Once again, Penn State versus Ohio State will be one of the most anticipated matchups not just within the Big 10 conference, but within the entire college football landscape. It would also seem that Penn State will once again have something to prove before they have a real shot at the College Football Playoff.

Coming into the matchup, fans across the country may be shocked by the takes on this game given by a large portion of the media. Without doing any advanced research on statistics or even knowing the places of both teams in the national rankings, one would most likely see a picture being painted of the Ohio State Buckeyes being a major favorite over their counterparts in blue and white. Why is this, despite Penn State being a very capable team in their own right? Besides Ohio State’s football reputation and the fact that the Buckeyes will play host to Saturday’s contest in a tough to play in environment in Columbus, the fact of the matter is that over the past six years of college football the Nittany Lions have yet to prove that they can overcome the major hurdles they face in the Big 10 East in order to reach the College Football Playoff and beyond.

As previously mentioned, advanced analytics are not required to see that the Buckeyes are a very capable football team this season, as they have been year in and year out. Highlighted by star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., to say the Buckeyes are a formidable opponent to play would be an understatement. Looking past a first quarter struggle against the Maryland Terrapins and a narrow last play escape victory against Notre Dame in South Bend, Ohio State has had little to no trouble with their opponents this season and will look to continue their march back to the Big 10 Championship game and beyond, should they overcome the remaining trials in their way. 

The Penn State Nittany Lions are without question the toughest opponent the Buckeyes will face this season, bar the currently #2 ranked Wolverines of the University of Michigan. Boasting a defense that is allowing the fewest yards per game this season at just 193.7 per contest, the blue and white brigade from Happy Valley will be looking to continue their own quest to the conference title game, a place they have not been since 2016. The reason? The scarlet and gray wall that’s prevented them from getting there. Since that 2016 season which saw Penn State narrowly knock off the Buckeyes 24-21, Ohio State has responded by claiming victory in the annual contest between the two teams for six straight years. Needless to say, Ohio State has been a major thorn in Penn State’s side, especially in a very tightly knit Big 10 East where seeing both Ohio State and Michigan lose multiple games in a season is about as rare as seeing a paintball pierce steel: it doesn’t happen.

With all of this in mind, it’s no wonder that most forms of media haven’t been optimistic about the Nittany Lion’s hopes on Saturday, despite their upside. It also makes it very easy to see what a win in Columbus would mean for this team and their aspirations. Both featured teams still have many games left ahead of them, and both will still have a date with Michigan left on the schedule, and one away from home at that for Ohio State. On the other hand, it’s safe to say that a victory of this magnitude would be invaluable for the confidence of both groups, and for Penn State specifically, it would mean finally overcoming a barrier that’s prevented them from reaching their ultimate goal.