The second top-five matchup on the Ohio State schedule did not disappoint. Three weeks ago, Ohio State traveled to then-third-ranked Oregon and fell by one. This week, the fourth-ranked Buckeyes traveled to the unfriendly confines of Beaver Stadium to face off against the third-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions and won, 20-13. Both the Ohio State defense and offense were up for the challenge.
Getting a top-five win on the road is always a win, no matter how pretty or ugly. There’s just something about Ohio State vs. Penn State. Despite winning 12 of the last 13 against the Nittany Lions, every game has been a dogfight. This one was no different as Ryan Day and the company quelled the reputation of “they can’t win big games” for now.
Ohio State Defense Tames Nittany Lions, 20-13
Take. Care. Of. The. Ball.
In 2016, Ohio State fell to Penn State, 24-21. In that game, the Buckeyes dominated on paper. They out-gained the Nittany Lions, 413-319 and led the whole game up until that blocked field goal. Even worse, Ohio State won the turnover battle on that day, 2-0. Yet, James Franklin’s team was able to hang around and get their opportunity.
The 2024 edition felt similar but this time, Ohio State failed to take care of the ball. On the third play of the game, Will Howard stared down Jeremiah Smith on a play that you could see coming from space, and Zion Tracy jumped in front to put his Nittany Lions up 10-0. As a fifth-year senior quarterback with a wealth of starting experience, Howard should have seen Tracy creeping and found another option.
The Buckeyes responded with two touchdown drives but then, as Ohio State was about to go up 21-3, Howard made another mistake. On an incredibly well-blocked quarterback keeper, he broke the edge contain and met Zakee Wheatley just outside of the endzone. Wheatley knocked the ball out and it bounced out of the endzone, resulting in a Penn State touchback.
After that, the Buckeyes tightened it up (although they had a few scares).
Defense Shuts it Down
The story of Ohio State vs. Penn State over the years has been the defense. From multiple pick-sixes in the Jim Tressel era to Joey Bosa winning the game in the second overtime in 2014, to Jaylahn Tuimoloau going Hulk in 2022, to last year’s incredible performance, the Ohio State defense has stepped up when it came to Penn State. This year was no different.
It took Penn State nearly an entire half to complete a pass to a wide receiver.
Tyler Warren was almost a non-factor.
That dynamic running-back duo was contained.
At the end of the day, the Ohio State defense did not allow a touchdown, only two field goals. One of those field goals came on a 14-play opening drive. From then on, Penn State did not have a single 10-play drive and had two three-and-outs. In total, the unit held the Nittany Lions to 270 total yards of offense, the program’s lowest output since last year’s loss to Michigan (Ohio State held them to 240 yards last year as well).
Even though he wasn’t 100% Drew Allar had an up-and-down day. On the ground, Allar had 129 yards coming into this game. Against Ohio State, he was able to wiggle around the pass rush and scramble for 31 yards off 10 carries, all in big spots.
Warren took a while to get going but he accounted for 47 yards off four catches and 47 yards on the ground off three rushing attempts. For the most part, Ohio State had a great game plan for the potential Mackey Award winner and future NFL Draft pick.
The Ohio State defense had nothing for the Nittany Lions running backs. Kaytron Allen managed 27 yards off 12 rushes and Nicholas Singleton only amassed 15 yards off six carries.
Once again, the defense stepped up when it mattered. Penn State was a meager 3/11 on third down and only had the ball once in the fourth quarter.
Pass Rush Concerns Live On
To start, let’s give credit where it is due. The Buckeye defensive line stepped up at the end of the game when it needed to. After a Cody Simon sack on second down in the third quarter, Tuimoloau and Kenyatta Jackson, Jr. met at the quarterback for a second sack in as many plays.
The issue is that those two sacks were two of the three tackles for loss in the game.
Ohio State’s defensive line and pass rush have two weeks to figure it out before Indiana’s high-flying offense comes to town. If they can’t pressure Kurtis Rourke, Indiana may march into Columbus in three weeks and notch the program’s first win over the Buckeyes since the Reagan Administration.
If “almost sacks” were a stat, Ohio State might lead the nation. On far too many instances, Jack Sawyer, Tuimoloau, Tyleik Williams, or Ty Hamilton had what looked like a sack before Allar shook them off and scrambled.
While Ohio State only has one passing offense left on the regular-season schedule with a pulse, it’s likely going to run into a good passing offense in the Big Ten Championship and/or College Football Playoff.
Oregon exposed what happens when the Buckeyes can’t get to the quarterback. That can’t happen when the margin for error is already razor-thin.
That’s How You Close Out a Game
Day is now 3-6 against top-five teams in his career. That proverbial monkey is not off his back just yet. To Ohio State fans, beating Penn State is business as usual, no matter how good the Nittany Lions are. This year’s Penn State team is very good and is going to be one of the top at-large College Football Playoff teams. Going into Happy Valley is never easy despite the fact the Buckeyes have just one loss at Happy Valley since 2005.
The run game for the Buckeyes showed up when it mattered. Ohio State, after another goal-line stand, got the ball back at its one-yard line with 5:13 to go in the game. There were shades of Urban Meyer’s teams as the Buckeyes manufactured an 11-play, 58-yard drive to run out the clock and seal the win. 10 of those plays were run plays (and one kneel-down). It was shades of the Michigan loss last year. The Wolverines got the ball with 8:05 to go on their own 25 and rattled off a 13-play, 56-yard field goal drive that bled 7:00 off the clock, rendering Ohio State’s offense useless.
Quinshon Judkins led the way with 95 yards off 14 carries. He was clutch for the Buckeyes as he converted five first downs, two of which came on that final drive. Oddly enough, Judkins did not carry the ball at all in the third quarter. TreVeyon Henderson added 54 yards off 10 carries. On several instances, he looked like he was a broken tackle away from a massive play but it was not to be. Howard showed off his wheels with a total of 24 yards off 12 carries. He kicked off the game-winning drive with a quarterback sneak and added two third-down conversions to continue the pivotal drive.
Work to Be Done
This could have been a much larger win for the Buckeyes. If not for the two turnovers and the fact Ohio State let Donovan Jackson face future first-rounder Abdul Carter one-on-one on third downs, the Buckeyes could have made a bigger statement.
However, as the old saying goes, “If ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ were candies and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas.” Needless to say, Ohio State stepped up when it needed to and secured the win.
Howard still needs to work on decision-making. The pass rush needs work. Even then, Ohio State has a top-five win over a conference rival foe.
While Jeremiah Smith did not score for the first time in his career, he finished with a team-leading 55 yards off four catches (seven targets). He now owns the mark for most receiving yards in a season by an Ohio State freshman and is still tied with eight touchdowns. Emeka Egbuka found the endzone yet again off a brilliant play call by Chip Kelly in the first quarter and finished with 31 yards off three catches.
All in all, Ohio State can ride high off this win but the job is not done. Purdue comes to town next week. Then, a trip to Wrigley Field for Northwestern. Indiana might be unbeaten when they come to Columbus. Then, The Game.
