It's Penn State-Ohio State week: Time, TV channel, early storylines, point spread, more

It’s Ohio State week, Penn State fans. The top five Buckeyes and top 10 Nittany Lions meet Saturday at Ohio Stadium. The visitors will be an underdog in the contest.

“Overall, I like where we’re at,” Lions coach James Franklin said Saturday night. “We have found ways to win. We’ve won different ways, we’ve won on the road, we’ve won at home, we’ve won an 11am, we e won in the rain, we’ve won one in the heat, conference opponents nonconference opponents; I just think we’re getting better.

“So, so far, so good.”

Get ready for the game with our early preview below.

Time and TV info

Kickoff is set for Noon ET in Columbus, Ohio. FOX will televise the matchup. Its top crew of Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, and Jenny Taft.

What is the Penn State-Ohio State spread?

The look-ahead line before Saturday’s game made the Buckeyes a six-point favorite. Now, Ohio State is a 4.5-point favorite over Penn State. The total is 48.5 points.

Lions’ game week schedule

There will be no media availability on Monday. On Tuesday, head coach James Franklin will hold his first news conference of the week around lunchtime. He will also speak after Wednesday’s practice and during the second half hour of the Penn State Coaches Show on Thursday, which runs from 6-7 p.m. ET. Select players will be made available to reporters on ZOOM or after practice in person Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. And, an assistant coach will chat with the media Thursday morning.

What’s up with Ohio State?

The Buckeyes blasted Purdue 41-7 on Saturday in West Lafayettef, Ind. It did so without star wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and running back TreVeyon Henderson, who were both out due to injuries. It’s unclear if Egbuka will be back to face Penn State. Hendeson should be, as his absence this week was a surprise based on head coach Ryan Day’s comments about the situation earlier in the week. He was expected to face the Boilermakers.

Kyle McCord is the Ohio State quarterback. He has completed 93 of 142 pass attempts this year for 1,075 yards and eight touchdowns compared to just one interception. Henderson leads the ground game with 295 yards and five touchdowns. Backup Chip Trayanum, who has three scores, left last week’s game early with an injury. Receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., is the star of the offense. So far, he has 25 catches for 499 yards and four touchdowns.

Defensively, linebacker Tommy Eichenberg 38 tackles to lead the way in that department. Star corner Denzel Burke also left last week’s game early, so his status will be worth monitoring. Kicker Jayden Fielding is perfect on 22 extra point and seven field goal attempts.

“We are nowhere near where we need to be,” Day told reporters on Saturday. “We know we have a big challenge ahead of us. The preparation starts now.”

What is the weather forecast?

Weather.com is calling for a partly cloudy 58-degree day. Wind could be a factor. “Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph,” it says.

Early Penn State-Ohio State storylines

–Will Ohio State get Egbuka and Henderson back? Both change the way the Buckeyes’ offense operates, even if they put up 41 without either against Purdue. Their status will be oft-discussed throughout the week in Columbus and State College. The same goes for Burke.

–Is guard JB Nelson going to be back for Penn State? That is the main injury issue the Lions are dealing with right now. He was not seen at Beaver Stadium on Saturday.

–Are the Lions finally good enough to not just play the Buckeyes close on the road but actually beat them in The Horse Shoe? You’re going to hear that question, or a variation of it, asked a lot this week.

–Is the Penn State offense good enough to move the ball and control the game on the road? It is scoring a ton of points. But, in its own way with inconsistent play at times. It cannot have spurts of that in Columbus.