College Football Games, Week 9: War begins in Penn State with the emphasis on Ohio State dominance.

State of Ohio A must-win game Penn State. Hard stop.

Defeat the No. 3 Buckies in the showdown this week, and the 18th-ranked Nitton Lions will start 0-2 for the first time in eight years. Big Ten suffered in a week Its With the first loss (Wisconsin-Nebraska due to COVID-19), the need for a shorter season becomes greater.

If Penn State loses, it is hard to imagine defeating Ohio State for the Big Ten East title. The Nittany Lions need to win and hope the Buckies lose at least three times. Ohio State has a head-to-head tiebreaker and has two games in the standings.

Maybe it will be earlier than things. Penn State is in this situation because it made about every mistake in losing the opener Indiana. The cleansing of all those sins in a week against Ohio State is too much.

Or it could be a prelude to a classic. Penn State has won the series once since 2011. However this game has been an excellent competition for the last six years. Ohio State won by five of the last four determined by a field goal or less.

Last year’s game was typical. Ohio State took a 21-0 lead before Penn State took a 21-17 lead. OSU eventually won 28-17. The big thing is, the nits on the outside are hung there.

That 2019 win drove the Bucks series to three in a row. It started in 2017 and 2018 with a pair of decisions. Penn State recovered from a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit in 2016. It is one of only two Penn States to have won at home with the top-five teams since 1983.

“We found a way to beat them when there were very few,” said Nittany Lions coach James Franklin. “And we played them on the wire, sometimes games that go on the wire. They’s very painful for anyone.”

It is a competition influenced by COVID-19 like everything else. Those on both sides lamented about the empty Beaver Stadium. An empty stadium does not mean white out.

“I love the White Out,” said Ohio State All-America Corner Shawn Wade. “It’s definitely a challenge. I love the competition. I love their fans.”

The concept may not be mutually exclusive. Ohio State has long been better against everyone in the Big Ten, which remains unchanged. This explains the 12.5 point spread.

Both teams come with running concerns. With the Franklin team running back the third string, it looks like a quarterback Sean Clifford He took on some responsibilities himself. Clifford’s 119 yards accounted for half of the total he ran against Indiana.

Heisman Trophy Finalist Justin Fields Runs 15 times with a 35-point victory Nebraska. Some part of that burden is Major Teage or not Tray lecture Ezekiel Elliott or JK Dabbins. Fields could be Ohio State’s best runner in the quarterback. And that’s okay. He won the Big Ten last season and played a game almost 10 times to lead the Buckeys to the College Football Playoffs.

The NFL (and Ohio State types) may want to keep the field as a thrower – he’s 21 out of 21 against Nebraska – he’s definitely not looking forward.

“A big part of playing quarterback is making decisions and not essing yourself a second time,” Fields said this week. “కష్టం It’s hard to see the future. If you’re confused this week, that chance will never come.”

Fields thinks Saturday will be some break. He took a cover shot on Nebraska – and others like the Underdog Cornhuskers – for taking advantage of him in the pile.

“It’s definitely been a bit of a late game,” Fields said. “The guys are trying to fix and rotate my ankle and that’s not what happens. When you play well-trained and well-trained teams, it’s less likely. It can come with respect. “

2. Texas Coach Tom Herman was asked about his playmakers. When a member of the media wondered how many people were on the Longhorns on the list, Herman paused for a few seconds before responding “some”. Some? It’s a program that is expected to challenge the Big 12 and college football playoff berth. Instead, it ranks 6th State of Oklahoma Players will be on the field when the teams meet on Saturday.

The Cowboys are not giving up 12 points for a defensive game. (Speaking to you, SEC. Alabama Ranked 64th in that category.) We know that 10 starters have returned to that dic. These guys are actually causing havoc. An average of 18 1/2 “hawk plays” per unit game (bags, loss fixing, forced fumbles, interruptions, passes defended). We go there again: Alabama averages 14.4 such destructive plays.

