Penn State isn’t nearly the hated rival for Ohio State of that team up north, but since joining the Big Ten, the Nittany Lions have become a familiar foe for the Buckeyes. And, since James Franklin took over in Happy Valley, Ohio State has held the clear upper hand. The Buckeyes are 10-1 against the Franklin-led Nittany Lions, which is no small feat considering Penn State’s ascension to the status of a national contender.
Yet, Ohio State, the defending national champions, enters the 2025 season one spot behind Penn State in the AP Poll. The Buckeyes still have the edge, but the perception is that the gap is closing. Ohio State can destroy that narrative in Week 10 at Ohio Stadium, but Ryan Day has to preserve his program’s biggest advantage over Franklin on the recruiting trail.
Bryan Porter is a three-star WR in the 2027 recruiting class and the younger brother of 2025 five-star Quincy, who chose the Buckeyes over the Nittany Lions. Bryan appears to be eying the same dilemma, with visits scheduled to Columbus and Happy Valley this fall, and it's battles like this, at the wide receiver position specifically, where Ohio State asserts its superiority.
Ohio State’s WR superiority has kept Penn State at bay
While Quincy’s recruitment was more consequential than Bryan’s figures to be, this will likely be another example of Ohio State’s wide receiver factory, owned and operated by Ryan Day and Brian Hartline, winning out over its rivals.
Ohio State has recruited at a higher level than Penn State throughout Franklin’s entire tenure, and even when the programs have gotten close, that talent level has almost always prevailed. In the early years of this budding rivalry, when Penn State had a run of Chris Godwin, Jahon Dotson, and KJ Hamler, that edge was often at the quarterback position. Dwayne Haskins got the better of Trace McSorley, and Justin Fields outplayed Sean Clifford. Lately, Ohio State has separated itself with elite wide receiver play.
Marvin Harrison Jr. single-handedly took over the 2023 matchup with 11 catches for 162 yards and a touchdown. Then last season, despite Will Howard’s early struggles playing back in his home state, the Buckeyes pulled away as Penn State’s wide receivers combined for just three catches and 49 yards. That game flipped just before halftime when Davison Igbinosun ripped a touchdown out of Harrison Wallace III’s hands.
Landing Quincy Porter would have been a coup for Penn State, but after missing out, Franklin was forced to dive headfirst into the Transfer Portal for stop-gap solutions to make a championship run. However, with just one year of eligibility left, Kyron Hudson, Devonte Ross, and Trebor Pena won’t solve the program’s long-term issue at the position.
Beginning to beat out Ohio State for top WR recruits might, but it’s not likely that Day and Hartline will ever let that happen.