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Is Penn State more talented than Ohio State this year?

Headshot 5x7 reduced qualityby:Thomas Frank Carr•10/18/23•

ThomasFrankCarr

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Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin leads his team on the field against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field. (David Banks-USA TODAY Sports)

The Penn State Nittany Lions football team takes on the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday in Columbus for a showdown to help determine the Big Ten East. We preview the game on today’s BWI Live Show. Join the Keystone Kickoff Show’s exclusive video presentation on the Blue White Illustrated YouTube Channel. We preview the Ohio State defense, offense, and where Penn State has advantages on Saturday. 

Penn State has to contend with the best receiver in America

While the Ohio State offense isn’t what it’s been in the past, the team still is incredibly dangerous thanks to Marvin Harrison Jr. We discuss how he can change the game in an instant. On Tuesday, Penn State head coach James Franklin broke down what makes him special. 

“Well, I think number one, the thing that jumps out to me is his body control and ball skills. He’s got the ability to contort his body in the positions and catch the ball effortlessly.”

I think that’s the first thing.

The other thing, he’s just smooth and fluid. You know, a guy that you guys are familiar with that I think was smooth and fluid, similar to him is Jahan [Dotson]. The difference is this guy is doing it at 6’3″, 6’4″. It’s interesting, you watch him on tape and he looks like he’s got good size, but when you see him in person, he’s a big dude.”

Critical Matchup for Nittany Lions interior O-Line

We also highlight an area that has performed well for the Nittany Lions this year. Can the interior of the Penn State offensive line, which will presumably be without starting guard JB Nelson, play to the same level that they’ve achieved against a very good defense? While we focus on the defensive line on today’s show. Franklin explained the Ohio State defense and how it presents challenges in the run game with three safeties. 

“When you’re playing, say, a traditional 4-3, traditional 3-4, you got rules of how you account for the guys in the box. How you’re going to block to the Sam, combo block to the Mike, combo block to the Will or you’re reading the Will in the RPO.

Now they got this extra safety like Ohio State is doing like Iowa State was the team that made it kind of sexy and popular out there. It’s different than your normal rules of how you account for that guy in the run game.

So that’s where it can become challenging, is you’re having to teach things different than you normally do,” Franklin said. 

Join the BWI Live show at 10 a.m. on YouTube to learn more about the upcoming matchup between Penn State and Ohio State! 

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