Week 9: Knock Knock

Standings:
1.) Draper 4-1 (1-0 upset)
1.) Hoying 4-1 (0-1 upset)
1.) Schweinfurth 4-1 (0-1 upset)

We hope you enjoyed all the ranked matchups last weekend, because you're getting a total of one this weekend, and it's the game you were all going to watch anyway. That's why ESPN College Gameday is still coming to State College, despite the fact that another the Nittany Lions got caught looking ahead to Ohio State and crashed and burned the week before (no biggie, it's not like an undefeated powerhouse did the exact same thing last year). You can't even blame conference COVID panic for this one, as the only conference that hasn't started back up is the Pac-12, which features a whopping 2 ranked teams. 

But at Let's Go Bucks! we strive to bring you the content you crave. For your reading enjoyment, we've included analysis of one more game, this week's only clash of undefeated teams (not counting teams that haven't played yet). One team has snuck into the rankings for the second time in the last 25 years, and the other might as well have joined them the way this year has gone so far. 

Indiana Hoosiers @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights 

Draper: Everyone knew there would be a battle of undefeated teams vying for 1st place in the B1G East and here we are.  Both Rutgers and Indiana may have won last week due to some mistakes by their opponents (7 turnovers Sparty?), but could this be a Creation of Penix for a new era? Prooooobably not....but this year could get weird.  I just can't buy into Buttgers.  While I'd love it to have undefeated powerhouse Rutgers enter the Shoe, the Hoosiers are hoping for a magical year after taking down a 'top 10 team'.  Both teams are coming off their biggest (only?) win in the last few years so I don't see a hangover advantage either way.  Schiano is reminding the Scarlet Knigths that it's ok to win, but it won't be enough.  Windiana > Buttgers.  IU: 38 -- RSUNJ: 20
Hoying:  One of these teams will find themselves tied or even alone at the top of the Big Ten East standings heading into November, just like we all thought back in February. Both of these teams come into this game off of wins that were kind of fluky. Rutgers benefited from seven Michigan State turnovers (including five fumbles lost), while Indiana...well, Penn State's mistakes in that game defy description but we can try our best anyway: three missed FGs, two INTs setting up short fields for Indiana, and an all-time clock management boner to give the Hoosiers one last chance to send the game to overtime in the first place. I don't think either of these teams is as good as they looked last week, but at least Indiana sucked out against an actual quality opponent while Rutgers was playing pat-a-cake against a Big Ten basement contender. The Scarlet Knights' defense somehow managed to make Rocky Lombardi look good. Michael Penix is going to look even better. IU: 45--RSUNJ: 28
Schweinfurth: I can't pick Buttgers with a straight face until they actually have a pulse in the B1G. What makes this game most interesting is the potential for a let down by Indiana. Let's be honest here. Rutgers has been so bad for so long that one Schiano recruiting class isn't going to fix things. Indiana is the better team, but the letdown keeps the Scarlet Knights around longer than they should. IU: 35--RSUNJ: 28

THE Ohio State University Buckeyes @ Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions

Draper: The other top ten, undefeated matchup is the perceived biggest roadblock on the Buckeyes' quest to repeat.  While this may no longer be the case, Penn State won't be a pushover.  The Buckeyes looked pretty good against Nebraska, but there were some flaws (run blocking and defensive brainfarts).  The Lions' QB isn't as mobile as Martinez which is a major plus, but OSU will certainly draw the PSU's best game.  Injuries to Olave and Cain loom large for each team, but I have faith in the depth at OSU WR more than the depth at PSU RB (and I think Olave plays).  Overall, the difference is Fields and the well-oiled passing offense that simply isn't going to be stopped.  The pass blocking has been phenomenal and the battery of Fields to <insert awesome receiver name here> should carry the day.  OSU: 41 -- PSU: 24
Hoying: I don't think 2020 Penn State is a bad team, or even a mediocre team. Their fluky loss to Indiana was exactly that, a fluke. It featured the kind of brain farts we've come to expect from the Nittany Lions in recent years (nice zone read on 4th and 5) but it's not like very good Ohio State teams are immune to those mistakes either. But the thing is, with the disappearance of RB Journey Brown and the doubtful status of RB Noah Cain, not to mention the departure of Micah Parsons and the other pieces they've lost on defense, I don't think 2020 Penn State is as good as 2019 Penn State. And Ohio State beat Penn State quite comfortably last year, fumble bug aside. I'm not sure that 2020 Ohio State is as good as 2019 Ohio State either, but they are still elite, a word that hasn't applied to Penn State since the glory days of the JoePa era. Justin Fields won't be throwing against air this week, and he'll need to take care not to hold on to the ball too long, but I'm not picking anyone to stop or even slow down this offense until I see the white pawprints on the orange helmets. As for the defense, they sometimes need a week to settle down (remember 21 points from Florida Atlantic last year?) but the line should find opportunities against Penn State's front (as long as they keep containment on Clifford) and we'll see how good the secondary is at containing PSU's "Five hundred!" offense now that Okudah, Fuller, and Arnette are out of the picture. I'm not terribly concerned. OSU: 38--PSU: 20
Schweinfurth: This is not the Penn State team we would have seen in a normal year. No Journey Brown and no Micah Parsons are huge losses for Lions. Sean Clifford is back, but he's not Justin Fields. Ohio State's receivers are just sick. Those dudes are a mismatch for everyone in the B1G. Don't forget there's no White Out this time which is usually a HUGE advantage for the kittens. The Buckeyes should have little problem with in not so Happy Valley this year. Just work  on defending the QB run a bit better and it's all good. OSU: 45--PSU: 21

Upset Special
Draper: Missouri over COVID Florida
Hoying: Arkansas over Texas A&M
Schweinfurth: Texas over OK State

Hey, Penn State. Knock knock.

    Who's there?

Owen.

    Owen who?

0 and 2!