When did this last happen? Penn State plays Ohio State at noon on Saturday, but the nation won’t care unless the Nittany Lions rise from the ashes of their 3-4 season.
Columbus, OH – Penn State week. It was supposed to be a top five matchup, if not No. 1 vs. No. 2. Remember when they were ranked 1-2 from Week 2 through Week 4?
Come Saturday at noon, it was supposed to be a coin flip. The past eight meetings – all Ohio State victories – were decided by an average of 6.7 points. In 2017 and 2018, the Buckeyes won by a point.
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Last year Ohio State’s goal-line stands were monumental in a clash of Big Ten titans. The nation expected more of the same. Why? Because this would be a faceoff between Matt Patricia’s defense and Jim Knowles’ defense. The notion of that luster was lost the day lusterless UCLA dominated the Nittany Lions’ defenseless 11 with 42 points.
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Now, in this chaotic season, it’s unbeaten and No. 1 Ohio State – sitting in its rightful place at the top – against 3-4 and 0-4 in the Big Ten Penn State, sitting at a bus stop wanting a ticket to anywhere but Ohio Stadium.
There is no hype, no white-out, no College Gameday. (They’re in Utah. Yes, Utah.) Outside of Ohio State and Penn State fandom, the national feeling is “myeh.” Local Penn State fans are “myeh,” too. They aren’t buying tickets. They might not even watch on their 65-inch screens if the weather is nice and the yard needs work.
There’s not even James Franklin to kick around anymore should the Nittany Lions lose. The blue and white among us fear the Buckeyes might post another shutout. They half-expect the Buckeyes to finally unleash their running game.
But chaos is king this season, usurping the unsuspecting from Penn State to LSU to Texas. Chaos fired Franklin, Brian Kelly at LSU and a litany of other men once deemed to be the perfect choice as the head coach at their institutions.
How futile has it been for PSU…even old ‘what’s-his-name’ (background) was in on the beat of the Nittany Lions back in 2021.
Ohio State – free of chaos through the season’s first two months – doesn’t face a trap game in Penn State. Instead, Ryan Day’s team faces a potential trap month of Penn State, 2-6 Purdue, 3-5 UCLA and 4-4 Rutgers before venturing north two days after giving thanks to deal with the elephant in their psyche.
In this era of atta boys coming from everyone they know, everyone they meet and every device they look at, how does Day keep his team grounded, together and unmoved by the praise? Oh, it’s not easy.
On Tuesday, a little more than two hours before the 2:30 team meeting that precedes the all-important, tone-setting Tuesday practice, Day knew exactly the story he would tell.
He certainly reminded them that this game against Penn State, despite the three-touchdown point spread, deserves their full attention because it’s one of only 12 games they are guaranteed this season.
“We work really hard around here to have those opportunities, and these guys have worked their entire life for these opportunities,” Day said. “If we didn’t learn anything from this past week, nothing’s guaranteed. We have to live every day like it’s our last game.”
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While the Buckeyes are a clear favorite, Day talks with the same consistency he demands of players and coaches. He knows Penn State’s season is disappointing. But he also expects the best shot from a team now coached by Terry Smith. Because what better way to cast off the burdens of this season than to add to the Top 10 chaos.
Starting with Tuesday’s meeting, the players will get constant reminders from Day and his staff that Penn State, despite whatever those outside the building believe, is better than everyone says they are. Whether the Lions are or aren’t is immaterial. If the Buckeyes believe it, this game won’t be a trap.
“I don’t think there’s many teams in the country that have more talent than Penn State has.” – Ryan Day
“I don’t think there’s many teams in the country that have more talent than Penn State has, and I think people recognized that early in the season,” Day said. “Sure, it hasn’t gone the way they wanted it to, but that doesn’t change that they still have really good players.”
At Ohio State, they refer to nationally prominent opponents like Penn State as matchup games, games in which the talent is equal or close. Day still calls this a matchup game. Other than a new an inexperienced quarterback – Olentangy High’s Ethan Grunkemeyer – the players are the same ones who were highly ranked in September.
“Our guys know that, they understand that, and they know that it’s about us, it’s not about our opponent,” Day said. “We’ll focus on our preparation, but you need to know your opponent. And these are very, very talented players, a lot of NFL players, and we know they have really good coaches.”
Whether it makes a difference in the outcome or not, two members of the Penn State program will be especially motivated Saturday.
Grunkemeyer grew up in an Ohio State family. His mother played basketball at Ohio State. He attended camps at Ohio State. But he didn’t receive an offer. Now his dream of playing in the Horseshoe comes true Saturday with chaos on his mind.
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“Going back into that environment I grew up in is definitely motivating,” he said. “But at the end of the day, football is football, and you’ve just got to go put the ball down and play.”
Knowles abruptly resigned from Ohio State after the national championship victory and signed a contract worth $3.1 million at Penn State. The theory was that he could help Franklin win a national championship.
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Knowles’ Ohio State departure is seldom discussed, but Day addressed the elephant when asked about it Tuesday.
“Like any relationship, when it breaks off, sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad, but there really hasn’t been much communication,” he said. “He did a great job when he was here, helped us win a national championship, and kind of left it at that. It was abrupt, but we certainly respect the work that he did when he was here.”
Day went on to explain that Knowles’ departure to a conference rival is part of the new nature of college football. Change is constant and, at times, surprising.
“It goes back to college football and how it’s changed and the money and everything like that,” Day said. “You’re seeing some things that maybe we’re not used to. I guess we’re getting more like the NFL. We try not to take those things personal, but we are human.”
So, while the nation yawns, the charge to the scarlet-and-gray men this week is this: You better not have to manufacture reasons to play hard. Go beat a historic rival and an old friend. Play to the program’s standards.
And remember, they will be told, this game is one of only 12.
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