Ohio State vs. Penn State Preview

The Dark Night is upon us! After the rumors over these past few years have circled on the black jerseys, tonight we will finally see. Of course, the traditionalists will never be happy to see anything other than the scarlet and gray but the hype is palpable. Especially for the few big time recruits coming into town this evening including Jaylen Kelly-Powell(Cass Tech), Ambry Thomas(Detroit), and Wayne Davis (Virginia). After one heck of a game last year at Penn State, tonight has the feeling of a big opportunity for Ohio State to solidify that #1 ranking.

Keys to the Game

Stick to the run game on offense

Teams have a tendency to abandon the running game when it struggles, especially when those struggles continue into the second quarter but Ohio State has to remain patient and allow its offensive gameplan to take effect. We have seen plenty this year how talented Penn State's defensive line is and also how the Buckeye's offensive line has been slow to get started. This is going to be the biggest facet of the game. While the Buckeyes may struggle to get the run started early, if they move on from it too soon you will see a ton of pressure in Cardale Jones' face, which obviously is to the advantage of Penn State and their Big Ten leading 20 sacks.

Score early and make the crowd a factor

Football is a sport where momentum reins supreme. We saw it last year during Ohio State's championship run and we are starting to see it this season. Coming off a solid win and overall outing against Maryland, the OSU offense needs to keep that continuity flowing and find a way to score early against Penn State. If one thing is clear in this game it is that one on one, Penn State does not have the offensive firepower to stick with the Ohio State offense. Therefore, they will be relying on their defense to make key plays in big situations and their offense to capitalize when they get close. This is where the crowd becomes a huge part. If the Buckeyes can jump out to an early 10/14 point lead they can lean on the crowd energy to keep their defense playing hard and making life hard for Hackenburg and the Nittany Lion offense

Keep Penn State's defense guessing in the red zone

We saw last week that Ohio State's new red zone package was wildly effective with JT Barrett at the helm. However, their play close to the goal line cannot become predictable or we will begin to see negative plays and turnovers. Last week JT ran the outside zone QB run five times in goal line situations, expect Penn State to be ready for those plays. If Ohio State makes the right play action reads off of that same set-up they should see positive results

Players to Watch

Chase Ferris, RT

Ferris has had his ups and downs so far this season especially in pass protection. Last week, against Maryland, he preformed excellently in downhill run blocking something that Ohio State has sorely needed this year. If he can keep that good play going, this offensive line could make a big move tonight against a really solid defense.

Raekwon McMillan

McMillan entered this season with huge expectations to become Ohio State's next #1 linebacker and he hasn't disappointed. Tonight will no doubt be the biggest challenge of his career. McMillan has to ensure he makes the correct play calls and is sure tackling throughout the night. The most important aspect of his play though will be his ability to pick up on play fakes and get into his drop or pressure Hackenburg before he has time to set up a deep throw. 

Prediction

Ohio State has been waiting for this moment all year. A chance to turn around the "not really #1" mantra. A game where the Buckeyes are considered the favorites but some believe Penn State will make this a game. However, under the light at Ohio Stadium I dont expect such a favorable outcome for the Nittany Lions. Look for early running game struggles for Ohio State turning into the same short drives for Penn State. After a few slow drives, Cardale Jones will find Braxton Miller open deep over the middle resulting in a short Buckeye field goal. On the subsequent drive a turnover due to a strip sack of Hackenburg will put the OSU offense onto a short field. From there, JT Barrett will capitalize on his first passing TD since NIU. Add in a Penn State field goal early in the second quarter. Before half the Buckeyes will start a possession on their own 30 and drive down with Elliot runs to the 20 before Jones finishes the drive with a touchdown to Michael Thomas. Expect a halftime score of 17-3 Buckeyes. When the second half begins Penn State will get off to a solid drive down to the Buckeye 25 and will finish the drive with a throwback screen to bring the score back to one TD, 17-10. Late in the third, Elliot will begin to wear down the Penn State defense and take a run in from 30 yards out. Expect more of the same in the fourth with another Elliot TD and a excellent goal line stand from the Buckeye defense. 

Final: Ohio State 34-16