College Game Preview: Penn State v. #1 Ohio State

Sep 27, 2014; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Christian Hackenberg (14) looks to throw the ball in the second quarter against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

The Christian Hackenberg/Cardale Jones storyline is probably the richest of those in this game. Hackenberg had a career game last week against Indiana and revived the talks of being the first quarterback taken in next years draft. The talent around him has hindered his numbers, as he’s had to deal with bad drops and a makeshift offensive line. Another hinderance is the system he’s in. Hackenberg is a square peg (pro-style passer) trying to fit into a round hole (spread offense). The coaching staff is just starting to adjust the game to his abilities, which was clearly seen last week when he got to throw the ball more than five yards.

Cardale Jones is fighting to get invited to the first day of the draft. He’s probably going to be a topic of discussion for a team like the Jets who may fall to the mid-later rounds of the draft next year. His limited tape is both a good thing and a bad thing for his stock. We got to see excellent play from him during the championship run, but have also seen him look skittish and unprepared. This game will be a major tape for him going up against the best pass rushing defense in college football.

Next: Big Defensive Players