Ohio State is allowing 17 points per game and ranks 26th in the country in total defense after four games, at an average of 325 yards allowed. That seems pretty decent.

The Buckeyes are 40th in FBS against the pass (181.3 yards per game), 61st against the run (143.8 ypg) and is forcing 1.8 turnovers per game, which ranks 42nd. That seems more average, and more like numbers which should not belong to one of the most talented defenses in the country.

Is that going to cut it on Saturday when the fourth-ranked Buckeyes visit Penn State, which is No. 9 in the new AP poll?

Probably not.

On offense, the Buckeyes look just fine. More than fine. OSU is No. 2 in the country in scoring, averaging 54.5 points per game.

Sports Betting in Big Ten Country

Ohio sports betting apps are officially launching on January 1, 2023.

Pre-registration is now available at FanDuel Ohio for an extra $100 bonus. Go pre-register now.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Know who’s No. 1? Penn State, at a 55.5-point pace.

The Nittany Lions can beat you in the air with all-conference quarterback star Trace McSorley. But PSU is in the middle of the pack in passing (61st, 239.8 yards per game) this season because the team has usually been so far ahead that the Nittany Lions haven’t needed McSorley to hit high gear. But everybody knows he can.

What you might not know is that Penn State is 10th in the country in rushing at 274.8 ypg. Again that’s partly a function of being ahead most of the time but Buckeyes fans should know that Miles Sanders is second in the Big Ten in rushing at 495 yards, behind only Wisconsin All-American Jonathan Taylor.

And McSorley can move as well — he has gained 235 yards rushing through four games. For the first time in a long time Penn State enters a matchup against OSU with a quarterback much more likely to do damage on the ground than his Buckeyes counterpart.

The most worrisome thing for Scarlet and Gray supporters is that their defensive struggles have not come against top-notch opposition.

Oregon State, ranked 44th at 454.8 yards of total offense per game, is the most prolific offense the Buckeyes have faced. TCU is decent as well at No. 48 (443.8 ypg) but games against Tulane (95th) and Rutgers (126th) probably flatter Ohio State’s defensive numbers.

And of course this is a Buckeyes defense that is not at full strength. All-American defensive end Nick Bosa is out for about a month after abdominal surgery, a huge blow even for a very deep and talented unit. Defensive tackle Robert Landers (arm) also sat out against Tulane and is questionable for the Nittany Lions game.

This weekend’s biggest game in the Big Ten is one of two huge ones in the country for the College Football Playoff race, along with Stanford vs. Notre Dame.

But the matchup in Happy Valley feels bigger because it will go a long way toward establishing a favorite in the B1G’s stacked East Division.

And how Ohio State responds on defense is going to go a long way toward determining whether the Buckeyes can lay claim to division supremacy and the inside track to a possible CFP berth, or watch the Nittany Lions do so instead.