Can crowd carry PSU over OSU again?
The last time Ohio State played in Happy Valley, the crowd at Beaver Stadium helped the Nittany Lions upset the Buckeyes and begin the team鈥檚 return to national prominence.
The last two years, the Big Ten contests between the two have come down to the closing minutes with the home team winning both years.
Will the same thing happen Saturday night?
For Penn State to win, it may have to score 45 or 50 points because Ohio State鈥檚 offense behind quarterback Dwayne Haskins is a juggernaut.
Yes, Penn State has the highest scoring offense in the country at 55.5 points per game, but Ohio State is second at 54.5 points per game.
This is the first time since November 1962 that the top two scoring offenses face off in a Big Ten game, when eighth-ranked Wisconsin downed top-ranked Northwestern.
Weather will not be a factor, so it very well could come down to the match-up at the line of scrimmage.
Ohio State has the advantage on both sides of the ball, although All-American candidate Nick Bosa will miss the game for the Buckeyes after having surgery last week.
While most would think that Penn State has the quarterback advantage, Haskins has been nothing short of superb this year.
It was said last year that he was better than J.T. Barrett, yet Urban Meyer went with his senior Barrett.
A year ago, Barrett had a career night as he torched Penn State鈥檚 defense, which had nine returning starters, by completing 33 of 39 passes for 328 yards and a score.
Barrett was a mobile quarterback whereas Haskins is going to look to pick apart PSU鈥檚 inexperienced defense.
If Barrett picked apart an experienced defense last October, what will Haskins do against a defense with only two returning starters?
PSU quarterback Trace McSorley has gone 26-5 as a starter and has never lost a home game, but Ohio State has stymied him.
In 2016, McSorley only completed eight of 23 passes for 154 yards and while he completed 17 of 29 attempts a year ago for 192 yards, he could not come through in the clutch.
McSorley鈥檚 numbers this year are only average, but it is partly because of how Penn State鈥檚 running game has taken off and also because of the number of drops that his receivers have had this season.
Look for Ohio State to attempt to run all over Penn State as the Nittany Lions run defense is susceptible, and if it does, it will only open up more passing lanes for Haskins.
Am I counting Penn State out?
No, not with McSorley at quarterback.
But Ohio State has a lineup of grown men while Penn State is only starting four seniors and its inexperience has shown at time against Appalachian State, Pitt, Kent State and Illinois.
If those teams can exploit Penn State in different facets of the game, what will Ohio State do?
On paper, Saturday night鈥檚 top 10 showdown at Beaver Stadium sees the Buckeyes hold every advantage but one.
The contest is the annual White Out game, and if you ask anyone what that environment is like, they will tell you it is electric beyond words.
National experts roll into Happy Valley just to be a part of the environment and to experience it.
The crowd will give PSU a shot or two of extra adrenaline, and the longer Penn State is in the game or is even leading, the more intense the environment will get.
There will be a buzz Saturday night with 110,000 fans, mostly decked out in white, going crazy.
Maybe, just maybe, it will be enough to will Penn State to another win just like two years ago.
Grier鈥檚 quiet dominance
While there is growing talk about quarterbacks like Haskins and Alabama鈥檚 Tua Tagovailoa, people should not sleep on WVU鈥檚 Will Grier.
He lit up Kansas State for 356 yards and five touchdowns this past Saturday, and if he keeps rolling up stats and wins, he will end up in New York at the Heisman Award show.
Gibson getting kicks in
Nik Gibson won the Waynesburg punting duties during camp and he has not disappointed.
The freshman from Uniontown has punted 23 times in four games and is averaging 36.3 yards per attempt.
Gibson has placed six punts inside the 20 and has a long of 57 yards which he did in the opener against Muskingum.
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