The No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0, 4-0) are back in Columbus this week after a bye week last week to take on the reeling Penn State Nittany Lions (3-4, 0-4).
A game that some people thought could be a top-three matchup, Penn State has had a disastrous season that has seen its head coach fired and its starting quarterback out for the season.
Here are five things to know about Penn State to get you ready for the matchup this Saturday for a Big Noon Kickoff.
Terry Smith is the interim head coach
If you didn’t know this and have been living
in Jared Leto’s cult for the past month, James Franklin is out in Happy Valley, and Terry Smith has taken over as the interim head coach. He was the associate head coach and cornerbacks coach prior to becoming the interim head coach.
In his first and only game thus far, Penn State lost to Iowa 25-24 to fall to 0-4 in the Big Ten. They were on a bye last week.
Ethan Grunkemeyer is the new QB1
With the season-ending injury to Drew Allar, redshirt freshman and Columbus native Ethan Grunkemeyer has now taken over as the starting quarterback for the Nittany Lions.
In his first start against Iowa, Grunkemeyer went 15-for-28 for 93 yards and two interceptions. His second start will be in Columbus against the best defense in the country.
The defensive line is a solid group
The front four for the Nittany Lions is led by seniors Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant, who are both NFL-caliber players. Also, Zuriah Fisher did not play against Iowa but is expected to be back for this one.
The Ohio State offensive line has had some issues this year that Penn State can take advantage of and try to make Julian Sayin uncomfortable.
Points have been hard to come by recently for Penn State
The Nittany Lions have scored less than 25 points in three of their four Big Ten games. 24 against Oregon in double overtime, 21 at Northwestern, which led to Franklin’s firing, and 24 in a loss at Iowa. None of these defenses is nearly as good as Ohio State ,and with Grunkemeyer only having one start under his belt, this could be a long afternoon for the Penn State offense if Kaytron Allen can’t get going on the ground early and often.
THON is a fantastic cause for Penn State
According to Penn State University, THON is the world’s largest student-run philanthropy that aims to provide emotional and financial support to Four Diamonds families who have been impacted by childhood cancer. In 2025, THON raised a record-breaking $17.7 million.
Last year was the 53rd anniversary of THON, and the theme was “A Home For Hope,” representative of the joy, love, and unwavering support shared by everyone involved—from students to families—united in the mission to find a cure for childhood cancer, according to Penn State.
As the world’s largest student-run philanthropy, THON raises millions of dollars each year for Four Diamonds, funding pediatric cancer research and supporting children and families fighting childhood cancer. Since 1977, THON has raised more than $236 million for Four Diamonds.
2026 THON will take place from February 20th to 22nd.
