A little over one year and one week ago, Penn State football fell 20-12 against Ohio State in Columbus. A poor offensive showing in a winnable game doomed the Nittany Lions, but things have changed since that afternoon.

Andy Kotelnicki replaced then-offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich. The whole offense is better, from quarterback Drew Allar’s newfound poise to Tyler Warren becoming the best tight end in the country.

None of that means this year will be any different, though, and the Nittany Lions understand their plates are full.

“Obviously, the last two years they’ve played really good defense,” James Franklin said Wednesday. “Really, over the last number of years, they’ve played really good defense. But I think since coach Knowles has been there, he’s taken them to a whole other level.”

Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles joined the Buckeyes before the 2022 season in a lateral move from Oklahoma State. He made a seismic impact, as an Ohio State defense that allowed an average of 246.2 yards per game in 2021 cut down to 200.5 in his first season.

At Ohio State, Knowles has coached elite players such as defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau, who wreaked havoc on the Nittany Lions in 2022. One of the biggest elephants in the room this time around is cornerback Denzel Burke, a potential first-round draft pick who missed last year’s matchup.

“He’s a great corner, off-man zone. He likes to use his hands, real physical. It’ll be a good challenge,” wide receiver Trey Wallace said.

Just because Ohio State has stockpiled talent on its defense doesn’t mean Penn State’s offense isn’t in a better place now than it was last time. Under Kotelnicki, Wallace said, that’s evident.

“I feel like we’re more balanced. It’s not one thing that [Ohio State] can really look out for because if you do that, then there’s something else coming over your head, or it’s a running back going a certain way,” Wallace said. “We got a lot of bullets in the chamber.”

Wallace has been productive. His 350 receiving yards and two touchdowns lead Penn State’s wide receivers. The Alabama native had a team-most five catches for 67 yards at Wisconsin last week, his second-highest of the season.

Despite Wallace’s stats, none of the wide receivers have consistently had good games. Sometimes, Omari Evans has 116 yards and a touchdown, but he’ll go silent as Liam Clifford has a 100-yard game two weeks later. The group has been good, yet unpredictable, which could keep the Buckeyes guessing who’ll get the most targets this time.

On top of the wide receiver conundrum is Warren. His ability to catch, block, run, and even throw makes his presence invaluable.

The running backs have been productive, too. Kaytron Allen leads with 509 yards and four touchdowns. Meanwhile, Nick Singleton has 483 yards and three touchdowns. The duo combined for 135 yards and a touchdown on the ground with 59 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Badgers.

Penn State’s offense has found ways to win seven games this season. It has proven its ability to do so by various methods, so the Nittany Lions appear prepared to face Ohio State.