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In what may be the game of the season to date, a pair of 6-0 Big Ten teams collide in Columbus Saturday afternoon. It’s the Penn St. Nittany Lions visiting the Ohio St. Buckeyes, with both teams coming in 3-0 in conference.
Game time at the Horseshoe is Noon (ET), with Ohio St. having won the last six meetings.
These two teams rank second (PSU 8.2 points per game) and third (OSU 10.2 points/game), respectively, in fewest points allowed in the nation (Michigan at 6.7).
Penn St. prepped with a 63-0 “open practice” win over the Massachusetts Minutemen a week ago (408 yards, 28 first downs in the game, Daequan Hardy a pair of punt-return touchdowns). The Nittany Lions have not won by less than 17 points this season.
Ohio St. drilled the Purdue Boilermakers, 41-7, on the road at West Lafayette last week (486 total yards), opening a 34-0 lead entering the final quarter.
The teams are a half-game behind Michigan in the Big Ten East standings.
Ohio St. is a four-point favorite (total at 48), according to college football odds.
Moneyline is Buckeyes -195, Nittany Lions +165.
Lions’ Decapitating Defense
Teams don’t pass on Penn St., as in 137 yards/game (leading the nation).
Teams don’t run on Penn St., as in 67.4 yards/game (second to James Madison).
Teams don’t keep Penn St. off the scoreboard, as in 40.7 points/game (seventh in nation).
Quarterback Drew Allar (1,254 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, no interceptions) has done nothing wrong, leading the Lions. It’s Keandre Lambert-Smith (31 receptions, 402 yards, three touchdowns) as the favorite target of Aller.
Running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton have a combined 737 ground yards.
Buckeyes As Advertised
Ohio St. has been as good as predicted this season, a final-second, 17-14 win at Notre Dame as the highlight last month.
Quarterback Kyle McCord (1,651 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, one interception) has been as effective as his counterpart, witn Marvin Harrison Jr.’s 31 receptions (604 yards, five touchdowns) leading the receivers.
TreVeyon Henderson is averaging nearly seven yards per rush, though missing some time with leg issues the past two seasons.
Buckeyes, But Close
If you’re a believer, Ohio St. is 9-1 (+900) to win the title, Penn St. at 12-1 (+1200), as per college football championship odds.
With so much on the line in this Big Ten showdown, expect a tight contest.
The Penn St. defense has been extremely impressive to date, but isn’t going to completely shut down the Buckeyes. Ohio St. is explosive, especially at home,
Four points is a bit much to give here, however. Figure the Buckeyes to win, but the Lions to stay within the number.
- Dan Shapiro, Gambling911.com
