Tough Penn State Environment Will Test J.T. Barrett, Young Ohio State Team

J.T. Barrett and No. 13 Ohio State will hit the road this Saturday to face one of the country's stingiest defenses in a matchup against Penn State.

The Nittany Lions—fueled by outstanding linebacker Mike Hull—have a formidable defensive front. Opposing offenses have withered against the unit, as Penn State ranks first nationally in run defense and sixth overall in scoring and total defense.

But the toughest challenge for Urban Meyer's young team might not be on the field, but surrounding it.

According to James Grega of The Lantern, Meyer has the Buckeyes preparing for the toughest and most hostile road environment they'll see all season.

“This is one of those ones that is one of the top 10, really top five in the country places,” Meyer said, via Grega. “It is hard to get ready for this one but we have had some good practices and the one thing about our setup out here (is) we can get some noise pumped in pretty good.”

That noise has been simulated in practice—piped through big speakers to get the team ready for the deafening and unwavering roar that will ring through their helmets for three-and-a-half hours Saturday night.

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Penn State and its famed "White Out" have thwarted Ohio State in the past. Back in 2005, the sixth-ranked Buckeyes made the trip to Happy Valley to face off against the Nittany Lions under the lights. Troy Smith and an explosive offense were overwhelmed by the atmosphere in a 17-10 loss.

After the game, Penn State receiver Deon Butler said the atmosphere "was pure pandemonium." Two years later, former Buckeyes players remembered that night—and the crowd—vividly.

That's what awaits the Buckeyes Saturday night, and it has to be one of Meyer's top concerns. With a two-deep roster stocked with first- and second-year players who have never experienced the Penn State atmosphere, it will be key for the young guns—primarily Barrett—to settle in.

Meyer is hoping a week of music-filled practices will help, but he'll also rely on his upperclassmen to lead the way. According to Tim Shoemaker of Eleven Warriors, junior tight end Nick Vannett is confident the Buckeyes will be ready.

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We’ve prepared for it. We see that every time we play at home. It’s gonna be different because they’re gonna be pretty loud like they were when we played them in the ‘12 season. We’ve prepared for that during practice and we’ve had crowd noise out there. We’ve gone on silent count on offense and we’ve done really well with that and we’re gonna go in prepared and be ready for it.

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To their credit, the young guns are eager to experience what everyone is talking about. 

"I’ve been talking to everybody all year about how Penn State is supposed to be the craziest environment," sophomore defensive end Joey Bosa said, via Shoemaker. "We play in front of 108,000 people every weekend so it kinda sucks when we go away and they don’t have an environment like that so I’m pretty excited.”

Bosa and the rest of the underclassmen only need to wait a bit longer to experience that atmosphere and hear the roar themselves. And if things go the way Meyer and the Buckeyes plan, they'll get to listen as that roar fades into silence.

All stats via NCAA.com.  

David Regimbal covers Ohio State football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.