We know it’ll be a top ten matchup Saturday when Ohio State hosts Penn State. We also know the Nittany Lions have posed more challenges for the Buckeyes than maybe any other team in the Big Ten over the last few years. They’ve only knocked the door down one time, but almost every game has been a one possession affair since James Franklin’s been stomping around in Happy Valley.
We also know there will be three national, live shows all converging on Columbus to preview the game, and that says all you need to know about the stakes of this one. There are East Division title, Big Ten Championship, and College Football Playoff implications on the line.
But first things first, what’s front and center is that a win by Ohio State on Saturday over Penn State clinches the Big Ten East outright and a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game. It would be the Buckeyes third straight appearance in Indy.
An OSU win would result in the Nittany Lions’ second loss in conference play, and since Michigan has already been turned back twice, even a loss in Ann Arbor the following week would still leave Ohio State as the only one-loss squad in the East Division.
Surprisingly, no tie-breaker needed this time around.
If however, somehow, someway, Penn State finds a way to beat the Buckeyes, it would more than likely mean a trip to Indy for the Nittany Lions. Their next game would be against Rutgers — almost assuredly a win — with the tiebreaker for the head-to-head in hand.
So hopefully Ohio State stays hungry, focused, and intent on continuing to make history and we you can celebrate Saturday night by booking a trip to Indianapolis.
