For years, it was as reliable of a fall institution as the changing of the leaves. Ohio State home football games started at 1:30 p.m., printed right there on the ticket.
Obviously, the explosion in television coverage in the 1980s changed all that, but a night game, that was a special occasion. The Buckeyes first played at home under the lights in 1985, and had just four such occasions before 2000.
Saturday night marks the 25th night game in Ohio Stadium history, and only the 12th time it has been against a Big Ten Conference opponent. For the fourth time, Penn State is the guest in an illuminated Horseshoe, more than any other team. The Buckeyes are 19-5 all-time in home night contests.
It will also be a “Scarlet the Stadium” effort, as fans are asked to wear all scarlet clothing. The team is doing its part, wearing its traditional home scarlet jerseys, but also scarlet pants. It’s certainly alluding to the Nittany Lions’ “White Out”, which has become one of college football’s greatest traditions. OSU has appeared in five such of those games.
Remarkably, Penn State is now the longest continuous (active) series for the Buckeyes, with this being the 29th straight meeting, going back 1993. Last year was the first time since 1917 that Ohio State didn’t play Michigan, with The Game a casualty of The Pandemic, canceled due to COVID-19.
While “That Team Up North” will always be OSU’s main rival, the Nittany Lions have certainly become a worthy one. Since 2001, the Bucks lead this series 15-5, with nine of those games being decided by a touchdown or less. Meanwhile, Ohio State is 17-2 against Michigan, with eight final scores within seven points.
After upsetting OSU in Happy Valley in 2016, Penn State lost heartbreaking, one-point, fourth-quarter comebacks in 2017 (39-38) and 2018 (27-26).
Close games are something the fifth-ranked Buckeyes haven’t had of late, outscoring their last four opponents by an aggregate total of 231-44. Although No. 20 Penn State comes in following back-to-back losses, the Lions are easily the sternest test for OSU since the loss to Oregon on September 11.
On the strength of its defense, Penn State rose to No. 4 in the Associated Press poll before losing at Iowa. The Nittany Lions have the nation’s sixth-best defense in terms of points allowed, permitting less than 15 a contest. Penn State is No. 15 in pass defense nationally (178 yards per game), and No. 62 (146.4 yards per game) in rushing defense after surrendering 357 yards on the ground in the nine-overtime upset loss to Illinois last week at home.
It will be strength against strength, as Ohio State’s offense is on its way toward setting school records. The Buckeyes have the country’s top scoring (49.3 PPG) and total offenses (559.7 YPG), and could become just the second team in Big Ten history to score 50 or more points in five consecutive games (Michigan in 1903). If OSU tops 500 yards of offense, that would be the seventh straight game that would happen, a new school record (six straight has happened three times).
Could Saturday be another big statistical day for running back TreVeyon Henderson? The explosive freshman has scored 14 touchdowns this season (most in the Big Ten) on just 86 touches. He has 686 yards rushing on 78 attempts. Henderson has only had double-digit carries in three of the seven games. His only game with 20-plus carries (23 against Tulsa), produced 270 yards, the most-ever by a true freshman at Ohio State.
When Penn State has the ball, it is hoping for a healthy Sean Clifford under center. The fifth-year senior has had his ups and downs at Ohio Stadium, winning an Ohio high school state title at Cincinnati St. Xavier in the ‘Shoe in 2016. However, three years later, he was injured in the Lions' 28-17 loss at Ohio State.
His main target is one of the Big Ten’s top wide receivers, Jahan Dotson, whose 49 receptions lead the conference. He had eight catches for 144 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s 38-25 loss to the Buckeyes. One matchup to watch closely will be freshman cornerback Denzel Burke, when he’s matched up one-on-one with Dotson.
Stay up with Spectrum News 1 (and the Spectrum News App) following the game, as MaryLee Melendez, Andy Baskin and former Ohio State running back Antonio Pittman break down the contest, and take you live to Ryan Day’s news conference.