The Buckeyes have won six straight games against the Nittany Lions, but Penn State brings an elite defense and a talented quarterback with Ohio ties into the Horseshoe this year.
Yes, Notre Dame was a top-10 opponent on the road, but this is a top-10 opponent in OSU’s conference. If the No. 3 Buckeyes fall to No. 7 Penn State in the Horseshoe this weekend, they no longer control their own destiny for the Big Ten Championship Game or, by proxy, the College Football Playoff.
Ohio State will hope to counter Allar and those weapons with the nation’s No. 4 passing defense, which allows 154.3 passing yards per game. Denzel Burke’s health could be key. Outside linebacker Curtis Jacobs is their top sweeper in the box with a team-high 23 tackles and three tackles for loss, adding one sack and two fumble recoveries. He, Dominic DeLuca, Kobe King and Abdul Carter form a ferocious quartet at linebacker that has combined for 12 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
With Allar and a bona fide defense in tow, Penn State has yet to win a contest by fewer than 17 points this year, including a 31-0 trouncing of No. 24 Iowa on Sept. 16. Their defense is fourth in opposing third-down conversion rate at 26.5 percent and the offense is 19th in converting third downs at 48.2 percent. The offense has also converted 27 of its 33 red zone trips into touchdowns, an 83.3 percent clip that ranks No. 3 nationally, and has added another four field goals inside the 20-yard line for a scoring percentage of 93.9, which ranks 15th.
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