The upcoming 2025 college football season marks the 136th season in Ohio State football history. In that time, the Buckeyes have faced off against 128 programs, 92 of which currently play at the FBS level. In that time, natural rivalries began to take hold. The chief among them all, both in the history of Ohio State and quite possibly in the history of college football itself, is “The Game.” Ohio State vs. Michigan. The Buckeyes and Wolverines have faced off 120 times, the most for either program. Officially, Ohio State recognizes one other aside from Michigan: Illinois. The Buckeyes and Fighting Illini have faced off 76 times, the second-most games in Ohio State history. The two battle for the “Illibuck” Trophy. However, after those two, there is a pseudo-rival sitting there with 39 matchups: OSU-PSU has a new look.
Former Buckeye QB, Coach Add Fuel to OSU-PSU Pseudo-Rivalry
Is OSU-PSU a rivalry? Yes and no. If you asked Penn State fans, they would give you a resounding no answer. Penn State is, as they put it, unrivaled. With the expanded Big Ten, Penn State has no protected rivalries, while Ohio State and Michigan will continue to play yearly, for example. If you asked an Ohio State fan if Penn State is a rival, you’d probably get a healthy mix. Penn State has been one of, if not the best, competitors to the Buckeyes in recent memory. Over the last 10 matchups, Ohio State has won nine. Since the Nittany Lions won in 2016, the Buckeyes have rattled off eight in a row, four of which were by one score.
Since the Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten in 1991, the two heavyweights have matched up in each of the last 32 seasons. In that stretch, Ohio State owns a 23-8 record, officially. Ohio State won in 2010, but the result was vacated. In the record books, this “rivalry” has been just as one-sided as Ohio State-Purdue. However, on the field, it’s been much, much more. There’s a mutual hatred and mutual respect. Recent events have added to the fire.
Mr. Knowles It All
Jim Knowles led college football’s top defense last year, capping off an impressive three-year run as defensive coordinator. He was brought in to rebuild the Buckeye defense after it was the defense that held the team back from a promising 2021 season. Needless to say, he did his job. However, it was not without conflict. After the one-point loss at Oregon, there was all kinds of blame thrown around. After that loss, Ryan Day took a more hands-on approach, and the defense markedly improved, culminating in an impressive College Football Playoff run.
As each day passes, more information comes to light regarding the situation, as Knowles left Ohio State for Penn State before Mercedes-Benz Stadium workers had finished picking up the confetti. Evidently, Knowles reached out to Penn State, not vice versa. He gave James Franklin a call just two days after the National Championship…at 5:06 a.m.
According to Knowles, he went to Day and Ohio State about a contract extension before the National Championship. He wanted to avoid dealing with the contract discussion in the wake, and that’s just what happened. So, he called Penn State in the wee hours of the morning. Ohio State got wind and asked him not to participate in the National Championship celebration at Ohio Stadium. As the festivities wrapped, it was announced that Knowles had returned home to Pennsylvania.
Ohio State offered an extension, but it wasn’t the $3.1 million he’s getting from the Nittany Lions. He wasn’t chased off by accountability. Knowles claimed that the “finger-pointing” after the Oregon loss did not influence the decision.
Now, he’s off to perhaps the second-worst place he could have defected to, and he’s sharing the scouting reports he and the Buckeye staff had for Drew Allar and the Nittany Lions offense.
Just a QB From Outside Philly
The Philadelphia area produced another champion with the Buckeyes. In addition to Knowles, Will Howard is from an hour west of Philadelphia. Out of high school, Howard was a three-star athlete who was not offered by either Ohio State or Penn State. Despite that, he went to Kansas State, had an up-and-down four-year career, won the Big 12, and was unofficially pushed out in favor of Avery Johnson. After jumping in the transfer portal, he came to Ohio State looking to just compete for a starting job. He won the job and etched his name in Ohio State lore after winning the program’s ninth title.
Howard played his way into the 2025 NFL Draft and was ultimately selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 185th overall pick in the sixth round. He and fellow Buckeye-turned-Steeler appeared on Ben Roethlisberger‘s podcast to discuss the season and making the move to the NFL. Sawyer noted that winning the title washed the taste of the Michigan loss out of their mouths, despite how heated a rivalry it is. Howard chimed in with his own experience.
“That’s coming from a longtime Buckeye fan. Me just being new to the rivalry – and obviously I was a Penn State fan, so Penn State thinks that their rivals are Ohio State, and Ohio State just doesn’t really see it that way.” Roethlisberger compared it to the Steelers’ “rivalry” with the Cleveland Browns to add insult to injury for Penn State.
Howard grew up a Nittany Lion fan and can attest to how the fanbase views Ohio State. However, the responses have been what one would expect. Penn State considers itself “unrivaled,” so to hear this struck a nerve.
In his only appearance in the OSU-PSU pseudo-rivalry, Howard overcame a first-drive pick-six and a 10-0 early deficit to lead the Buckeyes to a 20-13 victory in State College. In the final drive, Howard converted on two third downs to put the game on ice.
Circle November 1
This discourse around whether or not OSU-PSU is a rivalry adds fuel to an already healthy fire. Ohio State’s path back to the College Football Playoff has three massive hurdles. First, Texas. Then, Penn State on November 1 in Columbus. Finally, a trip to Michigan. Beating Penn State will be crucial to getting back to the Big Ten Championship, which is something Day and company have not done since 2020.
When it is all said and done, it won’t be Howard’s comments that will be front-and-center when the Nittany Lions come to Columbus in 175 days. Knowles’ defection will be the biggest talking point. Penn State already had an elite defense under Tom Allen (who left for Clemson). Knowles knows Day’s offense, but it’ll be Brian Hartline calling the shots. How much will that affect the game plan?
Ohio State does not need any extra motivation to play Penn State. Despite that, you can bet that the offense will be looking to prove that poaching Knowles was the wrong move. Additionally, the Matt Patricia rebuilt defense will try to show that it was the players and not Knowles who made the plays to win it all.
Circle November 1 on the calendar. Here’s to hoping it’s not another noon kickoff.
Main Image: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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