#2 Penn State (4-1, 7-1) at #6 Ohio State (5-0, 7-1) Post Game

[MaximumSam]

Biggest B1G game of the regular season on Saturday at 3:30.  Not a night game?  Correct, not a night game.  An actual gigantic game being played in the afternoon.  It's like Christmas.

[PSUinNC]

Do Bucks fans actually wish this was at night, for the atmosphere purposes?  Buckeyes are (and pretty much always will be) the White Out game every other year @ PSU, kinda think they'd like to return the favor. 

[Brutus Buckeye]

Pretty nervous about this one.

Even though last year's loss was kinda fluky, it completely turned around the Penn St FB program. 

They have been playing at an elite level ever since. 

[MaximumSam]

Do Bucks fans actually wish this was at night, for the atmosphere purposes?  Buckeyes are (and pretty much always will be) the White Out game every other year @ PSU, kinda think they'd like to return the favor.

In the past, yes, but now that night games are so frequent it feels pretty nice to have a huge game in the daytime.  They've already had four night games this year.

[PSUinNC]

Should be a wild atmosphere regardless.  Really looking forward to Saturday.  Bucks being -7 should give the fellas in White a ton of motivation.

That said, I really wish PSU was wearing Blue Saturday to offset the gray OSU uniforms.  

[medinabuckeye1]

Bucks being -7

I just don't get that.  The Buckeyes have looked great lately but in our current power rankings the teams they have defeated are ranked #8, #9, #10, and #13 in the league.  Basically, on the year, the Buckeyes have played Oklahoma and not much else.  Until I see this offense look competent against a decent defense I'm not going to believe the hype.  
Points given up by Oklahoma:

• 41 to Baylor
• 35 to Kansas State
• 31 to Iowa State
• 24 to Texas
• 16 to Ohio State
• 14 to Tulane
• 7 to UTEP

It would be one thing if Oklahoma had an elite defense that was holding everybody to <20 but they obviously don't.  

[MrNubbz]

Good Point MB.Last season I became an advocate of the 2 QB's after watching Joe Burrow thread the needle.Still believe that Burrow can go over the top and in tight windows.Not sure what happened to the aggressive chance taking Urban.We've seen JT body of work.If anything imo tOSU has been propping him up.Don't care about the records JT is 5 yrs in he should have accumulated something.We have home field and great DLine depth.Got a feeling the Lions leave C-Bus with the "W"

[Mdot21]

this is going to be the game of the year in the B1G. Can't wait.

I think Penn State probably *should* win. McSorley has been playing at a high level all year- he's a great college QB. And Barkley is just a freak. Biggest weapon in college football just because of how versatile he is as wide receiver. That guy is really like the next Marshall Faulk. Forget Reggie Bush. That's who I've seen people compare him too- but Bush wasn't physical. At all. Bush really was a complete whimp of a runner and couldn't run between the tackles- and that's why he was an NFL failure. Barkley is low to the ground, and powerful. Kid has a lower body like Barry Sanders- those humongous thighs and legs- hard to get a clean shot on him. He'll run you over, juke you out, run around you, and run by you. He is the best college RB that I have seen in a long time. Apologies to Zeke Elliot and Leonard Fournette- but I think this guy is better. He's a more complete back.

But it's at The Horseshoe, and Ohio State is a proud program with a great coach, a veteran QB and an offense that has started to get back on track.

I think it'll be really close, but I think Penn State pulls it out in the end off the back of Barkley. Just ride that horse all game long and he'll take you to victory.

[bayareabadger]

I just don't get that.  The Buckeyes have looked great lately but in our current power rankings the teams they have defeated are ranked #8, #9, #10, and #13 in the league.  Basically, on the year, the Buckeyes have played Oklahoma and not much else.  Until I see this offense look competent against a decent defense I'm not going to believe the hype.  
Points given up by Oklahoma:

• 41 to Baylor
• 35 to Kansas State
• 31 to Iowa State
• 24 to Texas
• 16 to Ohio State
• 14 to Tulane
• 7 to UTEP

It would be one thing if Oklahoma had an elite defense that was holding everybody to <20 but they obviously don't.  

Vegas lines are always gonna be set more on predictive indicators than raw wins. OSU's dominance has been pretty silly and is probably weighting things. I've seen a couple predictions with larger spreads, so it will be interesting.
It may well be wrong, but whenever I think of the power of predictors, I think back of 2014 MSU (well, and JT hitting passes MSU's coaches didn't believe he could)

[MaximumSam]

Vegas lines are always gonna be set more on predictive indicators than raw wins. OSU's dominance has been pretty silly and is probably weighting things. I've seen a couple predictions with larger spreads, so it will be interesting.
It may well be wrong, but whenever I think of the power of predictors, I think back of 2014 MSU (well, and JT hitting passes MSU's coaches didn't believe he could)

OSU's S+P point margin at 29.2 while PSU's is at 22.1 for a 7.1 difference. 
Anyways, should be a fun game.  The narrative all week here in Columbus is "can JT Barrett complete a pass against a good team?"  I think he will be fine.  My bigger worry is how the defense holds up.  OSU likes to play man, and they will play Cover 4 which often turns into man.  But PSU feasts on man defense so I wonder how they will try to play.  Iowa is the team that looked best defensively against PSU, and they love their keeping everything in front of them.
Anyways, I have a feeling PSU will score a lot of points, but I also think OSU will score a lot of points.  PSU has been strong defensively, but they've played a lot of garbage offenses.  *I don't think* OSU is a garbage offense any longer.

[bayareabadger]

OSU's S+P point margin at 29.2 while PSU's is at 22.1 for a 7.1 difference.
Anyways, should be a fun game.  The narrative all week here in Columbus is "can JT Barrett complete a pass against a good team?"  I think he will be fine.  My bigger worry is how the defense holds up.  OSU likes to play man, and they will play Cover 4 which often turns into man.  But PSU feasts on man defense so I wonder how they will try to play.  Iowa is the team that looked best defensively against PSU, and they love their keeping everything in front of them.
Anyways, I have a feeling PSU will score a lot of points, but I also think OSU will score a lot of points.  PSU has been strong defensively, but they've played a lot of garbage offenses.  *I don't think* OSU is a garbage offense any longer.

I think S&P officially has OSU by 9.6. Seems highly high. 
Also, S&P has OSU as No. 2 O and No. 7 D, with PSU at 10 and 9. So we're in for a treat. 

[TyphonInc]

My gut says this game will play out like Clemson/OU and OSU is going to get embarrassed (again.) 

[Brutus Buckeye]

[ELA]

Do Bucks fans actually wish this was at night, for the atmosphere purposes?  Buckeyes are (and pretty much always will be) the White Out game every other year @ PSU, kinda think they'd like to return the favor.

I don't think it matters much anymore.  Night games are such commonplace, I don't think they phase visiting teams anymore.  MSU played a night game at Minnesota, and Minnesota has one coming back next week at Michigan.  Georgia State at Penn State was a night game.  It's fun for the fans in the stands for big night games (I know a lot of ticket holding fans who hate them for non event games), but for opposing teams, I think it's old hat.