James Franklin's never coached a game at Ohio Stadium, but he knows a thing or two about hostile environments.
"We have a huge advantage here when we play at home where a lot of quarterbacks have a hard time using cadences and communicating, so we have a tendency to get a bunch of penalties on the opponents that come into our stadium, and it also allows our defensive line to get tremendous get-off because they're going with a silent cadence that's usually on a rhythm," Franklin said Tuesday during his weekly press conference. "That's one of the hard things about going on the road."
Franklin is the head football coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, who sport a 5-1 record and are scheduled to visit No. 1 Ohio State Saturday at 8 p.m. in their first conference road game of the season.
"We're getting a better understanding of how to work together and how to complement one another, but Saturday will obviously be a real challenge," Franklin said. "The way we look at it is a tremendous opportunity."
Franklin's Nittany Lions took Ohio State to double overtime in State College, Pennsylvania, last October before falling, 31-24, on defensive end Joey Bosa's walk-off sack of quarterback Christian Hackenberg. It was a turning point in Ohio State's season, which culminated with a Big Ten and National Championship.
"Up to that point, we were good, but I never saw them fight and crawl out from underneath a bad situation. They did, and that was incredible,” Urban Meyer said Tuesday of last season's win at Penn State. “When you go back and watch it, that was a violent, tough game and a lot of credit to Penn State and our guys. That was a well-played, tough football game."
The Buckeyes are set to don brand new, all-black uniforms and black helmets and are encouraging fans to wear black as part of the "Dark Night at the Shoe," which doubles as one of the largest recruiting weekends of the season. Penn State sits as a 19-point underdog despite winning five straight games after dispatching Indiana last Saturday, 29-7, behind four total touchdowns from Hackenberg.
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| PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS |
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5-1, 2–0 B1G ROSTER SCHEDULE |
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8:00 PM – SATURDAY, OCT. 17 OHIO STADIUM COLUMBUS, OH |
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ABC/ESPN2 WATCHESPN |
"Only 28 teams in the country with five wins or better, 2-0 in the league, 5-0 at home — first time since 2008, so some pretty cool things there," Franklin said.
He's not wrong, but an ugly 27-10 loss at Temple in the season opener — when Hackenberg was sacked a ghastly 10 times — hangs over the head of Franklin's club.
"You're trying to hide your weaknesses and play to some of your strengths, but you're also trying to build on those weaknesses so they're not weaknesses anymore," Franklin said.
That stat aside, Meyer Wednesday called Penn State's passing attack — though it ranks 11th in the Big Ten and averages a meager 187 yards per game — the best the Buckeyes will have faced so far in 2015. Ohio Stadium is sure to be raucous for an 8 p.m. kick and the new jerseys. Meyer is ready.
"We love night games and obviously the new unis and the crowd, I just hear our players talk about it. The worst thing is just hanging around the hotel all day but the best thing is that atmosphere," Meyer said. "I'm anxious to see it."
Opponent Breakdown
As is typically the case, Penn State's calling card resides on the defensive side of the ball. The Nittany Lions rank first in the Big Ten in sacks with 25.0 through six games and are third in total defense, allowing 275.7 yards per game.
"They're looking like Penn State. Very talented, violent defense. Very sound," Meyer said Thursday on his radio show. "Very tough defense, very little yards to be had. They don't let you get the big shot. That was a war last year."
After getting behind 17-0 last season at home to Ohio State, the Penn State defense stiffened and started to make life difficult for quarterback J.T. Barrett. Defensive tackle Anthony Zettel returned an interception for a touchdown and the Nittany Lions clawed their way back to force overtime. Barrett eventually had the last laugh, scoring two touchdowns in the overtime periods, but Penn State's defense was and is for real.
"Excellent defense. I think they're top-10," Meyer said Monday. "I haven't seen the final stats, but had a hard time moving them last year, very good defense."
