Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
Today’s Question: What is one thing Penn State has to do to have a chance against Ohio State?
Jami’s Take: Eliminate turnovers
A little
more than a month ago, it seemed entirely possible that Saturday’s game between Ohio State and Penn State was going to be a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup. Alas, the wheels have come off for the Nittany Lions since their Sept. 27 double-overtime home loss to Oregon.
In the weeks following that heartbreaker, the Nits dropped two additional games in a row (including one to a then-winless UCLA), fired head coach James Franklin, and lost senior starting quarterback Drew Allar for the rest of the season to an ankle injury against Northwestern.
If that wasn’t bad enough, they tacked on a fourth consecutive game in their first matchup under interim head coach Terry Smith.
Now, coming off their second bye week, Penn State has the brutal task of facing the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country in consecutive weeks.
Suffice it to say, the Nittany Lions have seen better days. Still, there are times when being down and out can work in your favor. Just ask UCLA. The Nits’ playoff hopes are all but over — and their bowl chances are on thin ice as well — so the only thing left to play for is pride. Nothing would feel like more of a redemption than beating either or both the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country. With nothing to lose, there is a world where the Nittany Lions know folks have written them off and show up in Columbus with a vendetta.
But in order for them to even keep the game close, they have a lot of technical issues to fix, especially against a defense as elite as Ohio State’s. And of all the things they would need to clean up to eke out a win over the Buckeyes, the primary thing is this: They need to hold onto the football, especially in crunch time.
If Penn State is going to have any chance at winning, they are going to need to convert almost every drive into points. Turnovers will not only cost them points but also could set OSU up with even better field position.
In each of their four losses, the Nits have lost the turnover battle. Most football fans probably remember the dramatic fashion in which the Penn State-Oregon game ended: With Oregon intercepting Allar in the second overtime to end the game.
But it wasn’t the team’s only costly turnover. They’ve had several—including multiple interceptions, fumbles, and a muffed punt against far lesser teams than the Ducks.
Against UCLA, the Bruins failed to turn a Penn State fumble into points in the third quarter. But it’s possible the damage was done. PSU lost the game by just five points, and by coughing up the ball, they lost the opportunity to add to their score. In a close game, any one drive can be the difference between a win and a loss.
Against Northwestern, Allar was intercepted in the end zone on the opening drive, which the Wildcats converted into a field goal. Then, early in the fourth quarter, Penn State wide receiver Devonte Ross muffed a punt, handing the ball back to Northwestern at the 9-yard line. The Wildcats took the lead off this turnover and went on to win the game by a mere one point. Without those turnovers, Penn State’s entire season could look different. They could have managed the win; Franklin might still have a job. It’s a lot of what ifs, but there’s no question the errors were costly.
If that’s not bad enough, the problems continued—dare I say, even worsened—against Iowa. In the 25-24 loss, Allar’s replacement, Ethan Grunkmeyer, threw two interceptions, the latter of which put the Hawkeyes on Penn State’s 1-yard line, essentially handing Iowa a touchdown just a few minutes before half.
When they get to Columbus, Penn State will be up against the best defense in the country in yards allowed and points allowed per game, among other metrics. The Silver Bullets have four interceptions and five forced fumbles through seven games. They have only given up four touchdowns.
Let that sink in: They have forced more fumbles than they have allowed touchdowns.
Matt’s Take: Shock Ohio State
Ryan Day has said repeatedly this week that having lost four straight games that the Penn State Nittany Lions have nothing to lose. All of their conference title and national championship hopes have completely evaporated, their coach has been fired, and their starting quarterback has been lost for the season.
However, sometimes a wounded animal is the most dangerous. Both the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions were off last week, giving each coaching staff an opportunity to make changes and install new schemes. While I am of the opinion that Ryan Day and Brian Hartline might have tipped their hand about what type of offense they are going to run the rest of the season with the RPO and pass-heavy attack that they displayed against Wisconsin, I don’t expect there to be significant changes for OSU. Why would there be? The Buckeyes are the No. 1 team in the country and have dominated opponents at every turn.
For the Nits, however, why not just throw everything at the wall they possibly can in hopes of playing spoiler to your non-rival? Maybe the offense, run by not-exactly-mobile, Central Ohio product Ethan Grunkmeyer will run the triple option. Maybe the defense, coordinated by former OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, will run full-house blitzes on every snap.
Even though I don’t expect them to go to quite those levels of extreme on either side of the ball, I do think that if PSU wants to have any chance to pull off the monumental upset that they will need to do something dramatically different than they have done all year.
While Penn State’s roster is clearly still stacked with talent, they haven’t exactly been playing inspired football over the past month or so. However, giving them something new to focus on, a surprising new scheme top spring on their top-ranked opponent, can serve as a rejuvinating dose of excitement that the program clearly needs.
Obviously the Buckeye coaching staff has been breaking down PSU’s film, but if the Nits want to get the win tomorrow, it might be best for them to do some things that they’ve never shown before.
