Penn State vs. Ohio State: Latest Spread Info, BCS Impact and Predictions

The Penn State Nittany Lions look to rebound in Week 12 when they hit the road to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes. 

In fact, both teams are in need of a pick-me-up, as the Buckeyes lost a heartbreaker in overtime against Purdue, and Penn State lost to Nebraska in an intense close game for all four quarters. 

Of course, one team will suffer their second straight loss, and for the Buckeyes, should they fall, it would be the second time that has happened this season.

Penn State hasn't beaten Ohio State since 2008, and in the last decade the Nittany Lions have just three wins over the Buckeyes.  

Both teams and fanbases are hurting right now in completely different ways, and on Saturday afternoon, they can forget about all the pain and bask in the glory that is college football. 

With that said, let's take a look at some specifics of this Big Ten showdown. 

When: Saturday, Nov. 19 at 3:30 p.m. ET

Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH

Watch: ESPN, ABC regional, ESPN3.com 

Spread

The Buckeyes are favored at -7, which came as a surprise to me. Home-field advantage definitely helps, but neither one of these teams looks extremely better than the other. The Nittany Lions have a better defense and the Buckeyes have the better offense. 

I'll take the Nittany Lions to keep it close, especially since the Buckeyes have struggled a lot over the last month or so. 

Key Injuries 

For Penn State, RB Silas Redd (shoulder) is listed as probable, according to USA Today. RB Joe Suhey (shoulder) has missed the last two games and is listed as questionable.

For Ohio State, DB Corey Brown (ankle) and OL J.B. Shugarts (knee) are both listed as questionable for Saturday's game. 

In a non-injury-related update, Buckeyes wide receiver DeVier Posey, who missed the first 10 games due to suspensions, is eligible to return to the lineup. It will be interesting to see if he makes a big impact or not. 

BCS/Top 25 Implications 

The Nittany Lions currently rank No. 21 in the BCS, and a loss on Saturday would most certainly drop them from the rankings.

It's a must-win game as Penn State is still atop the Leaders Division in the Big Ten, but if the Nittany Lions fall, their chances of playing in the first-ever Big Ten Conference Championship Game will begin to fade away. 

Ohio State needs a victory here in order to attempt to get back into the Top 25. A win over the Nittany Lions and No. 18 Michigan next week would give the Buckeyes a great push towards the polls, not to mention great confidence moving forward since the season has been a failure so far. 

Keys to Penn State Win 

The Nittany Lions have to contain Braxton Miller, who has five rushing touchdowns in the last three games. He is the Buckeyes offense, and if Penn State shuts him down, all the offense has to do is put points on the board. 

Unfortunately, that has been a difficult challenge for Penn State this year. The Nittany Lions are only averaging 18 points per game in their last five games, and they will not be able to win on Saturday if they can't score touchdowns. 

It's up to quarterback Matthew McGloin to step up and make better throws. He's only completing 54 percent of his passes on the year. 

Keys to Ohio State Win 

The Buckeyes will have to be mistake-free because the Nittany Lions are going to play stout defense, as well as chew up the clock to limit the number of Ohio State possessions. 

Miller has to be more consistent in the passing game or the Buckeyes won't find much success. Penn State's defense will be ready to stop Miller on the ground, which means he has to beat them through the air. If Posey returns, it will help Miller out a great deal. 

Prediction 

A defensive slugfest for most of the game, both offenses will come alive in the fourth quarter. However, in the end, the Buckeyes will shine brighter, and their home-field crowd will put the Nittany Lions under too much pressure. 

Buckeyes 24, Nittany Lions 17