Penn State will enjoy win over UMass, but everyone knows Ohio State is up next

STATE COLLEGE — Drew Allar cracked a smile. It hadn’t even been an hour after Penn State’s quarterback exited the rain-soaked Beaver Stadium turf after a 63-0 win over UMass. But sitting at the media room dais, crowded by reporters, recorders and cameras, he reasonably could expect the question was coming.

Is it Ohio State week yet?

“No, I’ll give it a few hours,” Allar said, laughing. “We’re going to enjoy this one. Winning’s hard no matter who you’re going against. We’ll enjoy it and flip to the next opponent.”

That was the stock answer for the Nittany Lions on Saturday night. From Allar to coach James Franklin, they wanted a little bit of time to breathe before the Ohio State hysteria sets in.

“Because, as we know, as Sunday night hits and my tweet goes out, that’s all anybody’s going to want to talk about,” Franklin said lightheartedly about his trademark “1-0” post. “I just want a couple hours of normalcy. On Tuesday, I promise you guys, I’ll answer all your questions. Wednesday, I’ll answer all your questions. Trust me, it’ll have all of my attention. And I know it’ll have all of your attention.”

It’ll have everyone’s attention. College GameDay will be there. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff will be there. Next Saturday, all eyes will be on Penn State vs. Ohio State in Columbus.

Penn State’s season will look a lot different after the game than it does now. Allar, Franklin and anyone who follows the sport knows a win or loss at Ohio State will go a long way in determining what Penn State — a team with national championship aspirations — can or might accomplish in 2023.

Right now, the Nittany Lions are looking good. They’re 6-0, ranked firmly in the top 10. They’ve rolled over every opponent that’s stood in their way with a 266-48 combined margin of victory.

The defense has been dynamic. Penn State added 14 tackles for loss and six sacks to its season tally against UMass. Manny Diaz’s unit is playing fast and free, aggressive and disruptive, chewing up and spitting out offenses week after week.

The offense hasn’t been explosive but has been methodically solid. The Nittany Lions are dictating games. They’re running the rock. They’re taking what defenses are giving them. They’re incredibly efficient on fourth down and in the red zone.

Overall, Penn State is pleased halfway through the season. It should be. Franklin said it’s been “so far, so good” with room for improvement. His players, after steamrolling the Minutemen, echoed a similar sentiment.

“We’re in a good spot,” captain and defensive end Adisa Isaac said. “… We just have to put in the work this week and be intentional and do your job. Don’t do anything spectacular and just approach it like another game.”

Internally, that will be Penn State’s approach; it always is. But externally, everyone from State College to the College Football Playoff selection committee understands and appreciates that this won’t be any old game.

The annual measuring stick is less than a week away. The team that has had Penn State’s number, that has won 10 of the last 11 meetings, is on the horizon. The program that in so many ways — from NIL to facilities to, most importantly, success on the field — Penn State has aspired to catch and overcome is up next.

This is going to be as even as it’s between these two teams in half a decade. And this is Penn State’s last chance to take down Ohio State and parlay it into a spot in the four-team College Football Playoff.

There are other games on the schedule, obviously. Michigan, the two-time defending Big Ten champion, is visiting Happy Valley in November. But Saturday’s highly anticipated tilt is what Penn State has been building toward for a while now. Spring ball, training camp, six weeks of the regular season, you name it.

Staying in the moment, Penn State wanted to bask in its win over UMass. Fair enough. Totally understandable. But soon enough, the focus shifts to fully preparing for Ohio State — for one of the biggest games in Franklin’s 10-year tenure.

“We’ve got to get better this week,” Franklin said. “And we’re going to have to get better every week this season for us to go where we want to go.”