What would a Penn State win mean against No. 1 Ohio State? A whole lot, if even for a moment

Led by an interim head coach and an inexperienced quarterback, the Nittany Lions face their toughest test: a road matchup against No. 1 Ohio State.

Penn State running back Kaytron Allen is stopped at the goal line by the Ohio State defense in their matchup last year. This year, with the game at Ohio Stadium, Allen will be relied on a great deal.Read moreAdam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch

by Greg Finberg

Published Oct. 31, 2025, 1:01 p.m. ET

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State’s once-promising 2025 season quickly turned disastrous.

After a 3-0 nonconference slate, the Nittany Lions dropped a 30-24 heartbreaker in their annual “White Out” against No. 6 Oregon, another failed opportunity to “win the big game.” Two weeks later, the team’s national championship aspirations ended after losses to unranked UCLA and Northwestern, its first three-game slide since October 2021.

James Franklin was fired. Drew Allar’s season, which many believed could have ended with a Heisman Trophy, ended because of an ankle injury. And a team once hoping for its first national championship since 1986 had fallen to the depths of the Big Ten.

But one win could change it all, at least for a moment.

Led by an interim head coach and an inexperienced quarterback, Penn State (3-4, 0-4 Big Ten) faces its toughest test: a road matchup against No. 1 Ohio State (7-0, 4-0). In a year filled with disappointment, Saturday’s contest (noon, Fox 29) presents an opportunity to stun the college football world.

“No one’s giving us a chance,” interim head coach Terry Smith said. “We’re just going to stay together, and we’re going to play hard.”

The Nittany Lions’ narrow loss to Iowa on Oct. 18 marked their second straight one-point defeat and dropped them to 0-4 in one-possession games. Those four losses were by a combined 13 points.

Penn State’s players have remained together despite coaching and quarterback changes, despite the mounting outside noise and heartbreaking losses. The team has come one or two plays away from program-defining wins but has yet to exorcise those demons.

So what would a win over the nation’s top team mean for this program?

“[A win] would be huge for us right now, especially with where we’re at in the season,” defensive tackle Alonzo Ford Jr. said. “It would be a great boost to our team morale.”

The Nittany Lions have lost eight straight games to the Buckeyes since their thrilling 24-21 victory in 2016. Since 2012, Ohio State is 12-1 against Penn State, including several double-digit victories.

Bottom line: The Buckeyes have owned the last decade of this rivalry. And current betting lines reflect that dominance.

Penn State enters as an 18.5-point underdog on DraftKings Sportsbook, its largest spread as an underdog since its 2013 clash against Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions won that game. And they believe a similar result is possible on Saturday.

“I know things haven’t gone the way we wanted so far,” offensive tackle Nolan Rucci said. “[But] I know these guys are ready to go this weekend. I’m excited. The rest of the guys on the team are as well. We’re ready to go 1-0 and go kick some butt.”

Saturday’s matchup carries greater significance for Ethan Grunkemeyer, a native of Lewis Center, Ohio, which is located roughly 18 miles from Ohio Stadium.

Grunkemeyer’s mother, Megan McCabe, played basketball at Ohio State from 1997 to 1999. The redshirt sophomore quarterback said he dreamed of playing at “The Horseshoe.” And on Saturday afternoon, in just his second career start, he will get his wish.

“It’s going to be cool to go back home and have the chance to [play at Ohio Stadium],” Grunkemeyer said. “The opportunity to play in front of my family and people who live back home will be super exciting for me.”

It also marks the return of Jim Knowles, who served as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator during last season’s national title run. Knowles joined Penn State’s staff in the same role this offseason, and while he will compete against familiar faces in Columbus, it is “business as usual” for the 60-year-old play caller.

Smith said Knowles provided Penn State with insight into how the Buckeyes think and how head coach Ryan Day operates. And despite Ohio State’s 36.4 points per game, Smith believes Knowles will have his defense ready come Saturday.

“Coach Knowles is extremely smart. He’s like a mad scientist in the lab,” Smith said. “We’ve got to stop the two best receivers in college football and the hottest quarterback in college football. And he is preparing us for it.”