“B1G Things to Know” is your weekly gathering of the 10 most important things you’ll want to know about this week’s Ohio State game. These 10 facts will help you be the most knowledgeable fan at your Game Day activity, no matter where you gather across Buckeye Nation to cheer on the Men of the Scarlet & Gray.
Pennsylvania State University was founded in 1855, originally opening under the name Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania. Annual enrollment at the main campus, University Park, totals more than 46,800 graduate and undergraduate students. This makes Penn State one of the largest universities in the United States. Since 1993, the Nittany Lions have played in the Big Ten, where they have won or shared 4 conference championships.
The Buckeyes face off with the Nittany Lions Saturday night in Happy Valley. That means you have plenty of time to memorize the Big Ten Things To Know, and impress everyone around you with your knowledge.
- For the second consecutive season and ninth time all-time, Ohio State and Penn State will meet while being ranked in the AP Top 10. Both schools will also put undefeated records on the line for the first time since 1998.
- Penn State has scored 84 points in the 4th quarter of its four games this season. Ohio State has not allowed a single point in the 4th quarter of a game in 2018.
- Saturday’s game will be a match-up of the highest scoring offenses in the nation, as Penn State (55.5) and Ohio State (54.5) rank first and second, respectively, in FBS. Neither team has scored fewer than 40 points in a game this season, and neither defense has allowed 40 or more points in a game.
- This week, Penn State will host its annual “White Out” game. The tradition started with the student section in 2004, and 2018 marks the 11th time PSU has hosted a whole-stadium “White Out”. Penn State has a 7-7 record in it’s annual “White Out” game. This marks the 5th time hosting Ohio State during the “White Out”. Currently, the Ohio State/Penn State series is tied at 2-2 during “White Out” games
- Penn State QB Trace McSorley entered his final season in Happy Valley having thrown a touchdown pass in 28-straight games, the longest active streak in FBS. His streak currently sits at 32, having thrown at least one touchdown pass in each of PSU’s 4 games this season.
- Penn State enters the Ohio State game having at least 200 yards rushing in each of the last 7 games they have played.
- Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins leads the Big Ten in completion percentage (75.7), passing efficiency (207.0), passing touchdowns (16), passing yards (1,194), passing yards per completion (13.72), points responsible for per game (25.5) and total offense (305.5).
- Ohio State has scored 30 touchdowns in its first four games, second most in the country. Twelve of them have come on plays of 20 yards or more from scrimmage.
- No Ohio State team has thrown for more than the 1,463 yards and the 17 touchdowns that the 2018 team has after four games. The Buckeyes feature 17 players with at least one reception this season and nine with a TD reception already. This also includes two players with over 1000 career receiving yards. K.J. Hill leads all current Buckeyes with 1,070 receiving yards and Parris Campbell topped the 1,000-yard mark against Tulane with a career-high 147 receiving yards that increased his total to 1,004 yards.
- Ohio State Running Back J.K. Dobbins needs just 274 rushing yards to join Mike Weber (2,021 yards) in the career 2,000-yard rusher club at Ohio State.
And there you have it. You are now officially ready to begin your Game Day activities. You can now lay claim to the title of “Smartest Buckeye Fan at your Tailgate/Watch Party”. Go Bucks!
Each week, Mike Meals scours through the Media Guides of Ohio State and that week’s opponent to find you the 10 most fascinating, important, and/or crazy facts to prepare you for that week’s game. You can also catch Mike along with Hayes & Cannon Content Manager/Writer Brandon Zimmerman on the weekly episodes of “The Sons of Schmidt” podcast on the Ozone Radio Network. Follow Mike on twitter (@mmeals)
