Ohio State Buckeyes Week 7: QB Drew Allar Headlines Penn State's Offensive Playmakers
When the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Penn State Nittany Lions, a lot will be on the line.
Coach Ryan Day's squad — fresh off of a dominant victory over Purdue — still has a perfect record, but so does Penn State. And as important as each game is to Ohio State, it will need to pick up a win against the Nittany Lions in secure a spot in the four-team playoff, which only raises the stakes as Penn State aims to do the same.
The Nittany Lions have a lot to play for, especially sitting just a few spots out of the CFP, so spoiling Ohio State's shot at a perfect season would be high on the list of to-dos. The win would add a true top-5 victory to their resume, but in order to pull it off, they'll need to rely on some of their big names on offense.
Ahead of Ohio State's Week 8 matchup against Penn State, here are three playmakers for the Buckeyes to watch for on the Nittany Lions' offense.
Nov 19, 2022; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) throws the ball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second half at SHI Stadium.
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
QB Drew Allar
Last season, Allar saw action in 10 games. He wasn't the Nittany Lions' primary starter, as the honors belonged to Sean Clifford, but he was a top prospect who got the benefit of learning within Penn State's system during his true freshman year. Now that he's taken over the reigns as the team's starter, he's thrown for 1,254 yards and 12 touchdowns on zero interceptions. Completing over 65 percent of his passes as well makes him a true threat on offense, and not a player the Buckeyes should look past on Saturday.
RB Nicholas Singleton
Singleton was the Nittany Lions' feature back last season, and his return is scary news. With 156 carries, the true freshman ran for over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns to help his team to an 11-2 record last season, and is already on pace to do so again touchdowns wise. With 89 carries this year, the running back has tallied half of his touchdowns from last season and is looking to continue finding that success.His explosive speed and shifty moves in the backfield make him a threat to any opposing defense, especially with a game as meaningful as this one.
WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith
Last season, KeAndre Lambert-Smith wasn't Sean Clifford's go-to option, but he did reel in four touchdowns and tallied 389 receiving yards. With the expanded role he's filled this season, however, he's truly shown off his skills. Through six games, the senior has tallied 402 yards and three touchdowns on 31 receptions — only a little more than 100 yards below his career best to this point. As Lambert-Smith continues his trek toward a career year, the Buckeyes will need to mark him, less they learn the hard way just what he contributes to an offense.
