Penn State Football: 3 keys to victory vs. Ohio State in Week 13
By Dante Pryor
Penn State football travels to Columbus to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. Here are three keys to a Nittany Lion victory over Ohio State.
Despite the loss to Minnesota, the Penn State Nittany Lions are still in the running for the Big Ten title and possibly the College Football Playoff. This is their toughest test by far.
They have to go on the road, and face arguably the most complete team in college football. It would be an upset for sure but here are the keys to a Nittany Lion upset.
3. Don’t disappear offensively
Against elite defenses, the Nittany Lions tend to disappear for stretches offensively. Against Iowa, it took Penn State a quarter to show up.
They began that game at Kinnick with three consecutive punts before they scored. After they went up 7-3 against Iowa, Penn State punted three consecutive times again before they scored. Three of those six punts between their scores were three and outs.
Against Pitt, the Nittany Lions go on a long scoring drive, and then punt twice. Both of those drives were a combined seven plays. Penn State scored in the third quarter, and then didn’t score again the rest of the game. In fact, the Nittany Lions scored on an 88-yard drive, and gained 68 yards the rest of the game.
Against Michigan, five first-half possessions equaled three touchdowns. Beaver Stadium is rocking, and this looks like it has all the makings of a complete disaster for Michigan. Then, five consecutive punts and 30 yards of total offense. Even if you count its only touchdown drive of the second half, Penn State was held to 102 yards of total offense in the final 30 minutes. If Ronnie Bell catches that ball, who knows what happens.
It will be a long night in Columbus if this happens.
Not just not scoring against elite level defenses, but the three and outs and the 10-yard drives, and the 7-yard drives, and the negative-yardage drives. Penn State can’t give the ball back to Ohio State over and over and over. Do that, and the Nittany Lions will get run out of Columbus.
Penn State’s coaching staff has to know their defense can’t hold up for four quarters if Penn State doesn’t possess the ball.