What the Penn State-Ohio State Game Means for the Nittany Lions

Penn State has a chance to change its short- and long-term outlooks with a win over the Buckeyes.

Penn State coach James Franklin looks on from the sideline during the second quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Since the moment the 2024 Big Ten football schedules were revealed, Penn State’s eighth game of the season was always circled as its biggest. Regardless of how the Nittany Lions performed in their first seven games, facing Ohio State, a team they’re 1-11 against in their last 12 meetings, was an opportunity for some get-back.

Now, with Penn State sitting at 7-0 and Ohio State at 6-1, Saturday’s contest is even more juiced. For the fourth time this college football season, a top-5 clash will unfold with significant postseason implications. However, in a fresh landscape altered by the 12-team College Football Playoff, does the game still hold the weight it has in the past? Here’s a look at what a win — or a loss — for Penn State could mean for coach James Franklin and the rest of the season.

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How a Penn State win boosts its playoff outlook

There’s no doubt this matchup carries enormous meaning to both teams and their fanbases. For years, Penn State’s seasons largely have been defined by its records against Ohio State (Franklin is 1-9) and Michigan (3-7). But because the Nittany Lions won’t face the Wolverines this season, this is the only opportunity for their current group to confront the past. 

In recent years, a win against Ohio State was imperative for any realistic playoff hopes. The expanded playoff has changed the stakes, though. If Penn State can beat the Buckeyes, the biggest impact would be a drastically increased chance of a matchup against Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game. Same for Ohio State.

“An opportunity to go to Indianapolis is on the line,” Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said. “Our guys are excited to play in this game.”

Franklin was asked this week how the expanded playoff affects the true significance of this game. This likely isn’t a do-or-die weekend for the Nittany Lions, especially given their prior 7-0 record.

“I'm not sure. I think it's been impactful," Franklin said of the expanded playoff. "I was told for a long time it wasn't, that it all levels out in the end. I think we all know that's not necessarily the case. So yeah, I think it probably changes some things. "I do think the expanded playoffs are a good thing for college football.”

A win over the Buckeyes would lift Penn State to 8-0, a huge step toward a home playoff game in Beaver Stadium in December. What depreciates the value of Saturday’s game, though, is the fact that both programs could host a playoff game no matter the result.

How a loss affects Penn State’s playoff outlook

On the other hand, an Ohio State victory would put Day’s team in a strong position to face Oregon for the Big Ten title. The Buckeyes’ path there is slightly tougher, though. They fell 32-31 to the Ducks in Week 7 and still have an undefeated Indiana squad on their schedule in November.  Ohio State is aware of how significant Saturday’s game is but also is a program with experience in these positions. 

“When you look at the schedule and you know you’re playing Penn State at Penn State, that’s enough to get you excited,” Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said. “That’s why you play. And that’s why you came to school here, is to play games like this.”

Should Ohio State make it eight straight wins over Penn State this weekend, the Nittany Lions’ undefeated start to 2024 would end. But based on how they’ve played this season, it would be fair to assume that Franklin’s team is capable of defeating Washington, Purdue, Minnesota and Maryland to end the season.

In that scenario, Penn State would be 11-1, which should be enough to grant a playoff game in Beaver Stadium. For Penn State, Saturday’s outcome is most likely to affect its ability to control its path to the conference title game and, potentially, its playoff seed. Both the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes are trending toward the playoffs, making this clash less about survival and more about asserting dominance within the conference.

How does the game affect Penn State's long-term outlook?

Of course, Saturday’s game goes deeper than playoff seeding. It’s about status, perception and progress as well. For Penn State, a win could shift the narrative that's haunted Franklin and his program for years — that it struggles in big games. 

There’s no erasing the Nittany Lions’ 20-12 loss to Ohio State last year or any of their other heartbreaking defeats to the Buckeyes in recent seasons. But a win Saturday could energize Penn State’s program by attracting recruits, boosting NIL contributions, increasing support for the Beaver Stadium renovations, etc. Flipping the outside perception surrounding the big-game struggles could change a lot for Penn State. 

Franklin, however, remained intent on keeping his team grounded and maintaining its routines.

“Trying to keep this thing as consistent and as structured as possible so that we can stick to our normal routine,” Franklin said. “All the other things, the stadium, different things that are going on, we don't deal with that. That's where … the administration handles all those things for me.”

With one of its most talented groups in years, Penn State has a rare opportunity to showcase the progress it has made. It won’t come easy against one of the most talented teams in the country, but Franklin is prepared to lead the Nittany Lions in easily their biggest matchup of the 2024 regular season.

“They're a really good football team. They're as talented of a roster as anybody in the country. They're that way every single year,” Franklin said. “We have to play really well. We have to play really clean. We're going to need a great environment. Yeah, it's a challenge. I think our guys are ready for the challenge.”

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Daniel Mader, a May 2024 graduate of Penn State, is an Editorial Intern with The Sporting News. As a student journalist with The Daily Collegian, he served as a sports editor and covered Nittany Lions women’s basketball, men’s volleyball and more. He has also covered Penn State football for NBC Sports and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, with additional work in the Centre Daily Times, Lancaster Online and more. Follow him on X @DanielMader_    or Instagram @dmadersports.