Sean Clifford is proving the critics wrong leading Penn State to a 3-0 start so far in 2021. He completed 28 of 32 passes for 280 yards and 2 touchdowns. This was arguably Clifford’s best performance of his career as a Nittany Lion. It came at the exact right time, a whiteout against a ranked SEC opponent that put Penn State at number six in the latest AP rankings.

Clifford was tested right away this season on the road against Wisconsin where he was able to keep his team in the game and let his explosive defense close it out. Jahan Dotson has been the main playmaker for this offense. His catch radius and the ability for run after catch opportunities have helped Clifford find easy completions. Even Keandre Lambert-Smith and Parker Washington have seemed to develop some type of chemistry with Clifford so far. Tight ends Brendon Strange and Tyler Warren both showed us again on Saturday night that Penn State deserves a mention in the TEU category. The protection that the Nittany Lions offensive line has given Clifford especially in their last game allows for him to be the best version of Sean Clifford. Unlike last year where he was asked way too many times to make plays with his feet. 

Penn State will host Villanova this Saturday followed by a home stripe-out against Indiana, an away game in Iowa, and another home game against Illinois before they head to Columbus on Halloween weekend. If James Franklin’s team can stay undefeated heading into their matchup against Ohio State that could potentially win them the Big Ten East, this team will be in the conversation all year for a playoff berth. It is now in the hands of Sean Clifford to keep this offense rolling, but if he can do that he deserves to be recognized. He has now beaten two top 25 teams and good defenses at that. Keep in mind he currently sits at tenth in the Heisman rankings. The eyes right now while Penn State has been potentially the hottest team in the country have been on Dotson and Franklin, let’s not forget what Clifford is doing in his last season. Do not be shocked to see him taken in the late rounds of next year's draft if he can continue to control this offense as he has.

Writer

-By: Sam Kirk

The Big Ten is set to get underway on Saturday, the fourth of Power Five conferences to start this season. The conference emerges with two serious CFP contenders: Penn State and Ohio State. Both are ranked in the top ten of the latest AP Top-25 poll, and they play each other week two. The winner of that (presuming they run the table) would have a seriously good case for the CFP. Let’s take a look at these two.

Ohio State Buckeyes

Key players lost: DE Chase Young, CB Jeff Okudah, CB Damon Arnette, RB J.K. Dobbins, DT DaVon Hamilton, G Jonah Jackson, ILB Malik Harrison, WR K.J. Hill.

On Offense: Whenever you return a Heisman finalist like Justin Fields under center, your offense should feel pretty confident to repeat what they did in 2019. The Buckeyes were fourth in total offense last year and there’s no reason to believe the Buckeyes can’t repeat what they did last year.

Fields (51 total touchdowns to 3 interceptions last year) loses J.K. Dobbins and his 2,250 total yards and 23 touchdowns. Oklahoma transfer Trey Sermon and Master Teague III, who rushed for nearly 800 yards behind Dobbins last year, to fill those shoes. 

Out wide, Fields is going to have to do his part to elevate those around him. Junior Chris Olave and his 12 touchdowns from last year, as well as sophomore Garrett Wilson, return. There will be freshman talent on display too, Jaxson Smith-Njigba and Julian Fleming both featured on the two-deep.

The Buckeyes happily welcome back G Wyatt Davis, who opted back in when the Big Ten announced its plan to return, and should anchor a very good OL across the board.

On Defense: It’s always tough to replace the No. 2 and No. 3 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft (Chase Young and Jeff Okudah), as well as Damon Arnette, Jordan Fuller, and Malik Harrison. That’s a lot of losses for a team that was second in total defense (247.6 ypg) and tied for second in points allowed (12.5). 

Shaun Wade returns after initially opting out that should bolster the back end, but the biggest question might be who generates all the pressure upfront. Harrison and Young combined for 37.5 TFL and 20 sacks. A great pass rush makes a secondary look that much better. 

Senior Jonathan Cooper and junior Tyreke Smith will have the starting DE spots to try and replicate a form of the pressure from last year, and seniors will start at all three linebacker spots as well (Baron Browning, Tuf Borland, and Pete Warner).

