Week 10 Showdown: Can Penn State Shock Ohio State with These Bold Upset Predictions?

Who would’ve thought the grand showdown between Penn State and Ohio State, once the crown jewel of the college football calendar, would turn into a tale of two very different journeys? At the season’s dawn, it felt like the Nittany Lions had the edge — a win at Ohio Stadium was supposed to catapult them to the playoff’s top seed. Yet, here we are, with Ryan Day’s Buckeyes cruising undefeated, eyes locked on another national title, while Penn State scrambles to find their footing amid losses, coaching changes, and injuries. Isn’t it wild how quickly fortunes can flip on the gridiron? Buckle up—this clash isn’t just a game; it’s a clash of momentum, resilience, and unmistakable star power. LEARN MORE.

At the start of the season, the Nov. 1 game between Penn State and Ohio State was all about national championship implications. Many expected the Nittany Lions to be the dominant team this year, and if they could beat the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium, they would be well on their way to the top seed in the College Football Playoffs. Ohio State was expected to have another strong team, but it seemed that James Franklin and quarterback Drew Allar had the inside track to the top spot.

It hasn’t played out that way at all. The defending national champion Buckeyes are undefeated and clearly the No. 1 team in the nation. Head coach Ryan Day has Ohio State playing excellent football with newcomer Julian Sayin at quarterback and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith looking like the best player at his position in the nation.

But it has all fallen apart for Penn State. A tough loss to Oregon in Happy Valley turned out to be the impetus for a full-fledged meltdown. An inexplicable loss to winless UCLA followed, and Franklin ended up losing his job when another loss to Northwestern followed. Allar suffered a season-ending injury in that game and Terry Smith was named the interim coach of the stunned Penn State program

A fourth consecutive loss to Iowa followed the first three losses, and the Nittany Lions will take a 3-4 record into the Ohio State game. The Buckeyes are 7-0 and unlikely to have any sympathy for Smith and Penn State. Day and his players have their eyes on another national championship and that means the Buckeyes can’t take their foot off the gas pedal.

Jeremiah Smith will wreck the Penn State with 2 TD catches

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day following the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. — Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Buckeyes have been in a battle with LSU for much of the last decade when it comes to producing the best receivers in the nation. The presence of Smith may be the most important piece of evidence in Ohio State’s favor. He is clearly NFL ready in the middle of his sophomore season and it doesn’t appear that the Nittany Lions are going to be able to stop him unless they double-cover him on nearly every play.

The 6-3, 215-pound Smith combines speed, power, moves and excellent hands to get the job done. He has 49 receptions for 602 yards with 7 touchdowns. He is capable of making the long and explosive play — he had an 87-yard reception earlier this year — and he can also make the tough catch on third down plays

The most notable aspect of Smith’s play is the way he can get a foot down at the sidelines so he can make the contested catch. He is basically an unstoppable force at this point in his career.

Carnell Tate and Julian Sayin add to the Ohio State passing game

Smith does not have to do it on his own. Fellow wideout Carnell Tate also appears to be a potential first-round draft choice. The 6-3, 192-pound Tate has 34 catches for 587 yards and 6 scores, with a long play of 49 yards. He appears to be motivated by his teammate, and it seems the two often have a competition for the most spectacular play in a given game.

Quarterback Julian Sayin has been an incredibly accurate trigger man. He has completed 156 of 195 passes for 1,872 yards with a 19-3 TD to interception ratio. He is completing a remarkable 80.0 percent of his passes.

Penn State cornerbacks A.J. Harris and Audavion Collins will attempt to contain Smith and Lake. Unless the Penn State pass rush has a remarkable performance against the Ohio State offensive line, Harris and Collins will be up against it.

Bo Jackson will rush for 75-plus yards

A year ago, Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson led the two-headed Ohio State rushing attack. Day had to replace that duo since both were drafted into the NFL last spring

Bo Jackson, CJ Donaldson and James Peoples have handled the rushing chores to this point in the season. Jackson appears to be the best of the trio at this point. He has rushed for 433 yards and a 6.4 yards per carry average with 2 touchdowns. Jackson combines speed and power, and he has a 64-yard sprint to his credit this season.

Donaldson has rushed for 249 yards, a 4.2 yards per carry average and 6 touchdowns, while Peoples has 202 yards and 5.1 yards per carry mark.

The running game has been average this season, and Day would like to see more from that aspect of the offense before the start of the playoffs.

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