By Jim Naveau
When No. 4 Ohio State (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) goes to No. 3 Penn State (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) on Saturday it will be the sixteenth time it has played there since the Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten in 1993, but it will be the last time the Buckeyes will go to Beaver Stadium until 2028.
Because of the Big Ten’s expansion to 18 teams and Penn State’s decision not to designate OSU as a protected rivalry, after playing every season from 1993 to next year, those two teams will not play each other in 2026 and 2027.
The battle for recruits between the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions will continue every year, though, because Ohio and Pennsylvania are both excellent football recruiting states.
Ohio State has signed players like Eddie George, Marvin Harrison Jr., Terrelle Pryor, Malik Hooker and John Frank from Pennsylvania.
Penn State has come into Ohio and signed players like Jeff Hartings, Ki-Jana Carter, Curtis Enis, Joe Jurevicius and O.J. McDuffie.
So far this year, Ohio State has commitments from three players from Pennsylvania high schools and Penn State has a commitment from one Ohio high school player.
Two of OSU’s commitments are from 4-star defensive lineman Maxwell Roy and 3-star running back Isaiah West, both of Philadelphia St. Joseph Prep, the school where Marvin Harrison Jr. and Kyle McCord played. The other commitment came from Zahir Mathis, a 4-star defensive end from Philadelphia Imhotep.
Penn State’s Ohio commitment is from Josh Johnson, a 3-star cornerback from Ironton.
Ohio State has a 23-8 record against Penn State since it joined the Big Ten in 1993 and has won seven games in a row against the Nittany Lions. Since losing four of the first five times it played at Beaver Stadium, it has won 8 of the last 10 games it has played there.
With all the recruiting success Ohio State and Penn State have had, it is ironic that a recruiting shortcoming might be the biggest thing OSU has to worry about in Saturday’s game.
When left tackle Josh Simmons went out of the Oregon game with a season-ending knee injury it was obviously a problem. But the problem got even bigger when his replacement Zen Michalski struggled in his first college start and suffered a leg injury that is expected to sideline him this week.
Ohio State’s offensive line as a group did not inspire confidence other than on its final drive in a closer-than-expected 21-17 win over Nebraska last week. Depth is a question.
The most likely solution at the start of Saturday’s game probably is to move veteran left guard Donovan Jackson to left tackle and put someone new at left guard. When Michalski got hurt last week with three minutes left in the game, Jackson went to left tackle and Luke Montgomery took over at left guard.
Starting right guard Tegra Tshabola has some experience at tackle and Austin Siereveld played guard earlier this season when Jackson was injured.
Whatever combination OSU decides will be its best offensive line it will have to deal with a Penn State defensive line which is one of the strengths of the Nittany Lions. Abdul Carter, a first-team All-Big Ten linebacker last season, leads that defensive line.
Day mentioned six offensive linemen – Carson Hinzman, Seth McLaughlin, Josh Fryar, Siereveld, Jackson and Tshabola – as players with experience on the offensive line on his weekly radio show Thursday.
“These guys have experience. That’s good. But they’re gonna be challenged in this environment. But they’ll be ready. They’ll be ready,” he said.
There’s more to the story of Ohio State and Penn State than just the Buckeyes’ line.
Both teams have quarterbacks having good seasons. OSU’s Will Howard is probably healthier than Penn State starter Drew Allar, who suffered a knee injury last week against Wisconsin and did not play in the second half. If he can’t go, Beau Pribula who played the second half at Wisconsin, will be Penn State’s quarterback.
Both teams have two experienced running backs – Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson for Ohio State and Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton for Penn State.
Ohio State is much deeper at receiver with Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka and Carnell Tate but Penn State tight end Tyler Warren has been close to an unstoppable force with 47 catches for 559 yards.
It should be a close game. OSU’s offensive line responding well to the big test it faces might be the deciding factor.
The prediction: Ohio State 28, Penn State 27.
