After a two-game lull that saw Ohio State handle a pair of overmatched opponents following the win at Notre Dame, quarterback Kyle McCord must once again prepare to be thrust into the fire on Saturday when No. 7 Penn State comes to Columbus for a must-see showdown of playoff hopefuls.

While the game will carry massive implications for both the Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff races, it will feature an additional level of significance for McCord as a Philadelphia native who once saw himself eventually suiting up for the Nittany Lions.

Speaking during Wednesday’s player availability, McCord said players growing up in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey areas dream of playing for Penn State, and he even attended some Penn State games growing up. One of those games came as a high school freshman when he was being recruited by Penn State, with a scholarship offer in hand, in 2018.

With Penn State’s famed whiteout in full force and Ohio State in town as the third-ranked team in the country, McCord witnessed quarterback Dwayne Haskins and the Buckeyes overcome a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to stun Penn State and remain unbeaten. That moment began to change McCord’s perception of Ohio State’s offensive system and planted the seed for an eventual commitment to then-offensive coordinator Ryan Day.

“That was really one of Dwayne’s first big games, and seeing how they used him in the offense, I felt like if Ohio State ever did recruit me, that would be something to consider, seeing the way they were using Dwayne and the way they threw the ball,” McCord said. “It just opened my eyes to (the possibility) because I never really thought Ohio State was going to be the school I was going to end up at because of their traditional track record at the time with Braxton (Miller) and Terrelle Pryor. It wasn’t really a pocket-passing type of offense.”

McCord said he recalls a conversation with his dad after the thrilling finish of the game in which McCord told his dad that if Ohio State ever called, it would be something he’d have to consider. A few months later, that call came from Ohio State, as did a scholarship offer, and McCord knew where he wanted to play.

“When Coach Day gave me the green light to commit, there was really no doubt that this was the place to be, given his track record,” he said.

McCord said Penn State remained his second option after receiving the Ohio State offer, and he still has the utmost respect for the program with “nothing but good things to say about Penn State.”

Now in his third season at Ohio State, McCord will get his first shot to leave his mark in a series that has been as good as any in the sport for more than a decade, and one that will soon be coming to a close as an annual matchup. It’s a game McCord certainly has looked forward to playing since he got to Columbus, and he’s doing his best not to make it about anything more than the challenge Penn State poses as a premier team.

“I think regardless, knowing the type of opponent we’re playing, you circle this one on the calendar for sure,” he said. “And playing with a lot of these guys in high school, playing against them, it just makes it even more special.”

McCord later added, “Regardless of whether it’s my home school or not, I think just the magnitude of the game —two undefeated teams, top 10 matchup — you can’t draw it up any better than that. So, I think regardless of who the opponent was, I’m going to be amped up for it, and I know the guys will be, too.”

Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on Twitter @DillonDavis56.