Penn State football not 'underestimating the moment' preparing for Ohio State
Sean Clifford may have played quarterback at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, but he's never been an Ohio State fan.
And heading into the Penn State quarterback’s final meeting with the Buckeyes in his collegiate career, Clifford views it simply as another chance to play a highly-touted program on a big stage.
“I don’t think that anybody is underestimating the moment,” Clifford said. “I think that everybody understands the magnitude of each week and the importance. Because in college football, one week can define your whole season.”
Penn State has seen its fair share of big games in 2022, losing to Michigan on the road 41-17 after its 5-0 start before responding with a 45-17 victory at home against Minnesota last weekend.
But Ohio State has not been a team the Nittany Lions have been able to find success against recently, last beating the Buckeyes in 2016 with a 24-21 win in State College, Pennsylvania. Since then, Ohio State has won five straight contests against Penn State, including two road games.
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This streak is not something defensive tackle PJ Mustipher is worried about.
“This team’s different,” Mustipher said. “The team we have this year isn’t the same as last year or 2019, 2018, 2020. This is a different group of men. So we’re not really concerned with what’s going on in the past. We’re just focused about right now. If we take care of business this week in practice and do what we’re supposed to and focus on what we have to focus on, then we give ourselves the best opportunity.”
Sean Clifford 'excited' to face challenging Ohio State defense
The Ohio State defense Penn State will face Saturday is different than what Clifford is used to.
It’s an extremely aggressive group, he said, calling the defensive line “very stout, athletic and big,” causing problems up front for opposing offensive lines, while also complimenting the linebackers as a group that plays well together and the defensive backs as a group that is “as good as anybody.”
For offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, Ohio State’s defensive line represents the speed and aggressiveness the entire defense shows, seeing a group that knows what it’s doing.
“It’s just a matter of us coming out ready to play and just being on the same page as an offensive line, playing as one and playing for each other,” Scruggs said. “We do that, we’ll be OK."
Penn State has the fourth-best scoring offense in the Big Ten, averaging 33.4 points per game, along with 423.6 yards per game. It is one of seven teams in the conference that averages more than six yards per play along with the Buckeyes, Michigan, Maryland, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Despite facing a defense that allows 14.86 points and 239.9 yards per game, Clifford is up for the challenge Ohio State poses.
“From a defense perspective and a scheme perspective, they offer a lot of challenging looks,” Clifford said. “And that’s exciting for sure, just to be able to have this opportunity, to have this challenge.”
PJ Mustipher: Ohio State's offense is 'never off schedule'
While Penn State coach James Franklin knows his defense’s strength is in its secondary with players such as safety Ji’ayir Brown and cornerback Joey Porter Jr., he knows Ohio State’s offense can beat opponents in multiple ways.
Franklin said the Buckeyes emphasize balance on offense, knowing that if defensive coordinator Manny Diaz’s game plan puts too much of an emphasis on stopping the pass, Ohio State can use its offensive line, tight ends and running backs to beat them on the ground.
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It all starts with Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud and how he distributes the balls on offense, Franklin said.
“At the end of the day, their triggerman is what makes them go,” Franklin said. “He’s the one that distributes the ball (to) all those different playmakers and does a great job doing it.
“He’s leading the Heisman race for a reason.”
Penn State has the No. 20 scoring defense in the country, allowing 18.86 points per game, while allowing 373 yards per game — 63rd-best in college football — and 5.14 yards per play.
Mustipher calls Ohio State’s offense a group “that’s never off schedule,” coming in averaging 49.6 points and 517.4 yards per game: second- and fourth-best in college football, respectively.
“They want to run the ball when they want to run the ball,” Mustipher said. “They throw the ball when they want to throw the ball, and they get a good chunk of yards. At any time, they can have an explosive play. They do a phenomenal job of executing what they want to execute each and every down.”
Ohio State football's 2022 schedule
Sept. 3: Ohio State 21, Notre Dame 10
Sept. 10: Ohio State 45, Arkansas State 12
Sept. 17: Ohio State 77, Toledo 21
Sept. 24: Ohio State 52, Wisconsin 21
Oct. 1: Ohio State 49, Rutgers 10
Oct. 8: Ohio State 49, Michigan State 20
Oct. 22: Ohio State 54, Iowa 10
Oct. 29: Ohio State vs. Penn State, State College, Pa., noon
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Penn State football prepares for meeting with Ohio State
