Ohio State vs. Penn State: Complete preview and prediction

The Ohio State football team faced a tough defense in Iowa this past week and came out on top. It took the Buckeye offense some time to figure out the Hawkeye D, but after halftime adjustments, C.J. Stroud and company showed no mercy to finish off a 54-10 drubbing of the Big Ten West foe.

Probably the biggest highlight was how the OSU defense fared. While Iowa is historically bad on the offensive side of the ball, the defense held the Hawkeyes to just three points as the lone Iowa touchdown came via a scoop and score. It’s been quite some time since Buckeye fans could feel confident in the Silver Bullets.

Ohio State hits the road for the second time this season, this time heading to Happy Valley to take on the No. 13 ranked Penn State Nittany Lions. Beaver Stadium is never an easy place to play, especially when you’re wearing scarlet and gray. These two teams have given us some instant classics in recent years.

Do we see a tough matchup or another Buckeye blowout? Let’s get into everything you need to know to get you ready for a top-15 contest.

Records and Broadcast Information

Records

Ohio State (7-0), Penn State  (6-1)

Broadcast, TV, Game Time

Date: Saturday, Oct. 29
Game Time: Noon EDT
Network: Fox
Venue: Beaver Stadium (State College, Pennsylvania) Capacity: 106,572
All-Time Series: Ohio State leads 22-14
Last Meeting: Ohio State defeated Penn State, 33-24, in 2021

Ohio State Potential Game Plan for Victory

It feels like we say this almost every week, but this week Ohio State will face its biggest challenge to date. So far those other challenging games have not been all that challenging. What we thought might be difficult tests against Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and the Iowa defense have all been passed with a fair amount of ease.

Maybe it’s a case of those teams not being very good, Ohio State being really good, or some combination of both. I would suggest the latter. The Buckeyes are playing at a very high level and because of that high level of play, they are making other programs look much worse than they actually are. However, the national media would like to sell you a different narrative.

Now the Buckeyes travel to State College to take on No. 13 ranked Penn State. For the most part, the Nittany Lions have looked like a top-15 team all season, with the exception of course coming at Michigan. Even though it won’t be a night game white out, anytime Ohio State travels to Beaver Stadium, things always seem to be interesting.

James Franklin’s club only gives up 140 yards per game on the ground. Take out the 418-yard pounding by the Wolverines and that number goes even lower. So, is this a top-tier defense or just a product of Penn State playing poor competition?

The Buckeyes most likely won’t go for 400 plus on the ground, but this offensive line should be able to open some holes for TryVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams to run through. And as I’ve said before, as great as the passing attack is, Ohio State cannot become one-dimensional and rely solely on C.J. Stroud’s arm.

Penn State does boast a lockdown corner in Joey Porter Jr, but who will he cover? There are just too many weapons to cover, especially if the Bucks can establish the run.

On the defensive side of the ball, Ohio State will need to slow down Nick Singleton who is averaging almost seven yards per carry and has homerun ability. At quarterback, James Franklin has heard a loud chorus singing the idea of giving 5-star recruit Drew Allar more opportunities, but QB Sean Clifford has been able to hold him off thus far.

Although he may not look the part, Clifford is a true dual-threat quarterback. He is completing more than 60 percent of his passes and averages more than 4 yards when he decides to run. The Buckeyes will need to keep the Penn State quarterback contained in the pocket as Clifford is more than capable of picking up first downs with his feet.

Two Key Players for Ohio State

Emeka Egbuka – Wide Receiver 

Joey Porter Jr can only cover one of the elite receivers in scarlet and gray. My guess is he’ll draw Marvin Harrison Jr which leaves Emeka Egbuka or Julian Fleming primed for a big game … maybe both. However, I’m going with Egbuka as he has been a tad more consistent this season.

Zach Harrison – Defensive End

Zach Harrison is quietly having a very productive year. Even if the stats don’t pop off of the page, Harrison is making things happen. A five-star recruit out of Olentangy Orange high school, just north of Columbus, fans have been waiting for a breakout year. He has been improving each week and getting pressure on Sean Clifford will help keep the Nittany Lions in check.

The Prediction

Ohio State has owned this rivalry for the past decade or so with the lone Penn State win coming in 2016. With the exception of a couple games, the score is almost always a little closer than Buckeye fans would like.

While the Nittany Lions have looked solid all season, many experts believe they were exposed against Michigan. And many more believe that James Franklin just can’t win a big game.

The game being in Happy Valley will play in Penn State’s favor. And I think we may see something similar to what we witnessed with Iowa this past weekend, a halftime score closer than what fans will be comfortable with. However, the Buckeyes will again make the necessary adjustments and pull away in the second half to move to 8-0 on the season.

Final Score

Ohio State 42, Penn State 21

TIPICO Line

Ohio State -16.5

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Story originally appeared on Buckeye Wire