After a recent four-game skid, the Penn State Nittany Lions will look to get their season back on track this week when they take on the No. 1 team in the nation, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Last season, the Nittany Lions hosted the Buckeyes in a primetime matchup between two top-5 teams, but were unable to secure the victory, 20-13. Now, Penn State must go to Columbus without quarterback Drew Allar, along with an interim head coach, Terry Smith.

While it may seem like a daunting task for redshirt freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer due to the Buckeyes’ elite play on defense, there is one element on offense that could assist the young talent on Saturday.

Led by defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, Ohio State’s defense ranks first in points allowed per game (5.9) and total yards allowed per game (216.9) across the entire FBS. This dominant stretch throughout the 2025 season also includes a strong effort against opposing teams’ passing attacks, as they rank third in the nation in passing yards allowed per game (131.1).

However, there is hope for Penn State’s offense.

When matched against a stout run game, the Buckeyes’ defense has seen its fair share of woes this year. In week one against the Texas Longhorns, the defending National Champions forfeited a total of 166 rushing yards. During the matchup, the Longhorns' dynamic running back duo of Quintrevion Wiser and CJ Baxter combined for 120 of the yards on the ground.

Unfortunately for Grunkemeyer and the rest of the offense, Ohio State has managed to clean up its struggles against the run game since the week one battle, as the defense now allows an average of 85.6 rushing yards per game.

But the Buckeyes’ week 10 matchup against Penn State will be a test for the Buckeyes with the Nittany Lions’ one-two punch of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton.

This season, the veteran duo of Allen and Singleton has combined for nearly 900 rushing yards through seven games, with Allen accounting for 612 of the yards. And with Grunkemeyer slated to make just his second start of the season for the Nittany Lions, it’s clear that the talented rushers must carry the workload during Saturday’s contest.

In addition to a perfect opportunity for the electric duo, this becomes an important test for Singleton, who has fallen short of expectations this season. The Pennsylvania native is averaging 3.6 yards per carry this season, which is a dramatic decrease in production from his previous three seasons.