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Penn State Football

Ohio State Survives: OSU Grinds Out Win Ahead of Penn State Showdown

By beating Nebraska 21-17 Oct. 26, Ohio State is now a good bet to be ranked in the top five when it plays at Penn State Saturday, Nov. 2
COLUMBUS, OH - OCTOBER 26: Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. (97) reacts with his teammates during the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Ohio State Buckeyes on October 26, 2024, at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire)

Ohio State took care of business a week before its clash at Penn State.

If Ohio State and Penn State do their jobs Saturday, the teams will likely each be in the top five for the Nov. 2 showdown in Beaver Stadium. 

There was plenty of concern in Columbus when Nebraska took a 17-14 lead early in the fourth quarter.

But Ohio State responded with an 8-play, 75-yard scoring drive that took 4:43 and ended with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Will Howard to Quinshon Judkins which proved to be the winning score.

Ohio State stopped Nebraska on the ensuing possession. Although the offense failed to put the game away on the next possession, it didn’t end up mattering. Nor did Ohio State losing linebacker Arvell Reese to a targeting penalty.

GAMEDAY COMING?

There seems to be a good chance that ESPN’s College GameDay will be coming to Happy Valley for Saturday’s game.

Fox’s Big Noon kickoff pregame show is already coming, which shouldn’t be a surprise considering the game is, well, on FOX at noon.

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But what Pat McAfee said on Saturday’s episode of ESPN’s College GameDay seems to imply that another big time pregame show could be coming to Happy Valley.

“Massive GameDay implications on the line in “The Bouncehouse,” McAfee said. “If Penn State can just pound the rock, not what they did in the first half against USC, I think they win easily here.”

**Pay attention to the “massive GameDay implications” line here because Penn State is ranked No. 3 and Ohio State is No. 4. If both teams win, it seems likely that ESPN’s College GameDay will be at Penn State for next week’s showdown.

BUT PENN STATE HAS WORK TO DO

As McAfee implied, Penn State must take care of business Saturday night. The team is a 6.5-point favorite at Wisconsin, who is 5-2 with three straight blowout wins.

Penn State and Wisconsin are scheduled to kickoff at 7:30 on NBC. A loss would damper the mood for Penn State going into the Ohio State game.

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