(Photo: Penn State Athletics)

Saturday Spotlight 

(7) Penn State Nittany Lions at (3) Ohio State Buckeyes 

Penn State: Each year, they always get off to strong starts and then get knocked down back to reality. I still remember when they won the Big Ten East back in 2016. After winning the division, they get to the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis where they defeated the Wisconsin Badgers and won the conference title. Since then, it’s been the Ohio State Buckeyes or the Michigan Wolverines taking the crown in the division. As college football approaches, there’s always something I’m looking forward to seeing and with James Franklin’s group, it was two things. The first is the Quarterback play. Drew Allar replaced Sean Clifford and inconsistent play at the most important position has been obvious. The second thing I was looking forward to seeing was the Running Back tandem of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton who I think are the best duo of Running Backs in the country. Both Running Backs have different styles of play, but each are effective in their own way. Kaytron is that back that wants to burst through the lanes up the middle and get those hard fought yards by playing a bruising style of football while Nicholas is your speed guy and when I watch him run, I see some Larry Johnson in his game. He knows how to maneuver and work his way around tacklers. One of the best moves James Franklin was the hiring of Manny Diaz, the former coach of the Miami Hurricanes and since he’s taken the job in Pennsylvania, this Penn State defense has been one of the best in the country and I think they’re even stronger this year, especially in the secondary because they’ve been lockdown in that area. The Nittany Lions are ranked first in sacks, first in tackles for loss and second against the run. On the other side, the offense may not be the sexiest, but it’s balanced and they take care of the football. The two turnovers they committed against UMass last week were just their second and third of the year. This afternoon, they will make their every other year trip to the shoe in Columbus.

Ohio State: That win against Notre Dame was just a display of guts and mental toughness. They went back and forth with that Fighting Irish group and came out on top when it mattered most. Paint this scenario, a first-year Quarterback in Kyle McCord starting in South Bend under the lights in a primetime game and he played with ice in his veins. That was the game where Kyle grew up. Let’s be honest here, this isn’t the same Ohio State Buckeyes team we’ve seen over the years. I’m talking about the groups that had one of the three best offenses in college football and could score points at the snap of a finger. Instead, they’ve been a team to slow the game down, use play action and connect on your passes. The defense has also risen to the occasion as well as they’ve been one of the best units in the country this year. No, the offense isn’t humming on all cylinders and key guys are banged up at certain positions, but in the last five games, their passing attack has stepped up and recorded 320 yards or more in four of their last five games, including their dominant win on the road in West Lafayette against the Purdue Boilermakers. Kyle is getting more comfortable within the offense with each snap. I believe this is Ryan Day’s best coaching yet. The winning still continues to happen even as he’s lost plenty of guys to the NFL. It might be a different style of play, but here they are still competing in a three-team race that is the Big Ten East. Instead of winning the shootouts as we’ve seen, they’ve had to grind games out. Today, they will return home for a showdown with James Franklin’s Nittany Lions of Penn State.

Penn State X-Factor: Harrison Wallace– He’s now in his Sophomore season and has become a key contributor for this group’s passing attack. Whether he’s going over the middle of the field to make a catch or he’s wide on the perimeter, Harrison can get you the chunk yards you need which can provide that spark for your offense. He never stops moving to free himself to get open. If you need that splash play, this is who you call upon.

Ohio State X-Factor: Cade Stover– This is one of the more underrated players in the country in my eyes. I can understand why he’d fly under the radar because of Marvin Harrison Jr and Emeka Egbuka. Cade is just as serviceable as those two I just listed. When a new Quarterback is inserted into the offense, the Tight End is one of his best friends. Cade is a quicker version of T.J. Hockenson. You don’t attend to him, he’ll be free making a catch. This is someone you can’t leave unguarded.

Three Things I’m Watching

1. Nittany Lions Offense– As I mentioned up top, they’re steady but they unfortunately lack explosiveness. This is concerning, but hey, they’ve been winning football games with ball control and stingy defense. Drew Allar will have to make a play or two with his arm and push this football down the field.

2. JTT!– J.T. Tuimoloau was an absolute star in this matchup last year in Happy Valley. I want to see what he does for an encore. He basically ripped apart the Penn State offensive game plan and took matters into his own hands pretty much. Don’t be shocked if you see Penn State have additional blockers on the side where J.T. is today.

3. Diaz/Day– Believe it or not, one of the more important matchups in this game is happening on the sidelines. I’m talking about Manny Diaz, the Defensive Coordinator for Penn State and Ryan Day, the Head Coach of the Buckeyes. Manny is going to dial up all he can to confuse McCord and I want to see how Ryan will counter attack what Manny will do. Coaches can determine the outcome of games too!

Final Thoughts: I’ve had the privilege to preview this matchup six times with this one being the seventh and this has become one of my favorites matchups in all of college football. The winner of this football game will be labeled as the biggest threat to the Michigan Wolverines in the Big Ten East. Two of the best defenses will be on display here. This will be the best secondary the Buckeyes will have faced all year long and Penn State can hang with them. They have allowed only one passing touchdown all year. Expect them to get after McCord and get him in some long yardage situations. Ohio State is tough against the run so it could be a long day at the office for Allen and Singleton. Another matchup I’ll be watching is the Penn State Defensive Line against the Ohio State Offensive Line which has been questionable at times. Also, will Penn State be able to generate any type of big plays down the field? I know Ohio State will which will carry them to victory. I like the Buckeyes to keep it rolling.

Prediction: Ohio State 22, Penn State 17