The Ohio State Buckeyes jumped to No. 5 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll after their impressive 47-point win over the Indiana Hoosiers in Week 8. They will look to cement their standing in the top 5 this Saturday when they square off with the Penn State Nittany Lions. Read our preview for a breakdown of this Penn State vs. Ohio State game.
Penn State Nittany Lions installed as +18.5 underdogs
Penn State's College Football Playoff hopes were dealt a major blow on Saturday when it suffered a gut-wrenching 20-18 loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini in a nine overtime classic. The Nittany Lions only had themselves to blame for the narrow loss, with Penn State failing time and again to record the two-point conversion in the shootout format.
It was a disappointing loss for the Nittany Lions, who dropped down to No. 20 in the AP Top 25 poll after the shock defeat. They will look to get their season back on track against Ohio State, a team Penn State has struggled against lately. The Nittany Lions have lost their last four games against the Buckeyes dating back to 2017.
One guy who needs to step up for Penn State in this critical matchup is quarterback Sean Clifford. He suffered an unspecified injury against Iowa on October 9 and his mobility was limited in his return against Illinois.
Clifford completed just 19 of 34 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown in the Week 8 loss. He rushed five times for minus-28 yards as he was sacked four times. Head coach James Franklin is confident that Clifford will be 100% for Saturday's crunch clash against Ohio State.
Related Article: AP Top 25 Poll: Alabama Jumps Past Oklahoma to No. 3; Oregon Soars to No. 7 Ahead of Week 9
Ohio State Buckeyes enter Week 9 as -18.5 favorites
Ohio State extended its winning streak to five games with a resounding 54-7 victory over the Indiana Hoosiers in Week 8. It was a critical victory for the Buckeyes, who have now won an FBS-leading 12 consecutive true road games. They also set a new conference record, winning 11 consecutive road games against league foes by double digits.
C.J. Stroud led the way for the Buckeyes in the one-sided win, completing 21 of 28 passes for 266 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He spread the ball around against Indiana with nine Ohio State players tallying at least 10 yards receiving. Stroud's passer rating of 192.8 is second only to Coastal Carolina's Grayson McCall nationally.
He also got some help from TreVeyon Henderson, who ran for 81 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries. Henderson's 8.8 yards per carry is the best in the country. The Buckeyes have now won 25 games in a row in the Big Ten Conference, including their championship game victories.
Writer's Prediction
Ohio State wins, but Penn State covers the spread.
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