It's Penn State-Ohio week: What channel is the game on, and when is kickoff? Early storylines and more

Penn State-Ohio week is here. The Nittany Lions welcome the Bobcats to Beaver Stadium for the first time in a decade on Saturday. It is also the program’s home opener. The team is 1-0 after beating Purdue 35-31 last Thursday at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind.

“It’s just one of those things where you can’t really harp on things you did wrong,” quarterback Sean Clifford said following the win.

“It’s going to be ups and downs. We still put up a bunch of points. I’m proud of what we did today. I think that we have a lot to improve on, starting with myself. Fingers pointing right here. But, just happy to start 1-0, because you can’t go 2-0 without being 1-0.”

Here’s an early look at the Lions latest matchup.

Time, TV, and point spread info

Penn State-Ohio will air on ABC Saturday. Kickoff is set for Noon ET. According to Vegas Insider, the Lions are listed as a 24.5-point favorite.

Game week schedule for Penn State

After a Thursday opener, Penn State is back to a normal schedule this week.

Tuesday will feature player interviews and a lengthy news conference with Franklin. On Wednesday, there will be more player calls in addition to a chance to watch practice plus another opportunity to interview Franklin and a player.

Thursday brings the Penn State Coaches Show, which Franklin typically appears on for the last half hour, and that will be it for the week until Saturday after the game.

What’s up with the Bobcats?

Head coach Tim Albin’s team is 1-0 after fending off Flordia Atlantic 41-38. Quarterback Kurtis Rourke tossed four touchdowns in the victory and threw for 345 yards while also rushing for a score.

“We have some really great athletes and a lot of our receivers and running backs took a leap in the offseason,” Rourke told reporters following the win. “We have some great guys. James is one of those guys that just stepped up from last year and we have some new guys— it’s not necessarily about me, it’s more about how great the guys around me make me.”

However, FAU shredded the Bobcats’ pass defense, and Penn State should be expected to take advantage of the MAC team’s secondary on Saturday. Ohio does like its front seven and rush defense, so it will be interesting to see if the Lions can crack it in front of their home fans.

Weather outlook

It could be a wet one for Penn State in its opener. Per Weather.com, the early forecast is as follows:

“Cloudy with occasional rain showers. High 77F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.

Early Penn State-Ohio storylines?

–Penn State is 5-1 all-time against Ohio. But, the Bobcats won the last meeting between the schools back in 2012 at Beaver Stadium by a 24-14 count. Can the Lions get back in the win column against the MAC foe? Vegas thinks so.

–Will the Lions offensive line be able to attack the Bobcats’ front seven in a way that opens up more lanes for the running game? If it cannot run against this team, it will create serious questions about what it will be capable of moving forward.

–Can Penn State build a big enough lead to allow numerous young players to see significant game action? It certainly is a possibility based on the point spread, and would be invaluable moving forward if they can do it.

–A big recruiting crowd is expected. Join BWI for just $1 for one year of access to the latest premium team news and insider recruiting updates, including a confirmed visitor list throughout the week.