COLUMBUS – A few days before the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season are released No. 2 Penn State and No. 6 Ohio State will play a game that could make things complicated for the committee.
No. 6 Ohio St. (6-1, 4-0) vs. No. 2 Penn St. (7-0, 4-0), Ohio Stadium, Oct. 28 (3:30 p.m./FOX)
The winner of the Ohio Stadium matchup stays atop the Big Ten East and in strong position for the playoff.
A Penn State win means the Nittany Lions are basically a victory against No. 16 Michigan State away from putting a vice grip on the division.
If Ohio State wins, it gets trickier because of their home loss to Oklahoma earlier this season.
The Buckeyes have had this one circled on their calendars since Grant Haley’s 60-yard blocked field goal return gave an unranked Penn State a shocking 24-21 victory in Happy Valley last year when Ohio State was ranked second.
Ohio State has amassed 500 total yards in five straight games and is coming off an open date.
Penn State has won 16 of its last 17 and is in the middle of what could be the season-defining three-game stretch of Michigan-Ohio State-Michigan State.