By Danielle Daniels

Buckeyes and Nittany Lions are nationally ranked for the eighth consecutive meeting

FIRST AND TEN

• It will be a Top 5 matchup in Happy Valley the first Saturday in November between No. 4 Ohio State (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten Conference) and No. 3 Penn State (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten). FOX will televise the game nationally.
• The two teams are each nationally ranked for an eighth consecutive meeting – every game since 2017 – and for the 25th time in this, the 40th meeting in the all-time series.
• This is only the second Top 5 game between these traditional powers. The other came in 1996, a 38-7 Ohio State (No. 3) win over No. 4 Penn State at Ohio Stadium.
• This is the 12th meeting with both teams in the national Top 10 rankings.
• The two teams are meeting on the gridiron for the 32nd consecutive year, all since Penn State joined the Big Ten Conference in 1993.
• The 32 consecutive years is Ohio State’s longest active streak of playing one opponent. The teams will play in Columbus in 2025. Date is TBA.
• A watch list: Downingtown, Pa., native Will Howard at QB for Ohio State and PSU WR Julian Fleming (10 receptions for 148 yards), who started 22 games for Ohio State between 2021-23.

BY THE NUMBERS
JT!: JT Tuimoloau had one of the great statistical games ever in 2022 vs. Penn State: six tackles, three TFLs including two QB sacks, two INTs including a pick-6, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a PBU.

7.5: The average margin of victory in the last eight games between Ohio State and Penn State is 7.5 points, including one-point victories for Ohio State in 2017 and 2018 and a three-point PSU win in 2016.

27-27: Ohio State’s offense has scored on all 27 trips into the opponents red zone – only three nationally are at 100 pct. this season – with 25 touchdowns (92 pct.), including 14 rushing TDs and 10 passing.

41: Running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins have each scored 41 career touchdowns (T3rd nationally). Henderson has 36 rushing and five receiving; Judkins has 37 and four, respectively.

OHIO STATE VS. PENN STATE

• Ohio State leads the all-time series with Penn State, 24 victories to 14.
• Ohio State has also won seven consecutive in the series with Penn State’s last victory coming in 2016 when the unranked Nittany Lions defeated No. 2 Ohio State, 24-21, in State College.
• Since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993, Ohio State holds a 22-8 advantage in the series, including a 9-6 record in games played at Beaver Stadium.

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT

• If there’s one thing the Ohio State-Penn State game has annually provided, its drama.
• In 2014, Penn State came back from a 17-0 halftime deficit to force overtime. J.T. Barrett scored on TD runs of five and four yards in the OTs and Joey Bosa had a “walk off” sack to help Ohio State win, 31-24.
• Penn State scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter in 2016 to win, 24-21.
• Ohio State rallied from fourth quarter deficits of 10 points or more in both 2017 and 2018 and won by one point each time.
• Ohio State’s 11-point win over Penn State in 2019 was its leanest margin of victory over a Big Ten opponent all season.
• And in 2022, Ohio State scored 28 fourth quarter points in just over seven minutes to rally from a 21-16 deficit to a 44-24 lead on its way to a 44-31 victory at loud and hostile Beaver Stadium.

OHIO STATE TODAY

• The Buckeyes were cruising along at No. 2 in the nation and 5-0, having outscored its opponents 183-34, before a trip to No. 3 Oregon: a 32-31 loss where the offense played well but the defense did not.
• That loss was followed by a 21-17 fourth quarter comeback win over Nebraska after an off week. The defense returned to form, although Nebraska’s 273 total yards were second-most allowed by the defense this year.
• The offense, down LT Josh Simmons, did not play up to par with just 285 offensive yards, including only 64 yards rushing.
• Will Howard threw three TD passes; lovely aerials of 40- and 60-yards to Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith, and a game winner to RB Quinshon Judkins with just six minutes to play.

13 TACKLES FOR LOSS VS. NEBRASKA

• The defense’s effort essentially won the Nebraska game.
• In addition to forcing six punts, it recorded 13 tackles-for-loss, for 39 lost yards, and came up big on the Cornhusker’s last two possessions: a three-and-out and a final stand that ended with back-to-back tackles-for-loss and an interception by Jordan Hancock.
• The 13 TFLs: the most since 15 vs. Indiana in 2021.

COURTESY OHIO STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS