‘Lock in and handle business’ | Penn State ignoring outside noise with game vs. Ohio State looming | Penn State Football News | psucollegian.com

James Franklin watches quarterback Drew Aller (15) throw a football at practice on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, outside Holuba Hall in University Park, Pa.

Penn State is a storied program that’s had its fair share of big games, but in the past few years, the Nittany Lions have had trouble winning them.

James Franklin is 1-8 against top-five teams in his tenure as the blue and white’s head coach and boasts a 1-9 record against Penn State’s opponent Saturday: the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Each time the Nittany Lions meet the Buckeyes, eyes are cast upon the contest considering the two usually enter the game ranked — 23 out of the pair’s 40 fixtures featured both Penn State and Ohio State in the top-25..

However, there’s extra attention on Saturday’s matchup, considering it’s just the second time Penn State and the Buckeyes will meet as top-five opponents. ESPN’s College GameDay and FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff shows will both be in Happy Valley for the contest, marking the first time the Nittany Lions will host both events simultaneously.

Although the outside noise is there, especially surrounding Franklin, Penn State is keeping the same 1-0 mentality it preaches every week.

“We just stay consistent with our process,” Franklin said. “West Virginia, to open a season, was a big game. Bowling Green was a big game. If you don't think it was, lose to Bowling Green and see how people react. They're all big games … I can't control the noise and the things that are outside this building, but we stay consistent with how we go about our business.”

Wide receiver Harrison Wallace III shared Franklin’s sentiment, saying the team tries to focus on themselves during game weeks like this one.

“Just tune everything out and then just worry about the game, really, just make that our main focus, just so we can really buy in, and lock in and handle business how we’re supposed to,” Wallace said.

Regardless, it can be hard for the players to fully block out the noise when their peers at Penn State are buzzing in anticipation of Saturday’s game, something Abdul Carter said is easy to get caught up in.

Defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas said students have asked him about upcoming matchups during class, but “they know better” than to bombard him or his teammates on the street.

“I'll be in class, and I'll get a couple questions,” J-Thomas said. “I try to not give too much away, but you know, give them a little bit of confidence, like, ‘yeah, bro, it's gonna be a really good game.’ That's pretty much it, I'll get a couple questions here and there.”

Penn State is as motivated as ever heading into its matchup against Ohio State, with players like J-Thomas and safety Jaylen Reed eager to defeat the Buckeyes for the first time in their careers, something the entire program is confident they can accomplish.

“Everybody's on the same page from the top down, everybody knows what needs to be done,” J-Thomas said. “Everybody knows the process in which we need to take to get there.”

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