The best game of the entire Big Ten season is this weekend's showdown between the Penn State Nittany Lions and Ohio State Buckeyes. It's No. 2 vs. No. 6 and it should be a great game. Last year, Penn State upset the Buckeyes in Happy Valley, paving the way for them to win the Big Ten title. However, it was Ohio State who got the nod into the College Football Playoff. Both sides are out for revenge - but Penn State will get it on the road. Here's why:
1) Saquon Barkley and Penn State's versatile offense
No one is playing better than these guys right now. Barkley is the Heisman frontrunner thanks to his 757 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground to go along with 32 catches for 448 yards and three more scores. He torched Michigan's elite defense and there's no reason to think he won't do the same to Ohio State's group - especially after what they allowed Oklahoma to do.
Of course, having a dual-threat quarterback like Trace McSorley in the backfield does more than keep defenses honest. They're the best offense in the country and will show that again.
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2) Good defense that will expose Ohio State's weaknesses
Saquon Barkley, Trace McSorley, and Penn State's offense get most of the love (and rightfully so), but their defense has also proven to be one of the elite units in the country. They have posted two shutouts already, haven't allowed a team to score 20 points on them, lead the country in points allowed per game, and have NFL talent all over the field.
The Nittany Lions are going to try to expose Ohio State's troubles in the passing game. Expect them to blitz a lot in order to pressure J.T. Barrett, and they'll try to force him to throw the ball down the field. Barrett hasn't proven he can handle either challenge throughout his career.
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3) Revenge factor
Last year's win over Ohio State was the springboard for this Penn State team. However, despite winning the Big Ten, the Buckeyes still got the nod for the College Football Playoff - and that still doesn't sit well with James Franklin's group. They had a similar mindset last weekend against Michigan and took it to the Wolverines. Look for that to happen again on Saturday.
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