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Passing the eye test key vs. elite B1G opponent

No matter what Penn State does this season — even if it goes 8-4 — the best way to judge the program’s progress is on how it competes against Ohio State and Michigan, far and away the two most important Big Ten foes both now and in the future.

Michigan manhandled the Nittany Lions. It wasn’t just the 49-10 score, either. The Wolverines have superior players at so many positions and controlled every aspect of the game. They also have a better coach in Jim Harbaugh, who had his team ready, while James Franklin didn’t have his squad prepared to compete at a high enough level from the get-go.

Ohio State is going to beat Penn State. Probably by a big margin.

But there are different ways to get blown out. Sometimes a game can be very competitive from a personnel standpoint for the vast majority of plays, yet a few big plays can turn the final score into a rout.

One of the biggest things Penn State can do to make its fan base feel optimistic Saturday is to pass the eye test. Line up in the trenches and battle the Buckeyes tough from play to play to play, hit them hard, make them earn every yard and look like it can handle the nation’s No. 2 team from a physical standpoint.

The Lions never did that against Michigan.

This game is at home, in front of a sellout crowd on a whiteout night, coming off a bye week and going up against an opponent that itself had to survive in OT against a very tough and physical Wisconsin team.

Penn State has as many intangibles going for it as possible, and it will be up to the players and coaches to be ready for the enormous challenge.

Yes, the coaches component is part of this, too. Urban Meyer is the second-best coach in the country (behind Nick Saban) and is tremendous on gameday. The book is still out on Franklin’s gameday coaching ability, and he needs to pass the eye test in this kind of game, as well, even if it is in a loss.

Ohio State and Michigan are better than Penn State. They have better players than Penn State. And even if PSU recruits very well for the next few years, there’s a good chance the Buckeyes and Wolverines will continue to recruit even better.

Just like the Michigan game, Saturday’s contest against Ohio State is about finding out how close the Lions are to truly being able to compete for a Big Ten title.

No one expected that to be this season. But if the Buckeyes push around the Lions all day the same way Michigan did and win in a rout, why should we believe Penn State will have made much progress toward its ultimate goal of being able to beat those teams?

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