Ohio State, Penn State set for primetime showdown

COLUMBUS – Ohio State has been heading toward a showdown with Penn State for supremacy at the top of the Big Ten East standings for several weeks.

And now that big-time matchup will have a national primetime spotlight.

The Buckeyes and Nittany Lions will square off with a 7:30 p.m. kick off on Oct. 30 from The Horseshoe, and the game will be broadcast on ABC.

Ohio State is firing on all cylinders and have rattled off three dominant wins heading into its road test against Indiana on Saturday. Penn State, meanwhile, has a chance to bounce back from a tough loss to Iowa with a matchup against Illinois this weekend.

If Ohio State and Penn State take care of business this weekend, it will likely be a matchup between teams ranked in the top eight when the Nittany Lions come to town. The Buckeyes have risen to No. 5 in the latest AP poll, which is their highest ranking since losing to Oregon in Week Two, and Penn State is currently ranked No. 7.

Ohio State will be debuting its all-scarlet color rush uniforms against Penn State, and the Buckeyes are aiming for fans in attendance to  “scarlet the stadium.” That includes wearing scarlet jerseys, overcoats, sweatshirts, hoodies, sweaters and/or blankets.

It will also be a major recruiting weekend for the Buckeyes as a heavy host of visitors will be in attendance. Having their most high-caliber matchup up to this point in the season as a night game should help Ohio State get even more top targets on campus from all around the country.

“Hopefully there are going to be more opportunities [for later games] as we head into the middle of October and November,” Ryan Day said earlier this month.

Day and the Buckeyes will get their wish.