Underdog Lions hope to seize this white night

The Nittany Lions will be as healthy as ever on Saturday night.

They will have a sold-out, white-out crowd rocking Beaver Stadium.

They are coming off an extra week of preparation for the biggest game of their season.

And yet most don't think all of that will be nearly enough.

Penn State is a three-touchdown underdog Saturday night in prime time despite owning some crucial home-game advantages. The problems actually can be found most everywhere on the field, from Ohio State's dynamic quarterback to its envious influx of speed of their skill players and defensive backs to their power on the lines.

Plus, there's coaching. Urban Meyer-led teams found ways to defeat inspired Penn State in State College in 2012 and 2014. Actually, Meyer never loses away from home.

The biggest worries facing the Lions include relying on a backup left tackle on offense and trying to subdue J.T. Barrett on defense. The QB is particularly lethal when he gets loose from the pocket and begins running, anyone's bet if he will keep the ball or throw at the last moment..

This will be the Lions' biggest statement opportunity of the season. And they certainly don't want to let down those 100,000-plus supporters just waiting for the chance to send the place into a delirium.

"We're going to need the fans. We're going to need the alumni. We're going to need everybody," said head coach James Franklin. "This is a tremendous challenge we have, that we're facing all together, and we're going to need the stadium to be the most difficult environment in the history of college football come Saturday night."

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"The fans don't understand how much of an impact they really have," said tailback Saquon Barkley. "They can cause penalties and force turnovers. A night game, anything can happen. It's so loud you can't really hear yourself think. I feel bad for the other offense."

This team is younger than most any other under Meyer, but they still are superbly talented. Barrett, the quarterback, is the offensive point man. When things get out of sync, he usually keeps the ball and takes matters into his own hands — and usually wins.

It seemed like he beat the Lions all by himself in double overtime two years ago. Then he ran through them in a pullaway victory last fall.

Tackling him is top priority for a Penn State defense only now getting two of its starting linebackers healthy again. Defenders on the spot include hard-hitting safety Marcus Allen, cornerback John Reid and those returning linebackers, Jason Cabinda and Brandon Bell.

"He's guy who can beat you in so many different ways," Franklin said of Barrett. "He can beat with you his experience, and he can beat you with his accuracy and decision making, and he can beat with you his legs.

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"You see him breaking arm tackles and wiggling out of things. He's got good change of direction, and like I said, he's been doing it for a number of years."

Said Penn State cornerback Grant Haley: "He's strong and powerful and he's an X-factor in this game."

Though still somewhat mistake-prone, the Buckeyes do have the firepower to vaporize an opponent in only a few minutes time, if they do desire. And they are battle-tested, with road victories at Oklahoma and in Wisconsin's rabid Camp Randall Stadium.

Considering all of that, the most pertinent questions at hand are these: How will a superior-talent but maturing Ohio State team handle a second-straight night game in the most unfriendly atmosphere? And can these Lions take advantage of offensive chances enough to stay within striking distance?

The Lions almost surely must deftly mix the running of Barkley and quarterback Trace McSorley with a varied passing game. Tight end Mike Gesicki seems to be getting stronger by the week as a receiver.

The Lions will need everything they can get to make best use of the magic of this night.

"You have to understand what game your'e going to walk into," Gesicki said. "You're playing the No. 2 team in the country, you're playing a division rival. You come to Penn State to play games like this.

"You want to make sure you don't look back saying, 'I could have done that, should have done more ...'"