THE PERTINENT INFO

When: Saturday, October 30, 2021
Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
TV: 7:30 // ABC
Announcers: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe

This will be the 37th time Ohio State and Penn State have faced each other in football. The Buckeyes hold a 22–14* advantage in the all-time series and are 13–7 when playing the kitty cats in Columbus. 

Jimmy Franklin's team laid an egg last week and were stunned by Illinois, 20-18 in nine overtimes. Expect the Nittany Lions to play with feral ferocity to start the game. If Ohio State can jump on Penn State early, the Pennsylvania boys might fold.  

Below, you will find some interesting facts about the teams, key offensive player stats, coach information, and team stats.

*NCAA sanctions be damned.

Below, you will find some interesting facts about the teams, key offensive player stats, coach information, and team stats.

THE LAST TIME...

• Ohio State lost to a ranked conference opponent was 2015.
• The Buckeyes lost a home game to a ranked Big Ten team was 2015.
• The Scarlet and Gray played on October 30th was in 2010. Jim Tressel's team massacred Minnesota, 52-10, in Minneapolis.
• The Buckeyes lost to Penn State was 2016.
• The Scarlet and Gray lost the eighth game of the season was to Alabama in last year's CFP National Championship.

ON THE HORIZON​

• Jeremy Ruckert is one touchdown catch away from tying Jake Stoneburner for first on the all-time TE career touchdown with 13.
• Chris Olave is a 100-yard receiving game away from surpassing Michael Jenkins for second place on Ohio State's all-time career list with ten 100-yard games.
• Olave is one touchdown catch away from passing Devin Smith (30) for sole possession of second on the all-time career touchdown list. David Boston has the record with 34.
• Olave (2,284) needs 12 yards to pass Santonio Holmes for seventh and 49 yards to pass K.J. Hill for sixth on the all-time receiving yards list.
• Olave (142) is two receptions from passing Parris Campbell for seventh and four catches away from surpassing Corey Brown for sixth on the all-time receptions list.
• Garrett Wilson needs nine yards to pass Parris Campbell for 16th and 50 yards to pass Jeff Graham for 15th on the all-time receiving yards list.
• Ohio State has reached 500 total yards of offense in six straight games, a tie for a program best.
• This will be the third time the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions have played on October 30th. Ohio State won the first two games (2004, 1993) and all three contests have been played in Columbus.

LET'S GO STREAKING

• The Buckeyes have won 25 straight conference games (including three title game victories).
• Garrett Wilson has at least one catch in 28 straight games.
• TreVeyon Henderson has scored at least one touchdown in every game this season.
• Ohio State has reached 500 total yards of offense in six straight games, a tie for a program best.
• The Scarlet and Gray has scored 50 or more points in four games in a row.
• The Buckeyes have defeated three consecutive conference opponents by 39+ points. 
• Ohio State has scored a touchdown on its opening drive in three straight games.

GET TO KNOW PENN STATE

• Penn State University is located in State College, PA. 
• The university was established in 1855 as Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania.
• The Nittany Lions are 5–2 this season.
• Since joining the Big Ten, Penn State is 146–85 (.632) against conference opponents.
• Penn State's mascot is the Nittany Lion. It was created by a senior student in 1907.
• The first recorded game in PSU history was played on November 12, 1881. Penn State went to Bucknell and won 9-0.
• Notable alumni are: John Aniston (dude who blessed the world by creating Jennifer), Keegan-Michael Key (Jimmy Franklin look-alike and the less talented half of Key and Peele), Jonathan Frakes (Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation), Lisa Salters (ESPN), Lara Spencer (co-anchor of Good Morning America), Tom Verducci (Sports Illustrated), Andrew Kevin Walker (wrote the movie Seven), Rake Yohn (Viva La Bam and Jackass), LaVar Arrington (linebacker), Todd Bleckledge (QB and ESPN), Courtney Brown (DE, No. 1 overall pick), Calvin Booth (NBA), Ki-Jana Carter (No. 1 overall pick)

STRANGE PENNSYLVANIA LAWS

It is illegal to sing while in the bathtub.
I've heard the acoustics are phenomenal in the tub. 

More than 16 women cannot legally live together, as it constitutes a brothel.
I don't think it should be legal for more than 16 people of any gender to live in the same house. This might explain why people in Pennsylvania aren't allowed to sing in the bathtub, that bathroom needs to be available.

