One of the college football season’s most anticipated matchups could make for one of its least exciting game scripts. This irony comes with both the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0, 3-0) and No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions deploying two of the top-three defenses in the nation.
The Buckeyes will need their running back position patched back together. They played Purdue last week without TreVeyon Henderson or Miyan Williams and lost Chip Trayanum during the game.
Coach Ryan Day was able to mix and match his way out of it and cruise to a 41-7 triumph, but a makeshift roster scenario will be less than ideal against Penn State.
The Nittany Lions have allowed a measly 67.4 rushing yards per game. So with or without Henderson and company, Kyle McCord should be forced to throw under duress.
The junior has thrown the ball conservatively, averaging 28.3 pass attempts with a 64.1 completion percentage with only one total interception.
It will be undoubtedly McCord’s toughest test of the season as the Nittany Lions concede a nation-leading 137 yards through the air.
The same can be said for Penn State’s Drew Allar, whose arm hasn’t been exhausted leading a program that has won every game this season by at least three possessions.
Unlike his pocket-passing counterpart, Allar likes to run when needed, and he has three rushing scores. Facing a Buckeyes front on the road that allows 26.4 yards per point will be a whole different animal for the sophomore scrambler.
Both of these programs have won some landslides so far, but make no mistake that their shutdown defenses are behind their respective perfect records.
Each team has an edge rusher projected to be selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft — Chop Robinson for Penn State and JT Tuimoloau for Ohio State.
They’re the only two programs that allow fewer than four yards per offensive play.
Betting on College Football?
Putting them on the same gridiron will make for a 60-minute tug-of-war.
The play: Penn State-Ohio State Under 45.5.
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