Penn State’s non-conference schedule begins today when the Nittany Lions host Ohio. The series has been dominated by PSU but the Bobcats won the last meeting in 2012 at Beaver Stadium.
James Franklin’s team emerged from its 35-31 Big Ten win at Purdue last week without any significant injuries. But a few key players did not participate and PSU may not be in a rush to get them on the field against a heavy underdog.
Let’s get to some details.
PENN STATE (1-0) vs. OHIO (1-0)
Kickoff: Noon today at Beaver Stadium.
TV: ABC (Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek and Tom Lugenbill).
Radio: Penn State Radio Network (Steve Jones and Jack Ham).
Web: GoPSUSports.com.
Livestream: Fubo TV (free trial).
Spread/Total: Penn State is favored by 28. The total is 55.
Series: Penn State leads 5-1.
Last week: Penn State defeated Purdue 35-31 in West Lafayette; Ohio edged Florida Atlantic 41-38 at home.
Key matchup: Penn State’s secondary vs. Ohio quarterback Kurtis Rourke.
Lions missing in opener: Penn State was without tight end Theo Johnson and defensive linemen Smith Vilbert and Coziah Izzard against Purdue. The status for those three players today is uncertain.
Did you know?: The Lions are 52-10 in Beaver Stadium home openers and PSU has won the last 18 of its 20 home openers.
He said it: “I thought he handled it like a pro. Really excited for his progression. I thought there was a big jump. … I thought Drew handled the noise. I thought Drew handled the pressure. It just gives me a lot of comfort knowing we have guys behind me who want to play, who have an urge to play and can play. So it was exciting to watch on tape.” – Penn State QB Sean Clifford on true freshman Drew Allar’s debut at Purdue.
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