Since we're in a bit of a time crunch with Penn State's 2022 season just six days away, we'll be changing up our 2022 opponent previews a bit. They won't be as in-depth as the ones prior to this but we'll still look to provide you with a quality preview of each opponent for Penn State.
Today, we're going to do a 2-for-1 by previewing both the Ohio State Buckeyes and Indiana Hoosiers.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Overview:
The 2021 Ohio State Buckeyes had one of the most talented offenses we've ever seen but it wasn't enough for the Buckeyes to get to the College Football Playoffs. The Buckeyes went 11-2 in 2021 after being upset early in the season by Oregon before losing to Michigan in The Game to close out the 2021 regular season. A 48-45 victory against Utah in the Rose Bowl put a nice bow on their good season but it's fair to say that it was a disappointing season for the Ohio State faithful. That being said, the 2022 Buckeyes may just be as talented as last year's team and are a legitimate national title contender.
Offense:
Simply, Ohio State enters 2022 with arguably the country's top offense. Quarterback CJ Stroud returns as the Heisman favorite, star running back Treyveon Henderson is the best running back in the country and their wide receiver room is an embarrassment of riches even though they lost two first-round wide receivers in Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. Good luck stopping this offense. Don't be surprised if the Buckeyes average near 50 points per game and total over 600 yards per game. This could be a record-breaking offensive year in Columbus.
Defense:
Defensviely last year, the Buckeyes last year wasn't up to par but weren't bad either. The Buckeyes allowed under 23 points per game and kept opponents under 375 yards on average. This offseason, they hired Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles as their new defensive coordinator and with his hiring, the Buckeyes are expected to take a step up defensively. They return eight starters on the defensive side of the ball including saftie Ronnie Hickman, linebackers Tommy Eichenberg and Tejada Mitchell as well as defensive back Denzel Burke.
The biggest question for the Buckeyes' defense is who will step up on the defensive line? The Buckeyes last season never really had a dominating presence on their defensive line, Haskell Garrett led the Buckeyes with 5.5 sacks. If someone emerges on that defensive line, it will make everyone else's jobs much easier to say the least.
Special Teams
Good special teams are a trademark of Ohio State football and that's the expectation in 2022. Both their starting kicker Noah Ruggles and starting punter Jesse Mirco return in 2022. They'll have to replace Garrett Wilson as their punt returner but they have plenty of dynamic talents to fill that spot.
Overall:
The Buckeyes are a national title contender and it would be a bit shocking if they didn't make it back there in 2022. The offense is the most talented in the country and will be nearly unstoppable while the defense should be improved and among the best in the Big Ten. Expect the Buckeyes to run the gauntlet en route to a College Football Playoff berth.
Indiana Hoosiers
Overview:
After a special 2020 season, the Indiana Hoosiers fell back to the basement of the Big Ten East in 2022, going 2-10. The 2022 season is not going to be much better as the roster for the Hoosiers is simply baren of top-end talent and lost much of their top talent from the last few years. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr, running back Stephen Carr, TE Peyton Hendershot, and WR Ty Fryfogle are all gone.
Offense:
Indiana's talent on offense wasn't great to begin with but now with their top four rushers gone and top three receivers all gone, there's simply just not much to work with here for Indiana. Missouri quarterback transfer Connor Bazelak provides a similar ceiling to Michael Penix Jr. but the weapons around him are a major question. They may be able to improve on last year's 17 points per game but if they do, it won't be by much.
Defense:
Tom Allen's better teams at Indiana have been built on strong defenses and last year's Hoosiers had one of the worst defenses of his tenure, allowing 33 points and nearly 400 yards per game. The Hoosiers do return seven starters on the defensive side of the ball but lost both linebacker Micah McFadden and defensive back Raheem Layne. Replacing those two will be a major challenge for the Hoosiers. The defense should be improved overall but they'll have a tough time with the more explosive offenses on their schedule.
Special Teams:
The only key starter not returning for Indiana on special teams is Jacolby Hewitt who was their leading kick returner. That being said, punter James Evans and kicker Charles Campbell both return. Evans averaged 41.9 yards per punt last year while Campbell was 13-for-18 in field goal attempts but does have a strong leg with a career-long of 55 yards. The Hoosiers' special teams won't be a strength but it won't be a liability for them either.
Overall:
Overall, another tough season is likely in store for Indiana, they start off their season against a much improved Illinois and while they'll beat Idaho, Western Kentucky and Cincinnati are a pair of really tough non-conference opponents. Once they get back into Big Ten play, they play at Nebraska, and at home against Michigan and Maryland. They get a winnable game against Rutgers before finishing their season against Penn State, at Ohio State, at Michigan State, and at home against Purdue. The floor for the Hoosiers is 1-11 with a ceiling of 4-8. Ultimately, I think they probably go 2-10 this upcoming season.
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