Penn State vs. Ohio State Prediction Roundtable

Penn State has begun the 2015 season with a record of 5-1, aided by a five-game stretch of games at Beaver Stadium. This week, the Nittany Lions make their first trip out of Pennsylvania for the season. A Big Ten battle in Columbus against the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes is up next. Few are giving the Nittany Lions a chance.

The Nittany Lions are currently 17-point underdogs, and that’s not surprising considering the struggles they have had on offense, particularly the offensive line this season. Plus, the last time the Nittany Lions traveled to Columbus they limped home with a 63-14 loss.

Of course, anything can happen in college football, and Penn State seems to be improving at just the right time. Check out our staff predictions for the Big Ten battle in primetime Saturday night.

Lead Editor Barry Leonard Jr.

I’ve had this game pegged since the summer as one that the Nittany Lions could win. However, after watching six games, I’m afraid I was a bit too optimistic. Penn State has been inconsistent on offense, mainly due to the poor play of the offensive line.

As for the game with the Buckeyes, I wish I had an answer as to if Saquon Barkley will be playing. If he is, he’ll be a key component. If he’s not, the offense may struggle again. However, on a positive note, the Nittany Lions looked great last week against Indiana and I’m hoping that Christian Hackenberg has finally taken a step forward.

The thing that I’m most worried about in this game is Penn State’s offensive line going up against the Ohio State defensive line, namely Joey Bosa. Left tackle Paris Palmer has improved, but still doesn’t look great. Boss could have a huge day for the Buckeyes.

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If Penn State is going to have chance in this one, it’s going to be because of the defense. Carl Nassib, Anthony Johnson and Anthony Zettel are going to need to get into the Ohio Sate backfield and disrupt the play of either Cardale Jones or J.T. Barrett. Ezekiel Elliott is a tough runner who will likely see a lot of carries adjacent the Nittany Lions.

It’ll be closer than some are predicting, but in the end, Ohio State will pull ahead and come away with the 28-14 victory.

Staff Writer Marty Leap

If the Nittany Lions are going to have a chance against the top ranked Buckeyes Saturday night, there are a few things they are going to need. First off, they need a healthy Saquon Barkley at running back. Penn State’s offense played well against Indiana without him, but as we saw against Buffalo, Rutgers, and the first half against SDSU, the Nittany Lion offense is totally different when Barkley plays. If the Nittany Lions are going to have a chance, I believe they need to rush for at least 120 yards and this will be much easier to do with Barkley in the lineup.

Secondly, John Donovan must have a great gameplan again. In my opinion, Donovan did that against Indiana. Penn State’s offense was less predictable, more creative, and they took deep shots on early downs. These are all things that must happen again Saturday.

Finally, the defense must be lights out once more. Other than the second half against Temple Penn State’s defense has been great all season, and they will need it again Saturday. The defense is the healthiest it has been all season as right now they’re only missing Nyeem Wartman-White who is out for the season, and they need to recapture the magic of last year’s showdown with Ohio State. A lot of pressure will be on the secondary to be able to shutdown the Buckeye passing game while allowing Bob Shoop to put 7 or 8 men in the box to stop Ezekiel Elliot and the rushing attack.

Ultimately, I think the Nittany Lions give Ohio State all they can handle and then some Saturday night but come up just short. A huge worry of mine is the nation’s best pass rusher Joey Bosa going up against Penn State left tackle Paris Palmer. Palmer has played much better they past five games, but he still is having his struggles. I believe this matchup will burn the Nittany Lions and lead to a key Bosa sack or two Saturday night. Penn State hangs tough for three to three and a half quarters, before the Buckeyes get a late score to seal away a double digit victory.

Ohio State 30
Penn State 20

Staff Writer Shane Lunnen

Ohio State will be the toughest opponent to date that the Nittany Lions will face. The key for Penn State will be getting back Saquon Barkley at running back. With him in the backfield, it will open up more of the offense and they will avoid becoming one-dimensional. With all due respect to Nick Scott and Mark Allen, they just don’t have the same type of dynamic skills that Barkley brings to the table.

The matchup that worries me the most in this game is Paris Palmer versus Buckeye defensive end Joey Bosa. Palmer has been shaky at best and Bosa is an elite player. If the coaches don’t find a way to block him constantly, it could be a very long night for Christian Hackenberg.

The Penn State defense will provide a test for a Buckeye offense that is loaded with talent, but hasn’t quite found its stride yet midway through the season. The Nittany Lions must find a way to slow down running back Ezekiel Elliot and get after the quarterback, whether it is Cardale Jones or J.T. Barrett. Penn State is eighth in the nation in turnover margin with a +8, whereas Ohio State is a -2, so creating turnovers could swing momentum in the Nittany Lions favor.

Penn State will need to play a near perfect game to win this one. If it were played in Happy Valley, I would give them a bigger edge but a trip to Columbus for a team that is still finding its identity on offense is probably not a good thing. I predicted before the season that this would be a loss and I’m sticking with that pick.

Ohio State wins 27-13.

Staff Writer Nick Lemon

Ohio State has declared the game to be a Dark Night and are calling for black out conditions at the Horseshoe. The Nittany Lions, dressed in their iconic all-white jerseys, will attempt to light up the scoreboard while simultaneously dimming Ohio State’s College Football Playoff dreams.

As a lifelong Penn State fan you often believe that deep down in your heart the team is destined for great things. However, so many critical aspects of the game will have to play out perfectly for the Nittany Lions to pull off the monumental upset.

Penn State isn’t traveling to Columbus looking to bring home a moral victory. I predict the Nittany Lions comes out aggressively and Barkley does his best to electrify the Dark Night. As the game progresses Ohio State’s defensive line eventually overpowers the Lion’s offense forcing them into long yardage situations. As a result, Penn State’s offense is unable to execute consistently or sustain drives and it takes its toll on the defense. The momentum-changing plays that the Lions will desperately need in the second half will unfortunately go Ohio State’s way this season.

The night is always darkest right before the dawn. Penn State falls short in its upset bid but despite the loss it proves that it won’t be long before it is back among the elite teams in the Big Ten. Penn State loses a hard-fought game to the top-ranked Buckeyes, 31-17.

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