Ohio State Receives Ominous Take For Penn State Matchup

The Ohio State Buckeyes have received a rather concerning take heading into their pivotal Big Ten matchup with the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) runs the ball against Nebraska Cornhuskers during the fourth quarter of their game at Ohio Stadium on Oct 26, 2024, in Columbus. / Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers this past Saturday, but it was much harder than it should have been.

Ohio State won by a score of 21-17—at home, mind you—and had a lot of difficulty protecting quarterback Will Howard.

The Buckeyes' offensive line was seen as a potential issue heading into the season, and while it looked solid early on, it may be showing its warts now that the competition has increased.

Bleacher Report's David Kenyon doesn't seem to be feeling too great about Ohio State going into its pivotal Week 10 matchup with the Penn State Nittany Lions.

"Panic, no. Concern? You bet," Kenyon wrote. "The competition level is only rising, too; Ohio State travels to unblemished, third-ranked Penn State on Saturday. If the Buckeyes lose, they'd still have Playoff potential. But with losses to Oregon and Penn State, the goal of reclaiming the Big Ten championship would elude OSU in 2024."

The Buckeyes lost to the Oregon Ducks in their biggest test of the season in Week 7. Following a Week 8 bye, they looked largely out of sorts against Nebraska, and now, they will have to face a Penn State squad that is every bit as significant of a challenge as Oregon.

Ohio State boasts arguably the most talented roster in the country, but its two biggest question marks—the offensive line and the quarterback position—appeared to be issues versus the Cornhuskers. Then there is the whole elephant in the room of Ryan Day struggling to win big games.

A win against the Nittany Lions this coming weekend would quickly squelch any doubt about the Buckeyes (for now), but a loss would send fans spiraling.