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Ohio State football: 2 threats that could end Buckeyes’ reign

By Thomas Scurlock

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 28: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts against the Clemson Tigers in the second half during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 28: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts against the Clemson Tigers in the second half during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 28: Sean Clifford #14 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates after the Nittany Lions scored a touchdown against the Memphis Tigers in the second half of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 28: Sean Clifford #14 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates after the Nittany Lions scored a touchdown against the Memphis Tigers in the second half of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 28, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

The 2020 Ohio State football season seems like a long way off but 206 days will fly by quickly. Will the Buckeyes win a fourth straight conference title?

Ryan Day and his Ohio State football team are primed to make a run at a fourth-consecutive Big Ten Championship and another College Football Playoff. Injuries and lack of chemistry seem like the only aspects that could derail Ohio State from achieving its goals, at least in the Big Ten.

If there were teams to rise up in the conference to challenge the Buckeyes, who would those teams be?

Here is my first one:

Penn State

The only team in the East division to beat the Buckeyes since 2016 is the obvious choice of earning the upset this year.

Ohio State travels to Happy Valley on October 24, almost four years to the day since the 24-21 loss in which it gave up a 21-7 lead in the fourth quarter.

It will be a guaranteed Whiteout and is the second game of back-to-back road trips.  Normally that is a concern, but Michigan State will be a mess this year so it may not matter a much.

The last three games in Beaver Stadium have been decided by a total of 11 points.  I am expecting another close battle.

Penn State loses some key personnel on both sides of the ball including K.J Hamler and Yetur Gross-Matos, but the pieces are in place for a strong season.

While the Nittany Lions should challenge the Buckeyes in the East Division another team may be lying in wait if they get to the Big Ten Championship Game.

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