Saturday afternoon will be absolutely rocking at Beaver Stadium as Penn State welcomes in the No. 2 team in the nation, the Ohio State Buckeyes, a team that has beaten the Nittany Lions five games straight to this point. The Buckeyes are firing on all cylinders, but just because they’re on such a roll doesn’t mean chaos cannot ensue in Happy Valley. We’ve discussed the keys to victory, but here are some key players for both teams on Saturday.
Ohio State:
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Smith-Njigba is expected to play on Saturday after a hamstring injury suffered against Notre Dame has sidelined him for four of Ohio State’s first seven games this season. Last season saw him explode onto the college football scene, racking up over 1,600 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns in 13 games. That included his insane performance in the Rose Bowl, 15 receptions for 347 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. Most likely, Smith-Njigba will have limited snaps on Saturday, but his impact on the field will be immeasurable.
DT Mike Hall Jr.
Ohio State’s defense is always amongst the best in the country and as a sophomore, Hall has done a fantastic job on the front seven for the Buckeyes, leading the team in tackles for loss (7.5) and sacks (4.5). He’s shown himself to be one of the best pass rushers in college football and being able to penetrate Penn State’s offensive line will be key to a Buckeye victory. Hall is someone who, even in the face of great O-line talent, can break through and make plays.
RB TreVeyon Henderson
The sophomore has been a spectacular backup option alongside leading rusher Miyan Williams for the Buckeyes. Henderson is averaging nearly six yards a carry while recording 474 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on the season. The attention for Saturday will most definitely be on Williams, which should free up Henderson to get more space and make the most of it. He’s most definitely not an afterthought for OSU and will be getting plenty of touches on Saturday.
Penn State:
LB Abdul Carter
Penn State’s key players this week will have a strong defensive influence as that’s really what will make or break this game for the Nittany Lions. It’s not shocking that three of the four leading tacklers for PSU are linebackers and right up there is the freshman from Philadelphia, with 31 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks this season. With Carter, you know what you’re getting in the middle of the field, but he will be a critical player on Saturday, someone who can make plays in the open but put pressure on the backfield.
S Ji’Ayir Brown
Brown leads the Nittany Lions in interceptions with three and leads the team in total tackles with 41, as well as recording 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack on the season. He’s been a versatile player in Penn State’s secondary as someone who is great in coverage but can get into the backfield and make plays happen. Expect to see Brown matched up with either Marvin Harrison Jr. or Emeka Egbuka and if he can make plays, what a big boost that will bring to this PSU defense.
CB Joey Porter Jr.
Like Brown, Porter Jr. has been one of Penn State’s best players in the secondary this season, leading the Nittany Lions in pass breakups with 11. He’s done a fantastic job in coverage, making it tough for receivers to make plays and catch passes. At the same time, he’s done a great job at preventing yards after the catch and ending plays where they are on the field. Porter Jr. will most likely be covering the receiver that Brown isn’t on the field and those two will be massive in limiting the passing game.
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