3 Key Matchups in the Big Ten Battle Between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 13 Penn State

The No. 2 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes will travel to Happy Valley Saturday at Noon ET to take on the No. 13 ranked Penn State Nittany Lions. Three matchups jump off the page when looking for keys to victory.

•Matchup No. 1: CJ Stroud vs. His Slow Starts

CJ Stroud is in the running for the Heisman Trophy and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The talent is not in question with Stroud, but there is one part of his game that I would like to see smoothed out before he takes the field on Sundays.

As good as Stroud is behind center, he is prone to slow starts early in the game. His accuracy is noticeably lacking, and Stroud’s typically great technique gets sloppy when he feels uncomfortable. This issue dates back to the 2021 season.

Last season was the first for CJ Stroud as the full-time starter in Columbus, so it is easier to forgive the slow starts from 2021. The most egregious one came in the team’s early loss to Oregon. The loss to Michigan also featured a stumble out the gate, but the weather was less than ideal, to be fair.

Heading into 2022, scouts hoped to see quicker and more confident decisions from Stroud early. Unfortunately, as was evident by the Notre Dame and Iowa games, this issue still exists. That being said, the Buckeyes have yet to win a game by less than 11 points. These double-digit victories are a product of how well Stroud plays as the game wears on.

It is a nitpick, to be sure, but that comes with the territory as a potential No. 1 overall pick. It is far from a deal breaker, but I would love to see Stroud and the Ohio State offense come out firing on the first few drives. We know Stroud can make every throw; he just has to calm the nerves when he first steps on the field.

•Matchup No. 2: Joey Porter Jr. vs. Marvin Harrison Jr.

A battle of the Juniors! Joey Porter Jr. is the top cornerback on a stingy Penn State defense. He is not quite the bruiser that his father was, but JPJ is never shy to use the hit stick. While the nuances of the position still need to be ironed out, Porter Jr. is a shutdown cornerback in man coverage.

Porter Jr. uses his length and tenacity to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage. He welcomes being on an island against the opponent’s top pass catcher. Porter Jr. will get a chance to showcase his skills against arguably the best wideout in the nation in 2022 — Marvin Harrison Jr.

Joey Porter Jr. is not as big as his father, but Marvin Harrison Jr. clears his father by four inches and 20 pounds. MHJ uses his increased size to serve as a true red zone threat when the team is on the cusp of scoring.

Harrison Jr. displays a similar proficiency as his old man as a route runner. He is also a maestro at creating consistent separation. Marvin Sr. was as good as any receiver at finding the creases of the defense and brutalizing them for an entire afternoon.

Harrison Jr. also possesses the trademark speed that made his father such a big play threat in the Colts’ high-powered offense in the 2000s. The Ohio State sophomore uses his quick twitch ability and superb footwork off the line of scrimmage to get free early in the route.

It will be iron vs. iron on the boundary Saturday afternoon. Joey Porter Jr. is ready to show he belongs in CB1 discussions in the 2023 NFL Draft. Marvin Harrison Jr. is not eligible until 2024, but he has a chance to snatch the Biletnikoff Award if he keeps up this level of play. I cannot wait for this one!

•Matchup No. 3: Ohio State Offensive Line vs. Penn State Front Seven

The battle of the trenches typically determines how close these games have been in the past. In the nail-biters, Penn State’s trench work helped close the gap in overall talent. This year things are a little bit different.

I would argue that the Penn State defense is better than Ohio State’s. The Buckeyes have a lot of individual talent, but sans the Michigan game, the Nittany Lions have been dominant as of late. The group is led by a few early-round picks in the secondary, but the front seven features plenty of talent themselves.

The defensive line is held down by veteran PJ Mustipher and transfer Demeioun “Chop” Robinson is a great run-stuffer himself when healthy. Linebackers Curtis Jacobs and Abdul Carter will be regulars in the league; the duo is not eligible for the NFL Draft until 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Not to fret, the Ohio State offensive line has its fair share of NFL talent. The most highly regarded piece of the puzzle is the team’s starting left tackle, Paris Johnson Jr. The 6-foot-6, 310-pound lineman boasts an idyllic frame for a protector on the blindside. He has been phenomenal in pass protection and is grading well as a run blocker.

Elsewhere on the offensive line, guys like Dawand Jones and Luke Wypler will likely hear their names on day two of the 2023 NFL Draft. Jones is a senior, and if he checks out athletically, he could make a run for round-one consideration. Wypler, a redshirt sophomore, could return to school, but a good draft grade should make the decision easy for him.

Saturday will be a dogfight between two of the best teams in the country. The Buckeyes are looking to go 8-0 and solidify their standing as a top-two team. Penn State aims to pull the upset at home to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive. Whoever wins at the line of scrimmage will have the advantage this weekend.