The Ohio Bobcats will play on the road against the Penn State Nittany Lions in one of college football’s most daunting environments. Ohio comes off a convincing win against Florida Atlantic, and Penn State pulled off a last-second victory vs. Purdue.
Both offenses played well in Week 1, totaling over 400 yards. However, each team has questions on defense after allowing over 350 yards through the air. With NFL talent on defense, the Nittany Lions are the clear favorite. Can the Bobcats pull off a shocking upset?
Let’s check the latest NCAAF picks, stats, injury reports, and NCAAF odds for Ohio vs Penn State. We’ve plenty of NCAAF predictions for you to consider.
Ohio Bobcats
Ohio Bobcats is expected to finish in the middle of MAC standings. After Week 1, maybe the Bobcats are better than expected.
As underdogs against Florida Atlantic, Ohio was winning by a wide margin in the fourth quarter. With about seven minutes to go, the Bobcats were leading 41-24. The offense put up big numbers: 345 passing yards and 131 rushing yards.
Quarterback Kurtis Rourke had a huge day, posting 345 passing yards and four touchdowns. Running back Sieh Bangura averaged five yards per carry, totaling 114 rushing yards. Wide receiver James Bostic was a big play threat with 136 receiving yards on six receptions. Penn State’s secondary will be a tough challenge.
The Bobcats’ passing defense is a concern coming into this game. They allowed 364 passing yards and gave up six passes of 20 yards or more. Ohio must limit the explosive plays against the Nittany Lions.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Coming off their dramatic win over Purdue, the Nittany Lions could have two concerns: The run game and passing defense.
In 2021, the Boilermakers ranked 68th in rushing yards allowed per game (159.1). Penn State averaged only 3.1 yards per carry. If the Nittany Lions cannot run effectively against a below-average defense, they are in trouble.
Purdue’s Aidan O’Connell finished with 356 yards passing. However, these numbers could have been far worse. O’Connell averaged only 6.1 yards per completion and went 29/58 (50%). When a team attempts over 50 passes, the defense is going to give up some yards. Potential first-round cornerback Joey Porter Jr. — the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, Joey Porter Sr. — had a monster game. Per PFF, he forced six incompletions, which is unheard of.
Good look at Joey Porter Jr’s outstanding length here. pic.twitter.com/Wsx0YfL2II
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) September 2, 2022
The Nittany Lions’ passing attack should fair well against Ohio. Sean Clifford comes off 282 passing yards and four touchdowns. Transfer wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley was electric in his debut, finishing with 84 receiving yards and a touchdown. Penn State had multiple explosive plays in the passing game, including Brenton Strange’s 67-yard catch and run.
Ohio vs Penn State Injury Report
The Bobcats will be without their projected starting running back, O’Shaan Allison, for the entire season due to a shoulder injury. For Penn State, second-string wide receiver Liam Clifford and tight end Theo Johnson are questionable.
Ohio vs Penn State Head-to-Head
Penn State is 5-1 against Ohio. In 2012, the Bobcats pulled off a road upset against the Nittany Lions.
Ohio vs Penn State Game Information
- Game: Ohio vs Penn State
- Location: Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Day/Time: Saturday Sept 10th, 12 p.m. ET
- Ohio vs Penn State Live Stream: ESPN
Ohio vs Penn State Betting Lines
Ohio vs Penn State Prediction
Despite giving up over 350 passing yards against Purdue, Penn State’s passing defense will be good. Porter will give Ohio fits on Saturday. Moreover, the Bobcats’ secondary does not fare well against the Nittany Lions. Penn State showed its receivers will be good once again. Tinsley looked great and Parker Washington is poised to break out. Too many explosive plays will lead to a Penn State cover.
Ohio vs Penn State Trends
Ohio vs Penn State Edge
Ohio vs Penn State Results
Ohio vs Penn State Game Injuries
Ohio vs Penn State Game Summary