Penn State Nittany Lions 

Key players lost: LB Micah Parsons, DE Yetur Gross-Matos, WR K.J. Hamler, CB John Reid, LB Cam Brown, DT Robert Windsor. 

On Offense: Eight returning starters should help the Nittany Lions take another step forward on offense. Junior Sean Clifford should build on a strong 2019 season (2,654 yards and 23 passing touchdowns, five rushing touchdowns) with his favorite target Pat Freiermuth, as the big TE looks to make his case as the best tight end in the country. 

Junior Journey Brown and his 12 touchdowns return to the backfield with Clifford, and is one of three backs that was featured last year to return (Noah Cain and Devyn Ford are the others) and all averaged over five yards a carry, so it should be a solid group for Clifford to lean on when the weather gets sloppy. Four starting offensive linemen returning will help too.

The WR room is a little inexperienced with second-round pick K.J. departing to the NFL, so that’s where Freiermuth is going to need to be huge this season. The next-most catches on the team was junior Jahan Dotson with 27. There might be some growing pains with this group this year, especially with the lack of favorable passing conditions. 

On Defense: No Parsons, No Gross-Matos, and only four returning starts from the 2019 unit. 2019 second-team all-Big Ten selection Shaka Toney is the only returning starter on the DL after leading the Nittany Lions in sacks last year with 6.5. Toney will be joined by sophomore end Jason Oweh, and NT Antonio Shelton, and P.J. Mustipher.

Without Parsons, the linebacking core is extremely young. Junior Ellis Brooks has the most experience, he should be in the middle after collecting 69 tackles the last two seasons. He’ll be joined by former five-star recruit Brandon Smith on one side and former four-star Jesse Luketa on the other.

Two seniors roam the back end with Lamont Wade and Tariq Castro-Fields, helping out the other youth in the secondary. They will be tested against Ohio State.

Get your popcorn (or candy) ready for the Halloween duel between the two.

Writer

-By: TJ Mathewson

Ohio State vs Penn State: The statement has been made in the Big Ten

Ohio State and Penn State have been a heavyweight bout the last three years in which the game was decided by a total of five points. Today, Ohio State said that enough is enough and came out on a mission to show that they should be Big Ten champions. As well as the nomination for Chase Young’s Heisman moment and consideration. 

Let’s begin with the Ohio State offense coming out blazing up and down the field as they scored on their first possession. Not only that but only their second possession if not for a great defensive play, they would have a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Let’s give credit to the Penn State defense though, as they started to lock up the Ohio State and only allowed it to be 14-0 at halftime. 

Now the Penn State offense is a different story in the first half, they ended the first half with 64 total yards on offense in five drives. To say the Ohio State defense came to play is an understatement. The defensive line lived in the backfield lead by Chase Young with a sack early on. He ended the game with nine tackles and three sacks. The impact of having him on the field made it easier for everyone else on the defense to get after Sean Clifford and not allow him to set his feet to throw. 

The second half of the game is where things finally got interesting. Ohio State comes out with a 10-play, 75-yard drive capped off with a K.J. Hill touchdown catch. But Penn State answered for the first time with a 75-yard, nine-play drive capped with a Journey Brown 18-yard strike. Then they come out and cause a critical fumble against J.K. Dobbins on the first play. This allowed Penn State to score once again for the second time in under 30 seconds.  But the good times didn’t stop for the Penn State defense as they Lamont Wade forced another Justin fields fumble which led to a Penn State field goal. Unfortunately, that will be the last time Penn State scored in the second half. 

After that miniature scoring barrage, it became a defensive bout of top 10 teams. Other than a quick score from Justin Fields to Chris Olave for 28 yards, it was turnovers and critical stops the rest of the way. The most critical stats are the two turnovers on downs that Ohio State forced. The best part to start that last Penn State possession was a strip-sack from Chase Young when they needed him most. 

Ohio State may have not been in familiar territory by having it close down in the fourth quarter. Yet they proved the defense is serious even when the offense isn’t playing its best that day. By proving this, I believe they should have secured a spot in the CFB playoffs as long as they win out. Only time can tell for now, but today was a strong resume builder. 

As for the Nittany Lions, they have a great team, but show that they aren’t an elite team just yet. Let’s hope they can win out and show up big one of New Year’s six bowl games.

-By: Darren Braxton

Writer/ Podcaster