When in Allentown, men are not allowed to become aroused in public.
There must have been some randy dudes walking around the streets for the townspeople to feel the need to make this a law.

In Morrisville, women must have the appropriate permit to wear cosmetics.
This might make more sense if this law was in Allentown.

It is illegal to buy more than two packages of beer at a time, unless you are buying from an official beer distributor.
This isn't right, especially if the ladies aren't wearing makeup, .

​TODAY'S TRIVIA QUESTIONS:

1. C.J. Stroud has won the Big Ten Freshman of the Week award five times this season. Who holds the Buckeye record winning this award seven times?
2. When was the last time a ranked Ohio State team lost to Penn State in Ohio Stadium?
3.  Can you name the Buckeye quarterback who has the most passing yards in a single game against the Nittany Lions?

Answers at the bottom of today's article.

2021 Player Comparison

OFFENSIVE LEADERS
C.J. STROUD	1,965 YDS // 22 TD // 3 INT	PASSING	SEAN CLIFFORD	1,647YDS // 12 TD // 5 INTS
TREVEYON HENDERSON	693 YDS // 8.8 YPC // 11 TD	RUSHING	NOAH CAIN	245 YDS // 3.1 YPC // 4 TD
GARRETT WILSON	605 YDS // 16.8 YPR // 6 TD	RECEIVING	JAHAN DOTSON	563 YDS // 11.5 YPR // 6 TD
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
RONNIE HICKMAN	52	TACKLES	ELLIS BROOKS	55
HASKELL GARRETT	4.5	SACKS	ARNOLD EBIKETIE	5.5
RONNIE HICKMAN /// RYAN WATTS	2	INTERCEPTIONS	JIAYIR BROWN	3
SPECIAL TEAMS
GARRETT WILSON	5.3 YPR	PUNT RETURNER	JAHAN DOTSON	7.2 YPR
EMEKA EGBUKA	35.2 YPR	KICKOFF RETURN	DEVYN FORD	18.0 YPR
JESSE MIRCO	43.6	PUNTING	JORDAN STOUT	48.4
4		EDGE	5

 

THE COACHES

Ryan Day

• 29–3 (.906) at Ohio State
• 29–3 (.906) overall

Day's hometown is Manchester, NH. He attended Manchester High School and attended college at New Hampshire. Day has been in coaching for 20 years and is Ohio State's 25th head coach. 

Over his three seasons as the Buckeyes' head coach, Ryan Day's teams have outscored their B1G opponents 994-334. That is an average victory of 47-16. 

After 32 games with Day as head coach, Ohio State has put up a program record 1,498 points. Urban Meyer's teams had 1,362 points after 32 contests.

Jimmy Franklin

• 65–30 (.684) at Penn State (8th year)
• 89–45 (.664) overall as a college head coach (10th year)
• 40–25 (.615) against B1G opponents

Franklin played quarterback for East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania for four seasons. He left the school with seven program records and a degree in Psychology in 1995.

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is where Franklin started as a WR coach in 1995. He went on to serve as an assistant at the following schools: East Stroudsburg, Roskilde Kings, James Madison, Washington State, Idaho State, Maryland and Kansas State. Franklin was also an intern for the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings.

Before his stay at Penn State, Franklin was the head coach at Vanderbilt where he led the Commodores to consecutive bowl games for the first time in program history. He is currently under contract with PSU through the 2022 season.