One might make the case that the most powerful unit in the Big 12 is the defense of Oklahoma State Oklahoma is not a crime. Mike Gundy’s teams will fade against stiff competition, but Oklahoma State (4-0) will always look like Texas playing tough. Gundi has beaten Longhorns in seven of the last 10 meetings.

3. Lady Luck and Coach Gus: If not some luck, um, bounce Auburn Will be 1-4. Instead, the Tigers were thankfully 3-2 LSU For some reason the game, um, huge luck. In the opener, Kentucky Quarterback Terry Wilson Touchdown run (non) Touchdown run violates goal line Pick Six throws after review failure. A few weeks later, Bo Knicks Trying to spike the ball not once but twice. Auburn somehow captured and won late Arkansas. In last week’s review, Auburn Returner reportedly hit a kickoff, bouncing into the end zone after being judged to be a touchdown. (More on that below.) Gus Malzan is a devout man, but does he have a direct path to Big Guy? LSU and Auburn did not meet for the first time in 1999. This is SEC in the CBS Game of the Week.

4. Your Moment of Mike Leach Jen: “[Nick Saban] Not one of those sweater wearers. They want to wear an ater locoat, but they don’t really have it up to their neck. But man, coach Saban is a man, it’s football at all times. Is very committed. “It’s a coach’s preview Mississippi State Ranked 2nd in Alabama on Saturday night.

5. Oxford deflection: Miss (At Vanderbilt) Has the second worst record in the SEC (1-4), but by all means, let’s laugh at Lane Kiffin’s threat Send his $ 25,000 fine to the SEC office in Penny. Oops.

6. The player to root for: We pause this crazy season to greet the Ohio Statewide Receiver Chris Booker. The senior walk-on from St. Louis is arguably the only player in the country, a teammate of Elliott and Fields. The Booker story surfaced this week when he was selected as Ohio State’s Special Teams player. He played football at Elliott High School in St. Louis, before putting on a redshirt at Dayton for a season and moving to Ohio State. Club Team. Players are required to pay for everything. Training table with less medical care than Elite and no risk of injury. “The difference at the club is that we only practice two or three days a week. The rest of the time, I meet up with the dudes. It felt like high school again.” Booker joined the Buckies varsity team in 2019, where he revealed to Ryan Day that he was spotted in the hall. “What I can achieve is no less … it’s amazing,” Booker concluded. He covers kicks against Penn State.

7. Week upset: Rutgers Over Indiana (+12.5). Hey, Bruce Springsteen has just released his new album, Why Not Some More New Jersey Magic? The Hoosiers needed exactly that in beating Penn State last week. In the only Big Ten game between undefeated teams, look for Shiano’s magic to win again.

8. Clemson takes the hit: For those wondering how Trevor Lawrencea later absence Positive COVID-19 test Clemson College football affects playoff chances: Any Clemson team that wins the ACC with less than two losses is still in the CFP. So, yes, if the Tigers make mistakes with freshman DJ Uiagaleilei vs Boston College – regardless of whether Lawrence will return – they will still be at a loss as ACC champions. LSU remained the only two-losing team to qualify (and win) a national championship game in the BCS era in 2007 (since 1998).

8. Quick Kicks: If Clemson Beats Boston College, Which went without a whole presidential election cycle (27 consecutive games) without damage to the house. The Tigers last lost at home since November 5, 2016 Pittsburgh, Three days before the 2016 election Sorry to see you Kylin HillCareer is very discouraging. Mississippi State’s talented tailback entered this season as SEC’s leading returnee Rusher and the great activist behind changing the Mississippi State flag. He is now out of the season after being in season for a game last week Florida Came back into action on Saturday Missouri Two weeks aside due to COVID-19 outbreak. Gators will be wearing a blue helmet for the first time since the 1960s, a happy start for Dave Hirsch, who is leaving Pak-12 after 25 years as the ultimate media communications professional.