Penn State 365: A PSU Athletics Podcast

Massive Ohio State / Penn State Game Preview Show

·50 min·4 clips
Penn State's playoff hopes face Ohio State, but Drew Allar's injury could decide the entire game.
The episode begins with hosts introducing the high-stakes Penn State vs. Ohio State matchup. Dylan opens by expressing concerns about Penn State's health, particularly quarterback Drew Allar, and predicts a close, low-scoring game. Marty agrees, noting injuries to players like Dani Dennis-Sutton and Anthony Donk also factor in. Anthony discusses backup quarterback Bo Pribula's limitations against Ohio State's defense compared to his performance against Wisconsin. The conversation shifts to Ohio State's offense, with Marty highlighting wide receivers Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka as the biggest threat, while Dylan notes Penn State's secondary was last tested by USC. Anthony addresses Ohio State quarterback Will Howard's comments about Penn State, suggesting they serve as bulletin board material. Dylan analyzes Penn State's defensive backs' ability to handle Ohio State's receivers, pointing out Howard is not an elite quarterback. The panel discusses Penn State's defensive line pressure against Ohio State's injured offensive line, with Abdul Carter and Zane Durant mentioned as key players. Marty details Zane Durant's athleticism and PFF ranking as a top defensive tackle. Anthony emphasizes the defensive line's need to exploit Ohio State's offensive line weakness. The hosts then examine Penn State's offensive line, noting Anthony Donk's injury and potential replacement Nolan Rucci facing a mismatch against Ohio State's J.T. Tuimoloau. Marty praises Penn State's interior offensive line strength. Running back Nick Singleton's health and the ground game's effectiveness against Ohio State's top-ranked run defense are debated. Anthony discusses the mental challenge of playing through injury for Singleton. The passing game is analyzed, with Dylan stating if Allar plays, Penn State's path to victory is through the air against Ohio State's 101st-ranked pass completion defense. Marty speculates on Julian Fleming having a big game against his former team. Each host names X-factors: Anthony picks Harrison Wallace on offense and Amin Vanover or Smith Vilbert on defense; Dylan chooses the offensive line and Tony Rojas; Marty selects Amari Evans and the defensive ends opposite Carter. A debate compares coaches James Franklin and Ryan Day, with consensus that Day is better at X's and O's but Franklin excels at program-building. The panel agrees Penn State remains in playoff contention regardless of the outcome. They briefly discuss College GameDay sign ideas and guest picker possibilities. Final predictions are split: Anthony picks Ohio State 23-20, Marty picks Ohio State 27-20 or 27-17, Dylan picks Ohio State 20-17, while Richie predicts a 27-24 Penn State win on a last-second field goal by Ryan Barker. The episode concludes with thoughts on avoiding a slow start and the game's competitive history.

As heard by us

A roster-aware Penn State-Ohio State preview built around Drew's status, the passing game, and defensive pressure points.

Penn State's meeting with Ohio State is treated as the kind of tight, low-scoring game that may turn as much on availability as on scheme. The focus keeps returning to Drew's status, then widens to Bo's chances of keeping the offense on schedule, Penn State's clearest route…

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Why you'd press play

Need the Penn State-Ohio State stakes sorted through health questions, passing windows, and the players who could swing a tight matchup?

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