There are numerous ways in which you could choose to spend your only Saturday without Ohio State football until December.
You might choose to take the opportunity to spend a Saturday outdoors before the weather gets cold. You might spend the day running errands or doing housework that you’ve neglected since football season started. Or perhaps you have friends who decided Ohio State’s week off would be the perfect weekend for a wedding (though our Ramzy Nasrallah would disapprove).
If you’re like me, though, you’ll probably need to watch at least one game to avoid going into college football withdrawal mode.
The game you will most likely be drawn to watching is Penn State vs. Michigan, which is scheduled for the prime 7:30 p.m. ABC slot as the marquee game of the day’s college football slate.
If you’re an Ohio State fan, that might qualify as hate-watching, as you’ll probably have a hard time cheering for either team to win. But it’s also an opportunity, as the Buckeyes prepare to play Penn State next weekend, to get a closer look at Ohio State’s two toughest remaining regular-season opponents and competitors in the Big Ten East.
What follows is a guide of what to watch for should you choose to watch Saturday night’s game between the Nittany Lions (who come to Columbus next Saturday) and the Wolverines (who host Ohio State on Nov. 25).
How good is Penn State’s offense?
There’s no question that Penn State’s Saquon Barkley, arguably both the best running back in college football and the current Heisman Trophy frontrunner, is a great player. Trace McSorley, who leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game this season, is a dynamic quarterback who can make big plays with both his arm and his feet. Mike Gesicki is arguably the best tight end in college football.
There’s still some question as to whether Penn State’s offense is strong enough as a whole – specifically at wide receiver and at offensive line – to be a truly great unit. Playing against Michigan, though, could give us the answer to that question.
Michigan currently ranks first in the entire Football Bowl Subdivision in total defense, with only 223.8 yards allowed per game. Led by Rashan Gary, Maurice Hurst and Chase Winovich on their defensive line, the Wolverines will give Penn State’s offensive line the toughest test it has faced this season. Michigan also ranks third in the FBS in passing defense (138 yards per game allowed), which will force Penn State’s receivers to step up and McSorley to be sharp for the Nittany Lions to make consistent plays downfield.
If Barkley and the Nittany Lions can put up big yards and points in Saturday’s game, Ohio State fans will have real reason to be concerned about the Buckeyes defense’s ability to stop them. But if Michigan can shut down Barkley and the Nittany Lions down – like it did last year, when it held Penn State (well before last season’s Nittany Lions hit their stride) to just 10 points and 191 yards – it could expose flaws that Ohio State’s defense can take advantage of next week.
Can Penn State’s defense stay dominant?
While Penn State’s offense gets most of the attention, its defense has been the team’s strongest unit this season, holding its first six opponents to just nine points per game – best among all FBS teams.
The Nittany Lions haven’t allowed more than 19 points in a game this year. Their success can be partially attributed, though, to the fact that they haven’t played any great offensive teams. None of Penn State’s first six opponents rank better than 64th in the FBS in total offense or scoring offense.
Michigan doesn’t either, so there’s little question that Ohio State’s offense – which ranks third in the FBS in yards per game and second in points per game – will be the best offense Penn State has faced this year when it plays in Columbus next weekend. It also appears likely, though, that Penn State’s defense will be the best defense Ohio State has faced this year when it hosts the Nittany Lions next weekend.
The Wolverines offense has struggled this year, especially since John O’Korn replaced the injured Wilton Speight at quarterback. A dominant performance against Michigan doesn’t mean Penn State will be able to do the same against Ohio State. With questions still hanging over the Buckeyes’ ability to put up points against top competition, however, Penn State’s ability to shut down or not shut down Michigan could provide a litmus test for just how much better the Buckeyes offense will need to be than it was against Oklahoma.
Marcus Allen (2) and the Penn State defense have been dominant in their first six games this season.
Is Michigan a legitimate threat?
Simply put, Michigan needs to win Saturday’s game to remain in contention for the Big Ten East title. Because Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan State are all undefeated in conference play, and Michigan has already lost to Michigan State, a second Big Ten loss – with head-to-head defeats against two of those three teams – would likely end the Wolverines’ conference title hopes.
A Michigan win Saturday, on the other hand, could make things more interesting, as it would keep alive the possibility of Ohio State and Michigan playing for the Big Ten East title in their regular season-ending rivalry game.
No matter what happens on Saturday, or over the next month for that matter – the Wolverines still have another tough road game on the schedule, at Wisconsin, one week before they play Ohio State – Michigan cannot be ruled out as a threat to beat Ohio State in Ann Arbor. As the oft-repeated adage says, records get thrown out the window in a rivalry game, and the Wolverines will have their sights set on ending their five-year losing streak against the Buckeyes – and enough talent to potentially do so – regardless of whether they are still in contention.
The Wolverines will certainly look like a more formidable threat, though, if they can upset Penn State in Happy Valley or at least keep the game close for four quarters. If the Wolverines get blown out by Penn State on Saturday, Ohio State will have reason to feel good about its chances to keep its rivalry game winning streak going.
Players to watch
When Penn State’s offense is on the field, Barkley is certainly the player who commands everyone’s attention, but the Nittany Lions’ wide receivers are also worth keeping an eye on. Those wide receivers’ play has been underwhelming so far this season, but the underwhelming play of Ohio State’s secondary has also been well-documented this year. The Nittany Lions have five wide receivers who play regularly – DaeSean Hamilton, Juwan Johnson, DeAndre Thompkins, Saeed Blacknall and Brandon Polk – and if any of them can build momentum against Michigan on Saturday, they could be threats if the Buckeyes continue to struggle in pass coverage against top competition.
The aforementioned Gary, Hurst and Winovich are all players to watch on Michigan’s defense, but another player who should command your attention is linebacker Devin Bush, who was named this week as a midseason All-American by multiple media outlets, including Sports Illustrated.
Devin Bush (10) has emerged as a star for the Michigan defense this season.
Michigan’s most intriguing player on offense is true freshman wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones, who is also a dynamic punt returner. Peoples-Jones hasn’t yet become a consistent playmaker on offense, but he’s a five-star recruit with star potential. The Wolverines need him to break out and make some plays in this game. He could pose a real threat to Ohio State’s secondary if he can get into a playmaking rhythm by the end of the season.
The star of Penn State’s defense is safety Marcus Allen, who blocked the field goal that was returned by Grant Haley – another returning starter in Penn State’s secondary – for a touchdown in the Nittany Lions’ win over Ohio State last year. Linebacker Jason Cabinda, who had 13 total tackles against Ohio State last year, is another key player for the Nittany Lions. Emerging players to watch on Penn State’s defense are defensive ends Shareef Miller and Shaka Toney, who have combined for 12 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks this year.
Who should you root for?
There are no ties in college football, which takes away what would likely be the most agreeable outcome for Ohio State fans, but if you feel like you need a rooting interest in this game, the right choice appears to be Penn State.
While it certainly wouldn’t hurt Ohio State’s chances of winning the Big Ten for Penn State to lose to someone else, the week before the Nittany Lions play Ohio State probably isn’t the time the Buckeyes want to happen. A primetime win over Michigan could set the Nittany Lions up for a letdown on the road next week, but a loss to the Wolverines would make the Nittany Lions an angry team who knows it must win to keep its season alive.
But if you ask Ohio State coach Urban Meyer – as one Ohio State fan did on Meyer’s call-in show this Thursday – the reason why you should root for Penn State over Michigan is much simpler than that.
"I just can’t imagine ever cheering for our rivals," Meyer said.
