NFL
By: Courtney Walsh
Here we are Penn State fans the game we all have been waiting for the matchup versus the Buckeyes of Ohio State. After leaving the remains of the UMass football team on the field last week the Nittany Lions now face their toughest challenge yet. This game has everything you want in a big-time matchup from player battles to what this means for head coach James Franklin and his time in Happy Valley. This is not PSU playing the role of underdog as we have two shutout wins and are beating teams by 32 points. Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, a five-star recruit in his first year as a starter, is from Medina, Ohio. Buckeye quarterback Kyle McCord and star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. went to high school in Philadelphia. So many storylines. Remember the jokes about the WVU win, well fast forward and it looks like a quality win for us. The defense is at the top in every category behind only mighty Michigan. Recent history says that Ohio State is a monster and should run away with this one, but this is 2023 and things have changed. Let’s dive into this Big 10 classic.
PSU Defense Vs OSU Offense:
Manny Diaz has a tough unit that has made it super difficult for offensives to do anything against them. The Penn State defensive line is the truth, and 27 sacks and counting prove their effectiveness. The way the Buckeyes have struggled at times to move the ball shutting down both the run and pass will be big. If Purdue was able to get 4 sacks what will our unit pull off? Marvin Harrison Jr. is a stud and he can flip a game on its head if you don’t double him and make it tough on him. Two future NFL 1st round picks Kalen King and Harrison will be so fun to watch with both wanting to have all-time type performances. Ohio State has not had the best running game and has a lot of injuries but PSU killer TreVeyon Henderson should be back this weekend and someone who can’t be allowed to revive this Buckeye running attack. The odds tilt in favor of Penn State since OSU has been so up and down against not-so-great teams this Nittany Lion defense is a whole other animal.
James Franklin This Is The Moment:
I love Coach Franklin and what he has done for the program so far in his tenure. That being said THIS game is the one that could change the way he is seen by the fan base and also across the country. This is the best team he has had in his time and this isn’t the best Ohio State team ever but it is still the Buckeyes with a roster full of 4-5 star players who could set it off at any moment. Franklin is 1-8 vs OSU and 3-6 virus Michigan a win would go a long way in building his legacy and also reaching the goals this team has for the 2023 season. Safe to say things are set up for him to win this game but now comes the hard part to walk on the field Saturday and actually do it. Can he? We will see.
Players To Watch:
Big games are when the stars need to show up BIG and here are the ones I want to see set it off on Saturday.
Drew Allar QB Penn State: It is time to let it fly and get some big plays in the passing game. He has been effective this year but played it safe a lot. Being a threat to go deep will open other things up. This is why you come to PSU for games like this. GO TIME SON.
Ole Fashanu Tackle Penn State: The man has only allowed ONE pressure all season long and it would be awesome to keep it that way.
Dominic Deluca LB Penn State: The heart of that LB core and makes big plays.
Chop Robinson DE Penn State: Chop is a beast and can really impact games by forcing early throws from QBs or getting sacks
The Bottom Line:
Without a doubt, this is the game of the year with so much being on the line for both teams, but I would say more on PSU. Defeating a ranked team on the road is NOT easy but this team is up for it. I just think there is too much talent on this Penn State roster not to be able to win this game and head back to Happy Valley with a dub. I trust our secondary to do its job and no way we lose another 4th quarter lead to these Buckeyes. We have to use our dynamic running back tag team to slow the game down and control the clock. It will be a fight and in the end, I say it’s a 24-20 Penn State win. Let me know what you think and who has the edge, until next time stay safe, and #WeAre
