What I Know, What I Think, What I Wonder — Penn State Week Edition

I know that Saturday could be Sonny Styles’ national coming out day. Everybody is going to be watching this game and he’s going to be playing a ton. A timely blitz here and there along with a PBU and some tackles could lead to big things for both Styles and the Buckeyes.

I think Jermaine Mathews’ ceiling is pretty darn high. He is one of those guys that when you ask people around the program about him, they don’t bother using caution when talking about his future. When that happens, it’s not just because of talent. It’s also because of attitude (a lot of attitude), competitiveness, and the desire to be the best version of himself.

I wonder if Jim Knowles will try to win on first downs with blitzes immediately or see how the front four is doing. This is the kind of offense that you can take some risks against, but it may also be the kind of offense where risks aren’t necessary.

I know that this is going to be a brand-new experience for Penn State. It won’t be for the Buckeyes. Still, I have seen the Ohio State offense struggle enough this year to expect to see some struggling in this one. Ryan Day wants a fast start, but first downs are going to be key for the Buckeye offense as well.

I think Julian Fleming is a sneaky pick to click for tomorrow. His streak of five-consecutive games with touchdowns last year ended with the Penn State game. He hasn’t scored since. He’s only caught two passes for 27 yards against Penn State in his career. This game means a ton to everybody, but it means a little more to Fleming. Regardless of Emeka Egbuka’s status, PSU defensive coordinator Manny Diaz is going to want to keep Marvin Harrison, Jr. from beating them. Ryan Day needs to dial up some deep shots for Julian Fleming, and Kyle McCord needs to let it rip.

I wonder who Michigan is sending to this game.

To read the rest of this extended edition of What I Know, What I Think, What I Wonder, you can click here, but you must be a premium subscriber. Additional topics include the alleged Michigan sign-stealing scandal, the Big Ten’s unprecedented response, Ryan Day’s reaction, Jim Harbaugh’s reaction, the Penn State game, beliefs about Jermaine Mathews, the theoretical thought process of Julian Fleming, and much more.

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