Penn State travels to Columbus this weekend to take on the
number one team in the country, THE Ohio State Buckeyes. This is the game that
could define which direction Penn State football is going. Either they compete
with the Buckeyes, potentially beat them, or they get blown out like they did
the last time they played this team in Columbus, a 63-14 embarrassment.
If Penn State comes in with a healthy team, aka having
running back Saquon Barkley running the ball, then the team has a chance. But
they have to play a perfect game. Ohio State is a team that makes big plays
when it has to, in all aspects of the game, that’s what great teams do. That’s
why they are the reigning National Champions. They might not be blowing teams
out like they should but they are making the plays that great teams make when
they want to put a team down. Penn State has been winning ugly, but they’ve
been winning. Head coach James Franklin isn’t concerned with point spreads, he
wasn’t concerned that his team was favored by 25 over Army and only beat them
by 6. He doesn’t care. And neither should we.
Penn State wins if...
- · Saquon Barkley is healthy. If the freshman can play that will open up the passing game for quarterback Christian Hackenberg to take some shots down field. I’m not saying they have to throw it deep every play, but to win big games you have to make big plays. If Barkley doesn’t play and Penn State has to rely on Hackenberg to throw it with no run support it could be a long night.
- · It goes without saying that Hack can’t get sacked so there’s that.
- · They also need their defensive front seven to play like All-Americans, especially the big guys up front. Defensive end Carl Nassib leads the nation in sacks and will need to add to that total. Defensive tackles Anthony Zettel and Austin Johnson are All-American caliber players and must play like it.
- · The last and most important area that Penn State must win is special teams. Whoever is punting, Chris Gulla or Daniel Pasquariello, must ensure that Ohio State’s return game doesn’t get a chance to set up. Last week Joey ‘Big Toe’ Julius missed two extra points and was replaced by Tyler Davis. James Franklin still has confidence in Julius but he’s going to have to be perfect on field goals, extra points, and kickoffs. If the defense can get the Ohio State offense off the field, DeAndre Thompkins will have to turn into Derrick Williams and give his offense great field position. Maybe even a touchdown.
- They don't do any of those things.
- They turn the ball over
- They don't help with Joey Bosa with a tight end or running back
- Hackenberg get's sacked more than 3 times
This game can go many different ways and most of those ways have Penn State losing but if the Nittany Lions can somehow go into Columbus and pull off the upset it would go a long way to springboard them into the right direction.
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