Tag: Penn State Football

Watch what Penn State head coach James Franklin said about Ohio State ahead of the game Saturday

Penn State head coach James Franklin met with the media during his weekly press conference to preview Ohio State. Find out what he said.

Ohio State is all set to host a top ten Penn State team this Saturday in Columbus. It’s the biggest game to date with a ton on the line. If the Buckeyes can win, they will clinch the Big Ten East Division and keep things between the guardrails for a Big Ten Championship and appearance in the College Football Playoff.

There’s no doubt Nittany Lion head coach James Franklin knows the challenge ahead of his team as it prepares to game plan and find a way to knock off perhaps the most dominant and complete team in the country.

But under Franklin, the last three games between the two have been decided by five total points, so if anyone program has the confidence and ability to pull of the upset, it’s the Penn State program.

He made himself available to the media Tuesday to preview the game and we have all of those comments for you thanks to the Penn State Football Facebook page.

Click on the below and listen to Franklin rattle off several Ohio State players that jump out on film, talk about the injury status of star wide-receiver K.J. Hamler, his relationship with Ryan Day, and more. He, like many, had some very complimentary things to say about this Buckeye team — calling it perhaps the best he’s seen on tape since he’s been at Penn State.

As a warning though, if you know anything about Franklin, he does like to hear himself talk. There’s some good stuff in here though.

https://www.facebook.com/PSUFball/videos/730634534124758/

 

With a win Saturday, Ohio State clinches the Big Ten East, spot in Big Ten Championship Game

With a win over Penn State on Saturday, Ohio State clinches the outright Big Ten East title and a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game.

We know it’ll be a top ten matchup Saturday when Ohio State hosts Penn State. We also know the Nittany Lions have posed more challenges for the Buckeyes than maybe any other team in the Big Ten over the last few years. They’ve only knocked the door down one time, but almost every game has been a one possession affair since James Franklin’s been stomping around in Happy Valley.

We also know there will be three national, live shows all converging on Columbus to preview the game, and that says all you need to know about the stakes of this one. There are East Division title, Big Ten Championship, and College Football Playoff implications on the line.

But first things first, what’s front and center is that a win by Ohio State on Saturday over Penn State clinches the Big Ten East outright and a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game. It would be the Buckeyes third straight appearance in Indy.

An OSU win would result in the Nittany Lions’ second loss in conference play, and since Michigan has already been turned back twice, even a loss in Ann Arbor the following week would still leave Ohio State as the only one-loss squad in the East Division.

Surprisingly, no tie-breaker needed this time around.

If however, somehow, someway, Penn State finds a way to beat the Buckeyes, it would more than likely mean a trip to Indy for the Nittany Lions. Their next game would be against Rutgers — almost assuredly a win — with the tiebreaker for the head-to-head in hand.

So hopefully Ohio State stays hungry, focused, and intent on continuing to make history and we you can celebrate Saturday night by booking a trip to Indianapolis.

 

Ohio State opens up as -18 point favorite against Penn State according to BetMGM

BetMGM has published its early line for Ohio State vs. Penn State and it has started at eighteen in favor of the Buckeyes.

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The Ohio State football season starts for real Saturday. Up until now it’s all been window dressing and beat down after beat down. Now comes a top ten Penn State team with the same dreams of grandeur Ohio State has. Win the game Saturday, cruise on into the Big Ten Championship Game in Indy, win and then hopefully get a crack at the College Football Playoff.

It’s such a big game nationally that ESPN’s College Game Day, FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff Show, and BTN Tailgate are all converging on Columbus to rub elbows with fans and each other.

We now have a line on the game too. According to the online sportsbook BetMGM, Ohio State has been installed as an eighteen point favorite for the titanic struggle in the ‘Shoe Saturday at Noon.

*Odds via BetMGM. Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 9:00 a.m. ET. 

That might seem a little outlandish considering the Nittany Lions have played almost every game tight with Ohio State during James Franklin’s tenure, but apparently Vegas believes this Buckeye squad is just different.

And based on what we’ve seen this year, the oddsmakers might be right. We’ll find out Saturday.

“Want to get in on the action? Place your bet now at BetMGM.” 

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Ohio State beats Rutgers to go to 10-0, now the season really begins

Ohio State put it on Rutgers, and has been fantastic to date. But now, the season really begins with Penn State and Michigan on tap.

Ohio State may not have looked as good as it has in previous weeks against Rutgers, but it was still a convincing win nonetheless. The Buckeyes raced out to a quick lead, put in some backups and won going away 56-21.

To date, the Buckeyes closest game — if you can believe it — was against FAU in week one. They only managed to win that one by 24 points. Since then, it’s been beat down after beat down. Along the way, Ohio State eviscerated one of the best defenses in the country when it whitewashed Wisconsin 38-7. It scored over 70 points twice, held its opponents to ten points or below ten times, and scored at least 34 points in every game.

Heck, there’s even be three guys in the Heisman conversation. Quarterback Justin Fields, running back J.K. Dobbins, and defensive end Chase Young have all had magical years so far.

Simply put — the Buckeyes have been on cruise control and haven’t been tested to date.

But now it’s about to get into the meat of the schedule. What’s happened to date has little bearing on what needs to occur over the next two weeks when OSU welcomes a top ten Penn State squad, then hits the road for the annual grudge match between Michigan — er … TTUN.

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Has Ohio State been dominant, fantastic, marvelous and all the above so far in 2019? Yes, it sure has. In fact some of the things we’ve seen this year may not happen for a long, long time. We may not even know how truly historic this season is until it’s over and we look back on it.

But … in order for it to be that type of year, the Buckeyes have to finish the deal. Lose against Penn State and the Nittany Lions likely go to Indianapolis. Lose to Michigan and, — well … let’s just not go there.

In some ways, what’s happened up until now seems like a precursor in a blockbuster movie right before the climax begins.

So, strap it up men. The focus and execution has been outstanding to date. But remember, there’s a countdown clock in the Woody that has the real finish line. It’s time to show Penn State THEY AREN’T, and Michigan that it still can’t hold a candle to THE Ohio State University.

Practice is going to be fun this week. It’s time to finish this thing.

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