Ohio State Football: Way-too-early game-by-game predictions for 2018

PISCATAWAY, NJ - SEPTEMBER 30: Quarterback Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Ohio State Buckeyes during a game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on September 30, 2017 at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. Ohio State won 56-0. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /

Penn State’s top offensive weapon for the past three years will be gone next season, making the Nittany Lions a little less scary on that side of the ball. Saquon Barkley is headed to the NFL and it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone who watched him play as he could do it all. He might be the league’s best great pass-catching back.

Replacing him will be junior Miles Sanders. He’s combined for just 375 yards and three touchdowns in his first two seasons with Penn State, but he was a five-star coming out of high school and he’s averaging 6.7 yards per carry through his first two years.

This is going to be a heck of a battle, reminiscent of the last two meetings, especially the one in Happy Valley in 2016. With more of a focus on Sanders, the Nittany Lions are going to find their next star in the backfield as he’ll rush for over 100 yards, taking some pressure off Trace McSorley.

For the third straight season, this game will come down to the final drive and it’ll be the Nittany Lions exacting revenge for the 2017 loss in Columbus as Dwayne Haskins struggles for the first time as a starter.

Final Score: Ohio State 27, Penn State 30 (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten)

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