PSU point-counter: What is key to defeating Ohio State? (Rudel)

Low-scoring, defensive battle Penn State’s best chance

Through six games, Penn State's defense is ranked first in the nation in total defense.

Saturday will be the Nittany Lions' chance to justify that standing - and for an upset to happen, that will be necessary.

If this underestimates the offense, well, so be it, and while the Lions do lead the Big Ten in scoring offense, (44.3), those numbers have been inflated by the 63 points they scored against both Delaware and UMass.

The absence of explosive plays has been well documented, and neither the running game nor the wide receivers have performed consistently enough to expect the offense to carry the day in Columbus.

After Drew Allar's first big collegiate moment -- the 72-yard touchdown chuck to KeAndre Lambert-Smith in the opener against West Virginia --- it appeared a new big-play era with a strong-armed quarterback was dawning.

But that hasn't been sustained, and the combination of Mike Yurcich and James Franklin -- probably not in that order -- appear to believe the Lions' best chance to win at the highest level (translate: Saturday) is to play mistake-free football that emphasizes ball control and not putting the defense on a short field via the sack-fumble.

And maybe that's best. We'll see.

After all, Allar is a first-year starter and to expect him to light up the Horseshoe - with an offense in which even the most diehard fan can't name the Lions' third receiver - is dripping with unfounded optimism.

Maybe Franklin is planning possum and will have Allar throw deep all over the field. But I doubt it.

On Tuesday, he doubled down on sticking to the plan, regardless of external input.

"You have to ... figure out what the identity of your team is and embrace that identity no matter what the outside world is saying," he said. "You have to be comfortable in your own skin and own who you are and how you have to play."

He cited the Iowa game, when the Lions rolled up 46 minutes of time of possession and ran 97 plays while limiting the Hawkeyes to 33. He also defended Allar checking the ball down and not forcing deep passes.

Further, Ohio State, too, has a great defense, the Buckeyes needing a last-minute touchdown drive to win at Notre Dame, 17-14. Woody Hayes got the last laugh on Knute Rockne that night.

Penn State's calling card this season is defense. The Lions think they have two cover cornerbacks, Kalen King and Johnny Dixon, who can hang with the Buckeyes' latest two great receivers, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka.

The Lions believe their defensive end "room" is the nation's best with Chop Robinson, Adisa Isaac and Dani Dennis-Sutton. That's not even factoring in linebacker Abdul Carter, who hasn't staged a coming-out party yet this year.

Ohio State's offense has won too many games in this series in the fourth quarter. The Lions need to keep that offense off the field.

And everybody seems to feel Manny Diaz is destined for an attractive head-coaching job next year. If so, Saturday afternoon can be a resume item.

Franklin's teams haven't fared well in Columbus, going 0-4, but they've been competitive in their last three trips -- losing 39-38, 28-17 and 33-24.

Logic would say the Lions can't win a shootout - they never have at Ohio State and that includes the years well before Franklin.

Their best chance is for the offense to do just enough, not make the key mistake and rely on their defense to keep a handle on a lower-scoring game.

Rudel can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.