Records
Ohio State (10-0), Penn State (9-1)
Broadcast, TV, Game Time
Date: Saturday, November 23
Game Time: Noon ET
Network: FOX
Venue: Ohio Stadium – Capacity: 104,944
All-Time Series: Ohio State leads 19-14
Last Meeting: Ohio State defeated Penn State 27-26 in 2018
All the games matter, it’s what makes college football so special, but some games matter just a little more. For Ohio State, it’s been business as usual for the first ten games of the season, but now the real fun begins.
Penn State comes to town on Saturday for another highly touted matchup which will basically decide the Big Ten East champion. With a win, the Buckeyes clinch the division crown. Should the Nittany Lions pull the upset, they’d still need to take care of Rutgers in the season finale which wouldn’t be much of a problem.
Penn State has become somewhat of a secondary rivalry to TTUN and has provided much more drama in the past few seasons than the Maize and Blue. In 2016, it was PSU pulling the upset with a blocked field goal in the final moments of the game. The 2017 and 2018 editions saw two of the most epic comebacks in Buckeye history.
The stakes are high once again this year. So much so, ESPN’s College Game Day will be in town, along with FOX’s Big Noon Kick crew and BTN’s Tailgate pregame show. You know something special is in the air when all three converge on the same scene.
Will the Buckeye’s finally be tested or steamroll another opponent on their way to the College Football Playoff? Let’s take a closer look.
Next … The game plan
Ohio State game plan for victory
The Buckeyes have had a winning recipe all season long. Efficient and balanced on offense and suffocating on defense. There will need to be more of the same to remain unbeaten.
Penn State has one of the top ranked defenses in the nation coming in top five the Big Ten and top 20 in the nation giving up only 13.5 ppg. Fortunately, Ohio State has faced a top tier defense earlier in the season in Wisconsin and the Buckeye offense was just too much for the Badgers.
Ohio State will have to account for two bookend defensive linemen in Shaka Toney and Yetur Gross-Matos each pulling in 6.5 sacks on the season.
The Buckeye defense faces a more than capable Nittany Lion offense. QB Sean Clifford has been outstanding in his first year starting, throwing for over 2,400 yards and 22 touchdowns to only 6 interceptions. But it’s Clifford’s receiving threats KJ Hamler and Jahan Dotson that could cause problems. Both are averaging over 17 yards per reception and have a combined 11 receiving TDs. The good news? Ohio State has NFL talent aplenty in the secondary.
Penn State is the second most potent offense in the Big Ten (behind Ohio State) but with Chase Young back in the mix, will Clifford have time to connect with his big play receivers?
Odds via BetMGM. Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 1 p.m. ET.
Next … The key players for Ohio State
Two Key Players For Ohio State
Justin Fields, Quarterback. Justin Fields has been just about perfect this season. Seriously… Fields has completed 69.1% of his passes, has thrown 31 touchdowns to only 1 interception, rushed for ten more TDs and owns a QB rating of over 190. Those of us who’ve watched him play know he’s the real deal. He’ll have the opportunity to prove himself once again, this time against a top ten team.
Chase Young, Defensive End. He’s back. He’s rested. And my guess, he’s angry. Bad combination if you’re a Penn State offensive lineman trying to stop Young. The Buckeyes dodged a bullet when Young’s suspension was ruled to be only two games. Even better when those two games were Maryland and Rutgers. Now, a probable top five pick in the NFL draft is back for the stretch run and the most important games of the season.
Next … How it’ll all do down
The prediction
All the Buckeyes have done is win and have done so in dominant fashion with an average margin of victory of 42.4 ppg. Even with all that dominance, there are still some who don’t believe. Ohio State is going to look to make a statement.
Penn State will be amped for a matchup against the No. 2 team in the country and eager to exact some revenge for the Buckeyes 2017 and 2018 come from behind victories. But this isn’t Happy Valley and there won’t be much to smile about for the Nittany Lions.
Ohio State most likely won’t win by 42, but the Buckeyes have a much deeper team than Penn State. Too many weapons on offense will get the Buckeyes into the end zone often and a rested Chase Young will look to wreak havoc.
Penn State will be able to keep it reasonably close in the first half before the Bucks take off to seal a signature top ten win.
Final Score
Ohio State 42, Penn State 17
Line
Ohio State -18
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