STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Just outside Beaver Stadium, two different networks are set up for their traditional pregame shows highlighting the magnitude of this game between Penn State and Ohio State later today. While James Franklin tried to preach that the matchup was just another game on the schedule, he found it difficult to escape the Buckeyes’ kryptonite.

The optics around the Penn State campus seem to suggest that this isn’t just another game on the schedule or that the team is playing with a “1-0” mantra every week leading up to this showdown. It’s different. The fans can feel it, the government can feel it, and whether he wants to admit it or not, James Franklin would like nothing more than to let this Ohio State mess drag its feet.

But that’s exactly what the job entails, especially when you haven’t beaten your hated rivals from Ohio since 2016, when Urban Meyer was head coach. Without a win against Ryan Day, despite having a fabulous run against other regular season opponents during his tenure, this game has been on Happy Valley’s calendar since the start of the season.

COLUMBUS, OHIO – OCTOBER 21: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions checks the scoreboard during the first quarter of a game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium on October 21, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images)

Add to that the fact that Penn State has the opportunity to play for a national championship, and that’s why all eyes will be on the game being played in State College today.

As students on campus went about their daily classroom lives and then gathered on Thursday evening to celebrate Halloween, anticipation was already building for what today would bring. An opportunity to show the entire college football world that the Nittany Lions are taking the next step this year as a football program in a now crowded Big Ten with even more competition.

For Penn State to move forward into the future, it must free itself from the problems of the past

What have we seen over the years with this James Franklin-led Penn State team? A run through the regular season only to lose to Michigan and Ohio State, but still being ranked high enough to play in one of the New Years Six bowl games. But there comes a point where the Cotton Bowl or the Fiesta Bowl are no longer good enough, and I would even include the Rose Bowl in that equation.

The problem with all of these games was that they were not part of the College Football Playoff, and that is a hurdle that needs to be crossed off the list of accomplishments. James Franklin is 4-16 during his tenure against Michigan and Ohio State, which doesn’t help when this team is fighting for a spot in the Big Ten Championship.

“I think we’ve been close in recent years. It’s a game here, it’s a game there. It’s like if 10 people do it right, one does it wrong. And that’s how planes crash,” Penn State left tackle Drew Shelton said this week. “I think that’s what we need on Saturday to win 1-0.”

The Ohio State Buckeyes attempt to block Penn State Nittany Lions QB Drew Allar’s pass at Ohio Stadium. (Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch/USA TODAY NETWORK)

There are wins that Franklin can hold on to, but if he truly wants to become a folklore legend in State College, he needs to beat Ohio State today for the sake of the future. This football program doesn’t want to rely on anyone else’s help to get into the College Football Playoff, although I’m sure they’ll happily welcome it with open arms if things don’t go their way today or later in November run as they want.

But they have to get over it, which means it’s time to take care of business and secure a spot in the postseason on their own merits. Being third fiddle in this conference is no longer enough, especially if they want to emerge as a powerhouse in this new era of college athletics.

As Oregon continues to make noise in this new Big Ten, it’s not lost on those in the football program that they don’t have to let a “new kid” pass them by in the pecking order. Mostly it’s been Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State, with Indiana headed to the title game in 2024.

In Penn State’s case, they were always on the podium but struggled to stay in the middle.

Penn State can beat Ohio State today if they don’t get overwhelmed

When James Franklin leads his team off the bus into Beaver Stadium today, he will do so while quarterback Drew Allar is not playing at 100%. However, that won’t stop the signal-caller from playing in this game against Ohio State, even though he missed the second half against Wisconsin last week.

One of the most important components to taking this victory away from Ohio State will be not getting overwhelmed when things don’t go their way. Penn State’s players can’t imagine that they won’t play either Oregon or Indiana this season, or that a loss could certainly remove them from the Big Ten title field again due to the tiebreaker scenario.

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – OCTOBER 05: Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin walks with his players before the second half of a college football game against the UCLA Bruins at Beaver Stadium on October 5, 2024 in University Park, Pennsylvania the playing field. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Even though Ryan Day will be cautious, the Buckeyes are struggling on offense and it’s time for Penn State to take advantage of the situation. If Drew Allar is even at 80%, this team can beat the Buckeyes and set themselves up for a run in November that would change the trajectory of this program.

But until James Franklin beats Ryan Day, fans will have a hard time believing it’s possible, even with over 100,000 people in the stands believing in the Nittany Lions.

If Penn State wants to make its mark on the 2024 season, it needs a win today. Sure, they can lose and make the 12-team playoffs, but there’s still that weight on the players’ backs in the locker room.

It’s time for James Franklin to pull the kryptonite from his chest and throw the sword as far out of the stadium as possible. This has to be the day that Penn State takes the next step as a program and hands Ohio State its second loss of the season, leaving them to worry about their postseason fate.

Let’s see if the Nittany Lions can solve the Buckeye problem, which would be the biggest win for James Franklin for now.