Penn State coach James Franklin resisted calling it a measuring-stick game, however.
“We’re trying to find a way to get a win this week against a really good team, against a program we got tremendous respect for, coaching staff we got a ton of respect for (and) the talent they have,” Franklin said. “But we approach it the same every single week. Everybody on the outside is talking. We’re approaching it the way we do every single week. This is a really important game. Why? Because of how we’ve handed the previous six. If we didn’t handle the previous six the right way, you wouldn’t be asking that question.
“So each week is really important. That’s how we approach it.”
Here are three keys to the top 10 matchup:
1. This will be the biggest challenge the Ohio State offensive line has faced.
The rebuilt front has had its ups and downs this season but is coming off a solid performance at Purdue.
Now the third-ranked Buckeyes will have to contend with the team that leads the nation in sacks per game (4.5) and is fifth in tackles for loss per game (8.5).
“I think there’s always plays that we can improve on, but this will be our biggest challenge to date,” Day said. “They’re very twitchy, very quick. They get after the quarterback at a high level. Both ends are NFL players, for sure. They’ve been very productive, disruptive. And so our tackles in particular are gonna have to do a great job. They are creative about where they align guys and everything. So it’s going to be everybody. They do a lot of moving and do a lot of blitzing. So we’ve gotta be on our game, but been like that against Penn State for a long time.”
Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord said the Buckeyes have handled the blitz fairly well.
“I’m not sure what the stats are, but I feel like we’ve done a pretty good job of myself getting the ball out and receivers winning off the line, which is huge. And I think the line’s done a good job picking it up and running backs sticking their nose in there and giving me an extra second to make a play down the field.”
Ohio State being able to run the ball is another question.
The Buckeyes are 92nd in the country with 135 yards per game on the ground, and they are 69th in converting short-yardage situations.
But they rank 45th in rushing success rate, which measures play-by-play results, while Penn State is third in defensive rushing success rate (29.4%).
Credit: DaytonDailyNews
2. Penn State may not have shown all it can do.
While the Nittany Lions defense has gaudy stats, an offense that was expected to be explosive has put up pedestrian numbers.
Is there more juice to be squeezed from that fruit?
“I guess that’s a question that comes up at the beginning of every season, but when you’re this far into the year, typically that’s not something that gets talked about a whole lot,” Day said.
Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles acknowledged he might have to prepare for things Penn State has not put on tape, including more of a downfield passing game under first-year starting quarterback Drew Allar, an Ohio native.
“Yes, he’s talented,” Knowles said. “He makes good decisions. I think they feel like they have a full complement of offense, and we need to have a full complement of defense.”
Therefore, Knowles has a simple mantra this week.
“Stop everything,” he said. “Prepare for everything. Stop everything. You have answers for everything. That’s basically it.”
3. Ohio State has some major injury questions.
Five notable Buckeyes could miss the game, but not surprisingly their coaches and teammates expressed much confidence in their potential replacements.
At running back, Dallan Hayden has already answered the bell three times in the wake of injuries to TreVeyon Henderson and Miyan Williams over the past year and a half. That includes last week after No. 3 back Chip Trayanum also left the game.
Questions are bigger at receiver, where Emeka Egbuka is a versatile weapon who not only takes attention away from Marvin Harrison Jr. but is also an option in the running game and a good blocker.
If Egbuka is out again, that figures to mean more snaps for Pennsylvania native Julian Fleming, true freshman Carnell Tate and former walk-on Xavier Johnson Jr., who can also line up in the backfield.
On defense, junior cornerback Denzel Burke was enjoying his best season before going out last week with an unidentified injury.
True freshman Jermaine Mathews Jr. replaced Burke last week and could be called upon again if Burke can’t go.
“We’re confident in Jermaine,” Knowles said. “For a true freshman, he’s got a lot of guts. He’s got a lot of moxie. He’s just talented, and he’s shown the ability to make plays so we’re confident in putting him in there.”
SATURDAY’S GAME
Penn State at Ohio State, Noon, Fox, 1410
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