The last time Penn State won a football game at Ohio State, most of the current Nittany Lions players were in middle school.
That’s the challenge that No 7 Penn State (6-0) faces Saturday, when they face the third-ranked Buckeyes at “The Horseshoe.”
Penn State, coached by the colorful James Franklin (James Franklin | My skin is curling), hasn’t beaten Ohio State in Columbus since 2011, and hasn’t beaten them, period, since 2016.
Still, the Lions aren’t newbies to big games in the Franklin era. But for the Nittany Lions to take that next step and become the “it” team again in the Big 10, they absolutely have to knock off Ohio State and Michigan.
Because right now, the Big 10 Conference seems to be viewed by much of the national media as a two-team conference.
But don’t tell that to some of the Nittany Lions, who are looking at it differently.
“It is another top-10 opponent,” defensive end Adisa Isaac said. “Obviously we’ve been battling these guys for years and years, so this is a great test for us.”
Okay.
Penn State hasn’t played a close game yet, in the six opponents they’ve faced. Of course, Sulligent High School and Gordon Prep weren’t in the field; one wonders if they were scheduled.
Penn State does lead the country in total defense (amazing, given that difficult non-conference slate) and Ohio State doesn’t really have anything to brag about with its non-conference schedule either, although there is one major, major difference (did we mention it was major?): The Buckeyes won a 17-10 beer-hall-brawl with Notre Dame in South Bend, scoring on the final second.
Again, Michigan and Ohio State are both ranked comfortably in the top five. That means Penn State is undefeated and still looked at as the third-best team, at best, in the Big 10.
What’s that that Ric Flair says? “To be the man, you’ve gotta beat the man?”
Nobody in Happy Valley will be satisfied for anything less than a win on Saturday and to stay in the hunt for a conference title. The last time the Nittany Lions brought home the Big 10 title?
You got it: 2016, the last time they beat Ohio State.