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| 2015 STATS | RANK | CATEGORY | 2015 STATS | RANK |
| 36.8 | 27th | Points For | 25.2 | 92nd |
| 17.3 | 21st | Points Against | 14.3 | 11th |
| OFFENSE | ||||
| 230.0 | 17th | Rushing Offense | 157.3 | 86th |
| 230.0 | 65th | Passing Offense | 187.0 | 99th |
| 460.0 | 26th | Total Offense | 344.3 | 103rd |
| DEFENSE | ||||
| 152.7 | 55th | Rushing Defense | 117.0 | 26th |
| 147.5 | 9th | Pass Defense | 158.7 | 13th |
| 300.2 | 19th | Total Defense | 275.7 | 10th |
| OFF. MISC. | ||||
| .364 | 88th | 3rd Down Conv. | .310 | 120th |
| .818 | 82nd | Red Zone | .909 | 25th |
| 13.1 | 33rd | Punt Return | 9.0 | 53rd |
| 24.1 | 31st | Kickoff Return | 26.3 | 17th |
| DEF. MISC. | ||||
| .337 | 41st | 3rd Down Conv. | .333 | 38th |
| .857 | 85th | Red Zone | .909 | 106th |
| 90.0 | 6th | Pass Eff. Def. | 1007.9 | 28th |
| 42.4 | 6th | Net Punting | 36.4 | 83rd |
| MISC. | ||||
| - 0.3 | 86th | Turnover Margin | + 1.3 | 8th |
| 7.7 | 101st | Penalties Per Game | 5.3 | 34th |
| Total: 10 | THE EDGE | Total: 8 |
The 275.7 yards per game allowed does put Penn State 10th overall in the country defensively entering Saturday's game, but its offense is another story.
Hackenberg sports one of the best arms in college football, but Penn State averages just 344.3 yards per game — 103rd in the country and 13th in the Big Ten. He's only thrown two interceptions in 2015 after tossing 25 in his first two seasons combined. The Nittany Lions are plus-eight in turnover margin, tied for fifth in the country, and Meyer sees a unit that is improving.
"Offensively seems to be coming into their own," Meyer said. "Started slow, but they're really moving it."
The numbers don't support Meyer's claim that Hackenberg and the offense is the best looking passing attack Ohio State's faced so far this season, but Penn State still gleans confidence.
"Looking at their film and watching them, we understand that we can move the ball on them offensively. We can definitely stick with this team," Penn State redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Andrew Nelson said Tuesday. "The Big Ten is full of great opponents this year, so that's what makes the opportunity special. They're a great team, but we know if we play to the best of our ability, we can be successful."
Junior Akeel Lynch and freshman Saquon Barkley share the reps at running back alongside Hackenberg, combining for 635 yards and five touchdowns. Hackenberg even had a pair of rushing scores last week against the Hoosiers, but a weaker offensive line prevents Penn State from having consistent success on the ground. Ohio State players see it getting better, however.
"I can tell their line has improved a lot and they're just playing more like a team," Bosa said Monday.
Redshirt sophomore wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton had the best game of his young career against the Buckeyes last season when he snagged 14 catches for 126 yards. He's only eclipsed the double-digit mark in receptions one other time in his career, the 2014 season opener against Central Florida.
It all starts and ends with Hackenberg offensively for Penn State, though. He's completed 53 percent of his passes for 1,086 yards and seven touchdowns this season, but the Nittany Lions lean on a stout defensive output to give them the best chance to win. Hackenberg gives the offense hope.
"He's just a true pro-style quarterback," Bosa said of Hackenberg. "He sits back there, he makes good throws, makes good decisions, and it's going to be a challenge this week."
"Christian Hackenberg is a special player, just because he has the ability to do everything," added defensive end Sam Hubbard. "He's such a smart player, he can make checks and if he sees pressure coming he's going to throw to his relief right to it. It's on us as a D-line to get to him and make him feel uncomfortable."
Ohio State knows what it's getting in Hackenberg, and Franklin is fully aware of what the Buckeye offense brings to the table as well.
"We put a huge priority on it every single week, creating big plays with our offense, stopping big plays with our defense, and that's going to be really important this week because they are fast," Franklin said. "They are fast at wide out. They are fast at running back. They are big and physical on the offensive line."
