How Penn State Football ruins Ohio State’s College Football Playoff hopes

Penn State Football is a double-digit underdog to Ohio State, following one of the worst losses in program history last weekend 

Penn State Football aims to rebound from a brutal, record-setting 9 overtime loss at home to the Illini by travelling to

the Big House

Ohio Stadium to take on the Buckeyes.

Last game sucked. The game before sucked. And, well, as 18.5 point underdogs, this game has that same word written all over it.

What will it take for the Nittany Lions to get back on the winning track vs (gulp), the Ohio State Buckeyes?

There is one simple key for both Penn State Football and Ohio State to win Saturday’s 7:30 pm primetime game on ABC and we will look at those keys in this week’s “We Win If, They Win If” column.

For more Penn State Football vs Ohio State coverage, click here for Franklin’s own undoing, gameday odds and the B1G power rankings.

In our last column, we said Illinois would win if they find the end zone four times.

Ok, this is a crappy ‘win’ because we obvioulsy were talking about touchdowns, not two-point conversions.

Penn State’s key was one or fewer turnovers … They did that, but it wasn’t enough.

We could claim a draw, but let’s face it, there were no winners last week, VBR included.

We’ll take the L and fall to 5-2 this year.

Here’s Penn State Football’s, and Ohio State’s biggest key to victory Saturday night

Ohio State Wins If …

You aren’t an 18.5 point favorite for no reason.

The Buckeyes have been ROLLING since their upset home loss to Oregon earlier in the year.  Ohio State clearly has the best offense in the conference and will be a strong test for the PSU secondary (and defensive line, and linebackers and Brent Pry, ok, so really everyone).

Ohio State wins if they manage the field position, and keep the game simple by forcing an average starting field position for the Nittany Lions inside their own 35-yard line for much of the night.

Penn State wins if …

Penn State wins if, um, Ohio State turns it over 12 times?

Listen, this is going to be an uphill climb for a team likely very short in confidence right now.

It would be easy to make some crazy ‘We Win If’ prediction like ‘Clifford throws for 5 touchdowns,’ or ‘Penn State has two hundred yard rusher’ (heck, could you imagine even one?), or idk, the Buckeyes’ starters decide not to show up?

This is still a game between two ranked teams, however, and even if it ends up being in defeat, this is an important game for the Nits amid the Franklin rumors to show the nation State College isn’t slowly going up in smoke.

The Penn State offense has to find a way to keep the Buckeye offense off the field.

So, Penn State wins if they win the time of possession battle by 5+ minutes.