Joel Klatt sends critical message before Ohio State vs. Penn State game

Fox Sports color commentator Joel Klatt can only get himself hyped up to a certain extent when it comes to calling "Big Noon Kickoff" games, especially those involving Ohio State.

To avoid bias or reflect favoritism toward one team or another, Klatt opts not to pick a winner for whichever game he's calling. Despite the self-imposed restriction, Klatt didn't hesitate to offer his analysis on the game and what it could mean for the Buckeyes to come away victorious against Penn State Saturday in Columbus (noon ET, Fox).

Ultimately, Klatt says regardless of how the game plays out, it'll come down to the human chess match element: defense vs. offense, more specifically Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Jim Knowles facing his former team.

"Each side knows the other's tells and adjustments," Klatt said during his podcast, "The Joel Klatt Show." "That means somebody has to break tendencies early to steal an edge. I'll be watching the first couple series to see who looks different."

Klatt says coach Ryan Day's words about Penn State playing loose ans relaxed couldn't be more true, especially given the season is over from a College Football Playoff standpoint.

"Penn State comes in with nothing to lose," Klatt said. "This has 'kitchen sink' written all over it — fake punts, trick plays, pressure packages — because the roster still has real talent even if the results haven't shown it."

Klatt says the Buckeyes' defensive talent, more specifically safety Caleb Downs, have evidentally bright futures should their NFL careers take off.

"This is an NFL-caliber operation on defense," Klatt said. "They disguise coverage as well as anyone in college football, and the talent level makes it suffocating."

Nonetheless, Klatt told "B1G Today" that the recipe for Ohio State's success is simply being unafraid of Penn State's possible "reckless abandon" style.

"They will know uniquely and intimately exactly what the other guy likes to do," Klatt said of both coaching staffs. "The structure of his unit, defensive and offensive. The tendencies they have, how they like to fix problems."

Klatt says it's highly unlikely the game doesn't deliver an instant classic.

"From a matchup standpoint, from an entertainment standpoint, that's something I'm most anticipating watching Saturday," Klatt said.

The Buckeyees have scored 68 points in their last two contests, which included a 34-0 shutout against a struggling Wisconsin Badgers team. Despite the Nittany Lions having not secured a win in league. play, they nearly came close to flipping the script in nearly every loss if it weren't for late-game miscues.

For now, though, Ohio State has a huge opportunity to make a statement at home.