CLIFF CLAVEN'S LITTLE KNOWN FACTS CORNER

• 0.....rushing touchdowns allowed by Ohio State since Oregon.
• 1.....Buckeyes national rank in total offense and scoring offense.
• 2.....wins for PSU in Ohio Stadium since joining the Big Ten.
• 3......wins in night games this season.
• 4......touchdown runs of 40+ yards from TreVeyon Henderson. 
• 5.......touchdowns scored by the Silver Bullets.
• 6.......touchdowns allowed by the Buckeyes in the last three games.
• 7......B1G Freshman of the Week Awards for Ohio State this season.
• 8.......victories for Penn State against the Buckeyes since 1993.
• 9.......interceptions by the Silver Bullets this season.
• 11.....average points allowed by the defense in the last four games.
• 12.....times Ohio State has scored 50+ points since 2019.
• 14.....touchdown passes thrown by C.J. Stroud in the last three games.
• 15.....the Buckeyes are 15-0 when starting the season against B1G foes.
• 16.....straight field goals made by Noah Ruggles inside of 50 yards. 
• 18.....times Ohio State has finished a season with at least 11 wins.
• 19.....straight drives the OSU scored against Rutgers, Maryland and Indiana.
• 21.....consecutive conference wins under Ryan Day.
• 24.....games of 500+ yards of total offense with Day as head coach.
• 25.....consecutive Big Ten wins for the Buckeyes.
• 27.....the school record for interceptions in a season.
• 28.....consecutive games Garrett Wilson has had at least one reception.
• 30.....TreVeyon Henderson has six rushes of 30+ yards.
• 31.....the Buckeyes average margin of victory against B1G opponents with Day as head coach.
• 33.....straight seasons ranked in the AP preseason Top 25.
• 35.....completions for C.J. Stroud against Oregon, second most in school history.
• 40.....Ohio State's average margin of victory over unranked B1G teams under Day.
• 47.....touchdowns for Olave and Wilson, the most ever for a Buckeye WR duo.
• 49.....years Archie Griffin's freshman single-game rushing record stood.
• 52.....tackles for Ronnie Hickman this season.
• 70.....yards TreVeyon Henerson blazed for his first touchdown.
• 71.....yards Miyan Williams rumbles to score the Buckeyes' first TD in 2021.
• 85.....yards Kyle McCord and Emeka Egbuka connected for against Akron, tied for the third longest pass play in Ohio State history.
• 89.....Consensus All-Americans.
• 99.....homecoming games for Ohio State.
• 100...this is the 100th season the Scarlet and Gray have played in Ohio Stadium.
• 132....number of years for Buckeye football.
• 152...the number of years The Ohio State University has been in the education business.
• 184...number of passing touchdowns since 2017 (Ryan Day's arrival).
• 270...rushing yards for TreVeyon Henderson against Tulsa, a freshman record.
• 456...victories for the Buckeyes in Ohio Stadium.
• 464...Ohio Stadium victories for the Buckeyes when including the 2010 season.
• 937...number of official wins for the program (we know it's actually 949).
• 942...times Ohio State has been ranked in the AP poll. 

2021 Statistical Comparison

OFFENSE
49.3	1st	POINTS FOR	26.9	79th
207.6	25th	RUSHING OFFENSE	118.9	100th
352.1	7th	PASSING OFFENSE	253.6	47th
559.7	1st	TOTAL OFFENSE	372.4	86th
.577	3rd	3rd DOWNS	.330	115th
.966	6th	RED ZONE	.875	48th
DEFENSE
18.6	19th	POINTS ALLOWED	14.7	6th
119.4	28th	RUSH DEFENSE	146.4	62nd
230.9	73rd	PASS DEFENSE	178.0	15th
122.2	36th	PASS EFFICIENCY DEFENSE	97.0	3rd
350.3	48th	TOTAL DEFENSE	324.4	26th
.404	82nd	3rd DOWNS	.367	47th
.810	57th	RED ZONE	.652	7th
SPECIAL TEAMS
5.3	97th	PUNT RETURN	6.6	82nd
29.7	7th	KICKOFF RETURN	16.9	115th
42.3	24th	NET PUNTING	46.2	3rd
MISCELLANEOUS
+0.9	19th	TURNOVER MARGIN	+0.9	19th
6.3	67th	PENALTIES	6.1	62nd
9		EDGE	10

TODAY'S TRIVIA ANSWERS

C.J. Stroud has won the Big Ten Freshman of the Week award five times this season. Who holds the Buckeye record winning this award seven times?

Answer: 
In 2014, J.T. Barrett was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week seven times.

Can you name the last time a ranked Ohio State team lost to Penn State in Ohio Stadium?

Answer: 2008. No. 10 Ohio State lost to No. 3 Penn State, 13-6, on a prime time game. The Buckeyes did lose to PSU in 2011, but Luke Fickell's team was not ranked.

Can you name the Buckeye quarterback who has the most passing yards in a single game against the Nittany Lions?

Answer: On October 11, 1997, Joe Germaine bombed Penn State for 378 yards and two touchdowns in Happy Valley. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough as the Nittany Lions escaped with a 31-27 victory.

Did you know? Ohio State has never defeated Penn State in five consecutive games? The Buckeyes can achieve this with a victory on Saturday.