A road team is set to enter Ohio Stadium ranked in the top two in the country for the first time in 11 years.
Penn State has not lost this season and is coming off of a 42-13 thrashing of Michigan, a team that pummeled them a season ago.
The Nittany Lions, despite their No. 2 ranking, are currently underdogs for their trip to Columbus, but don't exactly have the the makeup of a team that should be expected to lose.
It's time to take a look at Penn State's personnel.
Offense (Spread)
Quarterback: Trace McSorley (No. 9) 6-foot, 195 pounds, redshirt junior
Strengths:
- Very mobile. Moves well in the pocket and extends plays with his feet. Reads veer option well.
- Is at his best when executing run-pass option plays.
- Has shown excellent placement on deep throws both over the middle and up the sideline.
Weaknesses:
- Struggles at times reading coverage when his first or second option is covered. Has thrown five interceptions in seven games.
Running back: Saquon Barkley (No. 26) 5-foot-11, 230 pounds, junior
Strengths:
- Strong, physical runner with breakaway speed. Usually able to make first defender miss.
- Excellent hands out of the backfield. Leads team in receptions, carries and rushing yards.
- Outstanding vision. Has ability to find a cut-back lane with one step.
Weaknesses:
- Inconsistent production. Has yet to put together back-to-back 100-yard rushing games this season.
Wide receiver: DaeSean Hamilton (No. 5) 6-foot-1, 206 pounds, redshirt senior / Juwan Johnson (No. 84) 6-foot-4, 226 pounds, redshirt sophomore / DeAndre Thompkins (No. 3) 5-foot-11, 187 pounds, redshirt junior / Tight end Mike Gesicki (No. 88) 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, senior
Strengths:
- Hamilton has been one of the best receivers in the Big Ten since he was a freshman in 2014. His best career game came against Ohio State in 2014, when he caught 14 passes for 126 yards in a double-overtime loss.
- Gesicki is one of if not the best tight end in the Big Ten. He has become a favorite target of McSorley's, especially on RPO plays. He creates a similar threat to that of Oklahoma's Mark Andrews.
- Johnson is less experienced than Gesicki and Hamilton but has great size on the outside. His size makes him a threat for back-shoulder throws and jump balls, passes that Ohio State has struggled to cover in recent years.
Weaknesses:
- Untested. Five out of Penn State's seven games have been played against defenses that rank 86th or worse in pass defense in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Only Michigan and Indiana rank higher.
Offensive line: LT Ryan Bates (No. 52) 6-foot-4, 312 pounds, redshirt sophomore / LG Steven Gonzalez (No. 74) 6-foot-4, 341 pounds, redshirt sophomore / C Connor McGovern (No. 66) 6-foot-5, 312 pounds, sophomore / RG Brendan Mahon (No. 70) 6-foot-4, 318 pounds, redshirt senior / RT Will Fries (No. 71) 6-foot-6, 305 pounds, redshirt freshman
Strengths:
- Run blocking. It's easier when Barkley is running behind them, but this offensive line blocks the zone scheme as well as anyone in the country despite its youth.
Weaknesses:
- Pass blocking. Where they succeed in the run game, this unit struggles to protect the quarterback. Penn State has allowed 18 sacks this season, tied for 92nd in the country.
Overall analysis: The majority of Penn State's offense is predicated on the success of McSorley reading and executing a plethora of RPOs. The run-pass option attack that the Nittany Lions execute so well is successful because when run right, it eliminates a defensive player from the action, so that the offense is playing 11-on-10 football.
While Barkley is the Heisman candidate and gets much of the attention, this offense goes as McSorley goes. If he reads the RPOs well like he has for much of his career, the Penn State offense will be difficult to slow down. The good news for Ohio State is it has already faced a similar offense this season in Oklahoma and has had an extra week to prepare for what the Nittany Lions will throw at them.
The battle at the line of scrimmage will almost always decide the winner, but Ohio State's linebackers will also be key in this game. If they can avoid getting sucked in on Penn State's run action and read their keys, the Buckeyes have the ability to slow down the Blue and White attack.
Defense (4-3)
Defensive line: DE Shareef Miller (No. 48) 6-foot-5, 257 pounds, redshirt sophomore / DT Curtis Cothran (No. 52) 6-foot-5, 301 pounds, redshirt senior / DT Parker Cothren (No. 41) 6-foot-4, 304 pounds, redshirt senior / DE Ryan Buchholz (No. 97) 6-foot-6, 275 pounds, redshirt sophomore
Strengths:
- Stellar interior line play. Penn State has allowed just 2.99 yards per carry this season and continuously won the battle at the line of scrimmage.
- Pass-rush. Penn State sacked Michigan's John O'Korn seven times on Saturday.
Weaknesses:
- Penn State has just one true speed rusher on its starting defensive line in Miller. At 275, Buchholz is more of a run stopper than a pass rusher.
Linebackers: WLB Manny Bowen (No. 43) 6-foot-1, 226 pounds, junior / MLB Jason Cabinda (No. 40) 6-foot-1, 234 pounds, senior / SLB Koa Farmer (No. 7) 6-foot-1, 237 pounds, redshirt junior
Strengths:
- Cabinda is one of if not the top middle linebacker in the Big Ten. He is a threat to rush the passer and a stellar run stopper. Has just one career interception.
- All three linebackers are athletic and play well in space.
Weaknesses:
- Farmer is the least experienced of the group after making the transition from safety to linebacker a year ago. However, he might also be the most athletic of the linebacker unit.
Defensive backs: CB Christian Campbell (No. 1) 6-foot-1, 194 pounds, senior / FS Marcus Allen (No. 2) 6-foot-2, 207 pounds, senior / SS Troy Apke (No. 28) 6-foot-1, 198 pounds, senior / CB Grant Haley (No. 15) 5-foot-9, 190 pounds, senior
Strengths:
- Veteran unit with four seniors across the board. Marcus Allen and Grant Haley combined for late-game heroics with a field goal block returned for a touchdown in last season's win over Ohio State.
- Campbell has the size and ability to play press man coverage if Penn State desires to. He often lines up on the boundary or short side of the field.
Weaknesses:
- Haley is undersized at cornerback. He will often play to the field for the Nittany Lions. If that trend continues, Ohio State could exploit that matchup with taller receivers such as Binjimen Victor or Austin Mack.
Overall analysis: Ohio State has not played many even fronts this season, so the timing of the bye week was good for the Buckeyes to prepare for a more traditional defense.
Penn State's defense is allowing less than 10 points per game this season, and a lot of that has to do with its veteran-laden personnel. Cabinda is the leader of this group, which has not allowed more than 19 points in a game the entire season.
For Ohio State to have success, it will have to keep J.T. Barrett clean, which was a struggle against Penn State a season ago. From there, getting the running game going will be essential to open up the play action pass behind the veteran secondary. The Buckeyes have the personnel to win matchups, but Barrett will have to be precise in his decision-making against an experienced defensive backfield.
Special Teams
Kicker: Tyler Davis (No. 95) 5-foot-11, 183 pounds, redshirt senior
Punter: Blake Gillikin (No. 93) 6-foot-2, 195, pounds, sophomore
Analysis: Should this game come down to a late field goal attempt for Penn State, the Nittany Lions will be holding their breath. Davis has converted on just 6-of-13 field goal attempts this season and had two kicks blocked. His long this season, however, is an impressive 47 yards.
Gillikin hasn't been called on much this year, but when he has, he has had success. Gillikin ranks second in the Big Ten in yards per punt (44.5) and has put 16 of his 28 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
