Big Ten Football Game of the Week: No. 3 Penn State vs. No. 4 Ohio State
When Ohio State and Penn State take the field Saturday, a lot will be on the line for both teams.
If Ohio State loses its second game of the season, the Buckeyes will be essentially eliminated from the Big Ten championship race and will have no chance for a top-four seed in the College Football Playoff. In fact, a second loss would potentially eliminate Ohio State from the playoff field, depending on how the rest of the country’s schedules play out. The Buckeyes could still get in, but they may need some help from other teams.
Meanwhile, Penn State is trying to improve to 8–0 and get on track to play in Indianapolis for the Big Ten championship. Beating Ohio State would be a milestone victory for the Nittany Lions’ program and their head coach, James Franklin. He has beaten the Buckeyes just once in his career, in 2016, and has lost seven in a row to them since then.
That Penn State win over Ohio State was also the last time Franklin has beaten a top-five opponent. Ryan Day has lost his last four games against top-five opponents. One of these head coaches is going to break a losing streak Saturday.
Penn State will try to get a lead early in this game and hold onto it. That is how the Lions are built to win games. They have allowed just six fourth-quarter points all season, but Ohio State is easily the best team they have played so far. The Nittany Lions will attempt to lean on Ohio State with their run game, which is averaging 197.1 yards per game. The Buckeyes boast the Big Ten’s best defense, presenting a formidable challenge for Penn State, which has yet to encounter a defense comparable to this one this year.
The stakes for this game are ultimately very simple. The winner will be on track for a potential conference championship and a first-round playoff bye, while the loser might be left hoping they can get in the field with an at-large bid. Whichever team wins this game controls its own destiny.
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.