Joel Klatt previews matchup between Ohio State and Penn State

Ohio State's defense, with its No. 1 ranking, continues Saturday when the Buckeyes host a reeling Penn State on FOX's Big Noon Saturday, a game Joel Klatt says he won’t pick but expects to reveal plenty about both teams.

"I'm not going to make a pick in this one, but we'll be live in Columbus for Big Noon Saturday," Klatt said on his podcast this week. "Before the season, everyone circled this as a potential top-five showdown. Instead, Ohio State is unbeaten and No. 1, and Penn State is staggering after a brutal month."

The broadcast begins at 10 a.m. ET from Columbus with kickoff at noon on FOX. The Buckeyes (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) host Penn State (3-4, 0-4) at Ohio Stadium, with Big Noon Kickoff on site.

Penn State arrives with interim coach Terry Smith after James Franklin was fired on Oct. 12 following a four-game slide that started with a double-overtime White Out loss to Oregon, a five-point defeat to UCLA, and one-point losses to Northwestern and Iowa. Starting quarterback Drew Allar is out for the season after ankle surgery; redshirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer, who grew up just outside Columbus, makes his second start.

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

"Penn State comes in with nothing to lose," Klatt said. "This has 'kitchen sink' written all over it — fake punts, trick plays, pressure packages — because the roster still has real talent even if the results haven't shown it."

Klatt framed the game's most intriguing chess match as Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles versus Ohio State's offensive brain trust of Ryan Day and Brian Hartline — a familiarity duel after Knowles coordinated the Buckeyes' title-winning defense last year before moving to Happy Valley.

"Each side knows the other's tells and adjustments," Klatt said. "That means somebody has to break tendencies early to steal an edge. I'll be watching the first couple series to see who looks different." Knowles is in his first season as Penn State's DC; Ohio State replaced him with former Patriots coordinator Matt Patricia.

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive coordinator Matt Patricia | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On the other side, Grunkemeyer faces what Klatt has repeatedly called the sport's elite defense. Ohio State has allowed just 41 total points through seven games, with veterans Caden Curry up front and hybrid linebacker Arvell Reese complementing a secondary led by All-America safety Caleb Downs.

"This is an NFL-caliber operation on defense," Klatt said. "They disguise coverage as well as anyone in college football, and the talent level makes it suffocating."

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Offensively, Klatt expects Ohio State to lean on the arm of Julian Sayin, not force a ground-and-pound into a solid front. The redshirt freshman threw for 393 yards in the win over Wisconsin, and he's throwing to one of the nation's best tandems in Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. "At its best, this passing game is as good as any in the country," Klatt said. "If the Buckeyes are aggressive, that's where their advantage lies."

Regardless of approach, Klatt reiterated the stage: Big Noon in Columbus, No. 1 Ohio State, and a Penn State team trying to halt its slide with a hometown quarterback under center. "There's pride on the line and a lot of institutional knowledge on both sidelines," he said. "We'll see who blinks first."

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