When Penn State football walks into the Horseshoe on October 21, it’ll be for one of the biggest games of the college football season. The Nittany Lions have Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff aspirations in 2023, but will need to overcome a frequent stumbling block in the form of the Ohio State Buckeyes to get there. On Wednesday, the Ohio State football program announced new details regarding the type of environment James Franklin and the Nittany Lions will be walking into for the much-anticipated Penn State vs Ohio State game this fall.
Penn State vs Ohio State matchup announced as “Scarlet the Shoe” game
Penn State will undoubtedly face a hostile environment when it travels to Columbus in late October. Ohio Stadium, home of Ohio State football, is one of the iconic venues in all the sport. Additionally, both sides understand the stakes involved with the potential top-5 matchup.
On Wednesday afternoon, Ohio State announced that the October 21 matchup will be the Buckeyes’ annual “Scarlet the Shoe” game. This is the second time in a row that Penn State has received the “scarlet” treatment from Ohio State. In 2021, the Nittany Lions fell 33-24 in a similar environment at the Shoe.
Despite the expectations for 2023, James Franklin will have to overcome history to finally get through the Buckeyes this season. Franklin has one win against Ohio State during his tenure in Happy Valley, the iconic 2016 upset at Beaver Stadium. Penn State is 13-24 against Ohio State since 1912, including a 6-14 record in Columbus. The last time the Nittany Lions came away with a victory at Ohio Stadium was in 2011. Ohio State is currently a 10.5-point favorite in this year’s matchup, for which a start time has not been announced.
Penn State football announced themes for its 2023 home games in May, including the White Out against Iowa on September 23 and the Stripe Out against Michigan on November 11.
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