It's safe to say Kalen King is no fan of Ohio State. Ahead of his team's pivotal matchup with Michigan on Saturday, though, the Penn State football cornerback is thanking the Buckeyes after his ugly performance in a Week 7 loss steeled him for another Big 10 battle featuring national title implications.

“As everyone knows, Ohio State was probably one of the worst games I had in my career,” King said on Wednesday, per Audrey Snyder of The Athletic. “Just looking back on that I'm grateful that I had an opportunity to go against a team like Ohio State.”

Penn State fell to Ohio State 20-12 on October 21st in Columbus, the team's only loss of the season. While the Nittany Lions' defense certainly played well enough for their team to pull of an upset road victory, a pair of penalties called on King during the Buckeyes' second quarter touchdown drive loomed extremely large to the game's outcome. A defensive holding call on King not only extended Ohio State's drive, but cost Penn State a defensive touchdown on the same play.

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King, a Third Team All Big 10 selection in 2022, has 18 tackles and two passes defensed this season. He and his twin brother, Penn State linebacker Kobe King, grew up 45 minutes outside Detroit idolizing Michigan, dreaming of wearing the maize and blue until their recruitments ended with commitments to PSU.

King and the Nittany Lions face another stiff challenge on Saturday from the Wolverines. Michigan, 9-0, enters the game No. 3 in College Football Playoff rankings, led by star quarterback JJ McCarthy and senior running back Blake Corum, a unanimous All-American last season.

Penn State football and Michigan kickoff from Beaver Stadium at 9:00 a.m. (PT) on Saturday.