Ohio State vs. Penn State prediction: College football picks, odds
The college football world will be treated to a fascinating matchup on Saturday, as No.3 Penn State hosts No.
4 Ohio State in a Big Ten battle with epic implications. Can James Franklin deliver a signature win after years of coming up short against the top teams in the conference? Or can the Buckeyes keep their conference title hopes alive with a critical road victory? Let’s dive into the matchup and see who has the edge.(12 p.m.ET, FOX)Will Howard has been a dependable, stabilizing presence at quarterback for the Buckeyes, completing 73.9% of his passes and throwing 17 touchdowns to just four interceptions.
However, his efficiency has cratered in the rare instances where he’s been under pressure this season (18.9% of dropbacks, per Pro Football Focus) – his turnover-worthy play rate climbs to 7.7%, and he ranks 148th out of 155 qualified quarterbacks with a 28.4 PFF passing grade.The Buckeyes’ offensive line is scrambling after left tackle Josh Simmons suffered a season-ending injury.Zen Michalski replaced him as the starter last week, but he surrendered four pressures on 21 pass-blocking snaps before suffering an injury of his own.It’s unclear who will start at left tackle this week, putting the offensive line at a disadvantage against a fierce Penn State pass rush led by Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton.Ohio State’s run game also presented concerns last week against Nebraska.
Per Opta Analyst, the Buckeyes averaged a miserable 1.1 yards before contact and posted a 21.7% run success rate, which would rank dead last in the FBS this season.TreyVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins are elite talents.
Still, they can’t do much about an underperforming offensive line against a Penn State defense ranked third in success rate against the run.After leaving the game with an injury last week against Wisconsin, Drew Allar returned to practice on Wednesday and didn’t appear limited.Franklin will play things close to the vest with his starting quarter...