Penn State’s Keys to Victory vs. Ohio State

The most anticipated game on Penn State’s 2024 football schedule has arrived, with the No. 3 Nittany Lions hosting No. 4 Ohio State on Saturday at Beaver Stadium in a matchup that will have a major impact on each program’s Big Ten championship chances and potential berth in the College Football Playoff bracket.

It’s not easy to beat the Buckeyes, who once again boast one of the most complete squads in the country. Ohio State ranks in the top 10 in the FBS in both total defense (254.4 yards allowed per game) and total offense (471.9 yards per game). The No. 1 defense in the country will compete in this match SP+ ESPN Rankings (Ohio State) vs. No. 3. It’s also another huge test for Penn State, which hasn’t beaten Ohio State since 2016.

Here are some keys to James Franklin’s team remaining undefeated and ending a seven-game losing streak to the Buckeyes.

Prepare a detailed plan for both quarterbacks

There will be no clear answer Penn State’s quarterback situation until Saturday. Drew Allar, who threw for 1,640 yards and 12 touchdowns, was sidelined in the second half of last week’s game against Wisconsin. But during the media portion of Penn State’s practice on Wednesday, Allar was running and throwing, suggesting he was headed in the right direction to face the Buckeyes. He and Beau Pribula have been sharing reps in practice this week.

Regardless of starter availability, the Nittany Lions need a detailed game plan prepared for both quarterbacks. Pribula, Penn State’s QB2, will play a significant role on offense, just as he did in the first seven games. But Pribula had to keep going if Allar was limited.

Against Wisconsin last weekPribula went 11 of 13 for 98 yards and a touchdown, showing growth as an effective passer. If he starts playing on Saturday, the offense will likely rely even more on the ground game than before. Ohio State’s defense will be the best on the Penn State field during the regular season. Fortunately for the Nittany Lions, the versatility at quarterback provides, but preparing both Allar and Pribula to handle defense at the highest level will be significant.

Disrupt the game being played at Ohio State

Ohio State has been more vulnerable than usual in recent weeks. The 32-31 loss to Oregon, currently the top-ranked team in the country, wasn’t much of a shock, but the Buckeyes had to make do. Won 21:17 against Nebraska last week, rushing for just 64 yards.

In the 2023 matchup, Penn State’s defense allowed just 1.6 yards per carry against Ohio State, a key factor in keeping the game to one score. The Nittany Lions defense proved to be a strength once again in 2024, holding opponents to 93 rushing yards per game.

For first-year defensive coordinator Tom Allena strong performance against the Buckeyes will be essential, as they haven’t been effective recently. Ohio State’s two biggest wide receivers, Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka, are virtual locks for strong production at this point. But if Penn State can make the Buckeyes more one-dimensional, it will have a better chance of making an impact Ohio State quarterback Will Howard when undergoing falls.

With Ohio starting left tackle Josh Simmons expected to be sidelined for the rest of the season and backup Zen Michalski also dealing with an injury, the Nittany Lions’ defensive line could have a decisive advantage. Using this advantage to stop running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson could open up some opportunities on defense.

Performance for the fourth quarter

Chances are that the Week 10 matchup will be played in the final 15 minutes. This was often the case in the past. At Beaver Stadium two years ago, Ohio State turned it around Series four 28-3 to a wild 44-31 victory. In Ohio’s most comparable game this season, a top-five away game against Oregon, the Ducks pulled away late to lead 10-3 in the fourth quarter and secured the victory in the final seconds.

While the Buckeyes are on a seven-game winning streak against Penn State, many of these matchups were tight heading into the fourth round. Three of the last seven games ended by one score (2017, 2018, 2023), while in three others (2019, 2021, 2022) Ohio State extended a fourth-quarter lead by at least six points.

Considering this is one of the deepest and most balanced Penn State lineups that Ohio State has faced in the last decade, even the Buckeyes coaching staff expects the top-five matchup to be a close one.

“We know it’s going to take four quarters in this game, that’s what always happens when you play in conditions like this,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “But we’ve been in this situation before, our guys have been in this situation before.”

Penn State is averaging 8.9 points in the fourth quarter this season, which is a good indicator of its performance as a so-called “second half team”. Typically, one or two plays in the final quarter define these annual matchups. Take, for example, Grant Haley’s blocked field goal return during the Nittany Lions’ recent win over the Buckeyes.

Of course, the first 45 minutes of Saturday’s match will be crucial. However, in all likelihood, the Nittany Lions will need to come out at the crucial moment and come up with a clutch run to win.

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Daniel Mader, a May 2024 Penn State graduate, is an editorial intern at The Sporting News. As a student journalist at The Daily Collegian, he served as sports editor and covered, among others: Nittany Lions women’s basketball, men’s volleyball. He also covered Penn State football for NBC Sports and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, in addition to additional work for the Center Daily Times, Lancaster Online and more. Follow him on X @DanielMader_ or Instagram @dmadersports.