Most of the headlines leading up to Saturday’s game between Ohio State and Penn State have focused on the Nittany Lions offense and whether the Buckeyes defense will be able to stop them.
Even Eleven Warriors has been guilty of this, as we’ve written about everything from how Penn State’s offense resembles Oklahoma’s to how to defend Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and tight end Mike Gesicki. Our X’s and O’s guru, Kyle Jones, did an excellent Film Study this week on whether Ohio State can stop Penn State’s explosive, option-heavy offense.
Statistically, though, the two best units in Saturday’s game will be on the field when Ohio State has the ball.
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| PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS |
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7-0, 4-0 B1G ROSTER / SCHEDULE |
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3:30 P.M. – SATURDAY, OCT. 28 OHIO STADIUM COLUMBUS, OHIO |
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FOX FOX SPORTS GO |
Ohio State is tied for first in the Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring offense, with 47.3 points scored per game, entering Saturday’s contest.
Penn State, meanwhile, is ranked first in the FBS in scoring defense, with only 9.6 points allowed per game.
The matchup between Penn State’s offense, which features a Heisman frontrunner in Barkley and a talented playmaker at quarterback in Trace McSorley, against Ohio State’s talented but sometimes inconsistent defense is certainly one that deserves the attention it’s getting.
The matchup between Ohio State’s offense and Penn State’s defense, however, should not be overlooked.
It’s unlikely that either unit will still be the nation’s top-ranked unit on its respective side of the ball by the end of Saturday’s game, as each unit stands out as the toughest competition the other unit has faced. Penn State has not faced an offense that has averaged more than 26.1 points per game or ranks better than 81st in scoring offense. Ohio State has not faced a defense that has allowed less than 21.3 points per game or ranks better than 36th in scoring defense.
Nonetheless, the numbers each unit has posted through seven games have been impressive. Ohio State also ranks third in the FBS in offensive yards per game, having accumulated more than 580 total yards in each of its last five games – the first time Ohio State has even had five straight 500-yard games in school history. Penn State has allowed only 282.9 yards per game and has not allowed any team to score more than 19 points in a game this year.
It would be a surprise if Ohio State was held to 19 points or less on Saturday, but it would also be a surprise if the Penn State defense gave up 40-plus points.
Something’s got to give on Saturday, but if either side is able to get the better of the other, it will clearly prove that it is in fact one of college football’s elite units.
While they might be overshadowed by Barkley and the Penn State offense in the pregame hype, neither Ohio State’s offense nor Penn State’s defense is being overlooked by the opposing coaches.
Penn State coach James Franklin said the Buckeyes offense will be a tough test because of their "speed and athleticism at so many different positions."
"That’s going to be a real challenge for us, there’s no doubt about that," Franklin said of Ohio State’s offense. "They have a (quarterback) that’s won a lot of games for them … and then he’s surrounded by great talent at tight end, at O-line, at running back, at receiver. That’s a difficult challenge for anybody. This is not one of those offenses or teams that you feel like you’re going to shut down, but you’re trying to limit them as much as you possibly can."
Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said he was particularly impressed with what the Nittany Lions defense did last weekend against Michigan, when they held the Buckeyes’ biggest rival to only 13 points on 269 yards.
"They just come after you. They're very aggressive," Meyer said. "And they menaced the team up north. They were all over the place."
Ohio State’s offense is led by quarterback J.T. Barrett, who has thrown 21 touchdowns and just one interception this season and has averaged 313.9 yards of total offense per game. J.K. Dobbins leads the Buckeyes in the ground game, with 775 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns on exactly 100 carries, while Parris Campbell leads the Buckeyes’ deep crop of wide receivers with 28 receptions for 405 receiving yards.
Penn State’s defense is led by middle linebacker Jason Cabinda, who has a team-high 52 total tackles. The other star of the Nittany Lions defense is safety Marcus Allen, who ranks second on the team with 40 tackles and has forced two fumbles to go along with an interception. As a team as a whole, the Nittany Lions have forced 18 turnovers this season, tied for the fifth-most among all FBS teams.
