Ohio State football bringing in the nation's No. 1 OT for the Penn State game

Well, the Buckeyes' game against the Nittany Lions certainly doesn't carry quite as much weight after Penn State's season spiraled out of control following the loss to the Oregon Ducks.

However, as two of the powerhouse programs in the Big Ten, the game still matters, and it's a great opportunity for Ohio State to further cement itself as the top team in the country, much less the conference.

Beyond the on-field contest, the defending National Champions will also host a five-star prospect from the class of 2027: Mark Matthews, who is the No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 2 overall athlete in the class.

Mark Matthews finally takes a trip to Columbus

Matthews, a Florida native, has already taken dozens of unofficial visits to programs across the country, including the Oregon Ducks and Nebraska Cornhuskers. However, he has focused his visits on a team right up the road from his home, the Miami Hurricanes.

With four trips to Miami, recruiting experts are leaning toward the Canes landing Matthews' commitment. However, he has yet to visit Ohio State, and this weekend could be the perfect opportunity for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes to pique his interest.

How could the No. 1 OT and No. 2 overall prospect not be enticed by the defending champions? After all, it has been over two decades since the Hurricanes last brought a ring home (2001).

Unsurprisingly, as one of the top prospects in the class, Frazier has received 35 offers from Division I programs across the country, including from the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Penn State Nittany Lions.

At 6-foot-6 and 280 pounds, the junior OT is already massive for a high school athlete but is still relatively undersized for a Power Conference offensive lineman. However, between his sophomore and junior seasons, he added 15 pounds to his ever-growing frame.

Frazier didn't play football until he started high school, but quickly took over at left tackle for his high school's varsity team at St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale.

Also read: Ohio State hoping to flip big-time Penn State recruit while he visits for PSU game

This weekend is big for the Buckeyes, in many aspects, but the Ohio State recruiting staff will undeniably be focused on Frazier as he checks out everything that the program has to offer.

Day and his staff recruited the No. 9 class of 2026 prospects, including one five-star, 13 four-stars, and eight three-stars. The Buckeyes' class of 2027 already ranks fifth in the nation and is made up of three blue-chip prospects so far.

No. 1 Ohio State (7-0 overall, 4-0 Big Ten) and unranked Penn State (3-4 overall, 0-4 Big Ten) are scheduled to kick off at noon ET on Saturday, Nov. 1, and the game is set to be broadcast on FOX.