Penn State’s Beaver Stadium is a fortress. Home games for the Nittany Lions are a daunting task for the opposition. This is boosted by the atmosphere the fans generate. In the build-up to their huge game against Ohio State, those fans are not pleased with the powers that be.

Fox has placed the clash in the noon slot in line with their Big Noon Kickoff for the weekend. Penn State fans are outraged at this, since it means students will naturally not be able to be in attendance and rally behind their team. The “whiteout” has been compromised due to the decision to not have the game held in primetime during the evening. There are calls for boycotting the Big Noon Kickoff amongst the Penn State Faithful.

This decision has cast a shadow on what is the biggest game of the weekend with huge implications on the playoff landscape. While the fans believe their home field advantage has been subdued by the broadcasters, players will look to keep their unbeaten streak alive no matter what.

Fox representatives made a statement on the matter, saying “There’s a belief that Primetime is somehow inherently better, but that’s not matched up by the analysis”. While this may hold true under normal circumstances, a game of this magnitude requires no. 3 Penn State has every little edge they can get over Ohio State, who are hot on their heels, ranked at no. 4. The calls from the fans may be a stretch but are not unfounded.

Despite the potential lack of the full force of their 12th man, James Franklin and co. are favorites at home. They will seek to continue their path towards recognition as the best team in the country against a Buckeyes team arriving at Beaver Stadium on the back of an underwhelming performance against Nebraska. They have received a huge boost in their chances.

Drew Allar set to start after thwarting injury concerns

Junior quarterback Drew Allar is set to start the game after initial worries about a lower-body injury. He exited the game in the first half in their 28-13 win last week against Wisconsin.

Allar’s inclusion was expected to be a game-time decision, according to Franklin. The player has been pivotal in Penn State’s success this season. He has thrown for 16 TDs and boasts a 71% pass completion rate.

Backup QB Beau Pribula is also expected to feature in some capacity despite Allar’s status. The chess match between the two think tanks will be instrumental in deciding the winner, and Franklin would hope running two different QB sets will inflict issues for the Buckeyes. A game for the ages beckons.