Penn State football: 3 season-defining games in 2022

1. Ohio State

Though the Buckeyes did not win the Big Ten title in 2021, it is still well-known that the conference runs through Columbus. Since 2016, Penn State football has come close to dethroning the Buckeyes many times, though they have come up short all but once.

Since the Big Ten switched to east and west divisions, only three teams not named Ohio State have won the conference: Michigan (2021), Michigan State (2015), and Penn State (2016). What do all three of these teams have in common? They all defeated Ohio State during their conference title season.

No other team has come as close as Penn State football has to defeat Ohio State numerous times over the past seven seasons, and for the first time since 2018, the Nittany Lions will have a shot at Ohio State in a packed Beaver Stadium (the pandemic prevented fans from entering the stadium in 2020).

Although the game against OSU will likely be a day game–either noon or 3:30 PM kick-off is predicted–Penn State has announced that the game will be the annual “stripe out” game, and the stadium will be striped with blue and white in alternating sections. The week before, Penn State has a shot at Minnesota in the white-out on homecoming weekend, which could generate a lot of hype heading into the Ohio State game if Penn State remains in contention for the conference.

One thing is for sure: if Penn State expects to make waves nationally or in the Big Ten, it must defeat the Buckeyes–and James Franklin will have no better chance than in front of a sold-out crowd on October 29th.