Who will win Saturday’s top-10 matchup between Ohio State and Penn State? Our picks
Penn State will face its biggest challenge of the season Saturday, so we’ve decided to go on the record with our picks for how the Nittany Lions’ matchup with Ohio State will unfold.
Here are our picks and predictions for Penn State’s road game against the Buckeyes.
Jon Sauber: Penn State 21, Ohio State 17
This game is all about how well Penn State’s defense performs. The pass rush is elite, with arguably the best edge rushing trio in the country, and defensive coordinator Manny Diaz has proven he’s willing to bring pressure to disrupt an offense’s rhythm. OSU quarterback Kyle McCord has been good but not great this season and has — for good reason — relied on Marvin Harrison Jr. making plays with the ball in the air. Making McCord feel the defense’s presence will make it that much harder for him to find his receivers.
On the other side of the ball, I still have a hard time seeing any type of breakout performance for sophomore quarterback Drew Allar, but I do think he’s capable of making a big play or two that could flip the game. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen will be the focal point, with someone needing to step up and make something happen if the Ohio State defense — which is also one of the best in the country — consistently forces the Nittany Lions to punt.
I still think the offense will do just enough — including getting a big play from WR Harrison Wallace III — and Chop Robinson will come up with a big sack that essentially ends the game.
Josh Moyer: Ohio State 23, Penn State 20
Boy, was it tempting to pick the Nittany Lions here. This is James Franklin’s best team since arriving in Happy Valley. The defense is elite. QB Drew Allar is a future NFL star.
So why am I picking against Penn State? Well, just because Penn State is better than past Penn State teams doesn’t mean it’s better than this Ohio State team. It’s close. But the Buckeyes boast more offensive playmakers, and I think their pass-catchers on the outside will give them the edge in crunch time. We’ve seen Penn State’s offense struggle to achieve explosive plays this year, and I wonder how they respond when they fall behind — since PSU has trailed for less than 15 minutes so far this year, when sputtering against Northwestern in the first half.
Ohio State is more battle-tested, this game is at the ‘Shoe, and Franklin is 1-8 vs. the Buckeyes. When you add that all together, I see Penn State beating the spread — but not OSU.
Matt DiSanto: Ohio State 27, Penn State 23
For the first time in years, Ohio State appears mortal. The Buckeyes remain one of the best teams in college football, but Penn State figures to have a real shot at winning in Columbus against this team that’s shown far more flashes of inconsistency than fans have seen in years. Of course, the Nittany Lions have their work cut out for them — especially with just one win over Ohio State in the last decade.
Even with a first-year quarterback under center for the Buckeyes, Ohio State is my pick to win this game. A win should require Penn State’s offense to play mistake-free football while the Nittany Lions’ defense puts enough pressure on the Buckeyes’ attack, but that’s quite a tall task. I am confident James Franklin will earn a coveted win over Ohio State at some point in Drew Allar’s tenure, but I don’t think the Nittany Lions will generate enough explosive plays against this stingy defense to land in the win column this weekend.
Avery Hill: Penn State 21, Ohio State 17
This year is the best shot that Penn State has had against Ohio State since 2018. To win, Penn State will need its running back duo of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen to find a way to break one for their squad behind a healthy offensive line. Caeden Wallace is back and should keep J.T. Tuimoloau from repeating what he did in Wallace’s absence last season.
On the other side, the Nittany Lion’s defense will have to get pressure on Kyle McCord without having to send its secondary as otherwise, it risks Marvin Harrison Jr. getting loose once again. With Ohio State’s running back room dealing with injury, they will be forced to put the ball in the air and play to Penn State’s strengths. Now that defensive coordinator Manny Diaz gets a second crack at it, I think he will scheme up the game that takes Penn State over Ohio State with Mike Yurcich’s offense finishing it off with a game-winning drive.
