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Ohio State Football: 5 predictions for Penn State game

By Frank Teriaca

EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 18: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes and his players prepare to take the field before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on October 18, 2019 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 18: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes and his players prepare to take the field before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on October 18, 2019 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /
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LINCOLN, NE – SEPTEMBER 28: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes on the field before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
LINCOLN, NE – SEPTEMBER 28: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes on the field before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

Ryan Day out-coaches James Franklin

Ryan Day proved in the Wisconsin game he shows up ready in big games. After a close first half, Day and his staff made all the correct adjustments in order to run away from the Badgers in the second half.

For every game I have watched this season, coach Day had been the most prepared coach on the field for it. From identifying and exposing flaws in an opposing teams defense to making sure the defense is fundamentally sound, coach Day has pushed all the right buttons.

I can not say the same for Penn State’s James Franklin. He is a dynamite recruiter and has done a tremendous job in helping Penn State become a perennial Top 10 team in the country, but his decision-making has been spotty in big-time moments.

For example, in last season’s Ohio State- Penn State game, during the most critical play of the game Franklin took the ball out of Trace McSorley’s hands on a fourth-and-five with 1:26 remaining.

McSorley carved up the Buckeye defense for 286 yards passing and another 175 yards on the ground. Instead, coach Franklin handed the ball, and perhaps the season, over to running back Miles Sanders who only finished with 43 yards rushing on the day.

The result of the play was a turnover on downs. Here is what Franklin said via CBS sports after the game:

"“We obviously didn’t make the right call in that situation, and that’s on me, nobody else. Obviously, it didn’t work. We have called something similar like that in other situations, and it broke for big plays, but that is on us. That is on me.”"

Credit to Franklin for taking ownership of his poor decision but that’s too-little too-late. Never take the ball out of your best player’s hand with the game on the line.

Thus far Ryan Day has proven to be a very good game day coach and I expect to see it on Saturday afternoon.

Next: Final prediction.

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