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

Jan 1, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Evan Spencer (6) and running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) react following Elliot

You can’t talk about Ohio State without bringing up Ezekiel Elliot. He’s almost forgotten with all the hype Leonard Fornette and Nick Chubb brought in the first half of the season. With that great defensive line I mentioned earlier for Penn State, Urban Meyer will have to get creative with Elliot to get him out into space. It will be tough to get him to run up the gut of the defense, so getting him to the outside and letting him make plays will be crucial.

You also have to talk about the receivers here. Michael Thomas hasn’t blown us out of the water, but he’s done a decent job filling in for the departed Devin Smith. On the other side, we have Braxton Miller spinning his way down the field. The transition he has made is a testament to his commitment and amazing athleticism. Containing him is close to impossible at times.

For James Franklin’s Nittany Lions, the health of the running backs will be their biggest concern. Akeel Lynch entered the season as the starter, but he fell after freshman Saquon Barkley exploded (quite literally) onto the scene. Barkley had been averaging around 100 yards per game and was making electric plays before an injury landed him on the sidelines. Franklin said the doctors know Barkley’s status, but that won’t be announced until game time.

The receivers will need to step up big time if Barkley is unable to return. Highlighted by DaeSean Hamilton, the Penn State receivers haven’t gotten much of a chance to shine in this offensive system. At the same time, they’ve lost opportunities by having hands of brick in critical situations. Gene Lewis is a big name to blame in that category, but there’s shared blame across the field.

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