it close for awhile, but if Penn State’s offense can’t get moving it won’t matter. If Penn State gives up six sacks like it did against Michigan it will be an empty stadium by halftime. 

As much as Penn State has to keep Barrett and Elliot in check, if the offensive line can’t contain Bosa and company, it won’t matter.

The Prediction: It’s hard to see Penn State winning this game, but there are a few ways that the Nittany Lions can keep fans in their seats. An early score keeps the crowd in the game but a 14-7 Ohio State lead extends to 21-7 margin early in the second half. Penn State manages to make a it 21-14 but Ohio State is just too good and has too much to play for and a 28-14 lead becomes a 35-17 score midway through the fourth quarter. Fans feel like the game was there to be had, but in reality it was out of reach as soon as 21-7 hit the scoreboard.

It’s hard to imagine Penn State giving up 60+ in two straight meetings but it’s equally hard to imagine the Nittany Lions scoring more than 25.

*There is another scenario. One that involves Ohio State jumping up on Penn State early and needing to prove to playoff committee members that they should be considered in the conversation. And that means running up the score and dropping 50+ yet again for the fifth straight game.

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