Ohio State Breakdown
The Buckeyes enter Saturday's contest feeling better about their offensive situation than in recent weeks. Ohio State put away Maryland late last Saturday, winning 49-28 after being tied with the Terrapins at 21 early in the third quarter. A garbage time touchdown with under a minute remaining following a turnover on downs kept it from being a four-score Ohio State victory.
Meyer, Tim Beck and Ed Warinner elected to insert Barrett at quarterback into the offense in red zone situations and it paid immediate dividends. The Buckeyes went 6-for-6 in scoring touchdowns against Maryland once they got inside the 20, and Cardale Jones statistically played his best game as a Buckeye.
"I think Coach Meyer believes in both of them, as we all do, and we felt like maybe there’s some things we can use their strengths and get them on the field to help our football team," Beck said Monday. "Ultimately, that’s the goal: To help us win and keep this thing rolling."
Barrett scores one of his three TDs against Maryland.
Jones finished the day 21-of-28 for 291 yards and two touchdowns. The Buckeyes did not turn the ball over against Maryland, as crucial a reason as any for the jolt of improvement on that side of the ball.
"I think Cardale continues to grow as a human being, as a young man, and a person that I have a lot of respect for. Maybe that respect wasn't there two years ago because he hadn't earned it," Meyer said. "I think he's earned the right to have that conversation (about the offense). We're going to do what's best for the team, but he was involved in that conversation. Like I said, two years ago, he would not have been. People earn things around here, and he's earned an opportunity to let me know what his thoughts are."
Barrett rushed for three touchdowns and completed the two passes he threw for 26 yards, one on a rope to Michael Thomas for a first down on 3rd-and-long. It all looked like it was supposed to with the new offensive wrinkle, but Meyer is anxious to see how both Barrett and Jones handle it when things don't go according to plan like they did against the lowly Terrapins.
"After Week 1, it went about as well as you could imagine," Meyer said. "He competed 75 percent of his passes, Cardale did, then the other guys comes in and we score six times. I imagine there won't be — it's what happens when it doesn't work so well. I've been there. I think it's going great. (But) it's very much a concern."
Defensively, the Buckeyes were once again ripped by a running quarterback in the win against Maryland. Perry Hills racked up 170 yards rushing, largely on scrambles outside the pocket, including a 75-yarder than set up his second of three rushing touchdowns.
"(I see) a very good team that gave up (170) yards to a scrambling quarterback," Meyer said. "We stop the tailback. That's two weeks in a row that we basically eliminated the run game other than the quarterback run."
Ohio State's depth is growing thin in the defensive backfield, too, with injuries mounting. Cam Burrows is done for the season and Erick Smith is out at least for this game. Damon Webb's indefinite suspension continues.
There are holes and areas that allow for improvement on Meyer's team, which has yet to play a full, complete game.
"I wanted to make sure the guys are enjoying the wins. We're 6-0 now. Lot of victory meals we're having around here and we need to continue to enjoy that and not let the drudgery pull you down," Meyer said. "It's just tough, man. High expectations, and how do you deal with them? And that's as much as dealing — I'd rather not go there, but dealing with when you lose."
How It Plays Out
Penn State's defense figures to rival Virginia Tech's as the best unit the Ohio State offense has faced to this point in the season. The Buckeye offense did some good things against Maryland, but whether or not it can replicate such a performance against a more worthy opponent remains to be seen.
The matchup is one of two marquee games for the Big Ten East Saturday, the other being Michigan State at Michigan. Both will go a long way to determining who wins the division.
Stopping Hackenberg and getting pressure on him seems to be the best way to stop the Penn State offense. Ohio State's defensive line of Bosa, Hubbard, Tyquan Lewis, Adolphus Washington and others could be in for a big night, but we saw last season what can happen if Hackenberg gets hot: The Nittany Lions can hang with anybody.
However, the Buckeyes possess more talent despite injuries and suspensions on both sides of the ball and should win the game. The atmosphere and excitement around the black uniforms and it being a night game is sure to have Meyer's crew ramped up, but avoiding silly mistakes that lead to points will be key to securing victory.
ELEVEN WARRIORS STAFF PREDICTION: Ohio State 38, Penn State 14
