Ohio State continues recent domination over Penn State, 20-12

COLUMBUS, OH – No. 7/6 Penn State (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) dropped its Big Ten road contest at No. 3/3 Ohio State (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) in Columbus on Saturday, the home team coming out on top, 20-12.

Penn State’s defense held the Ohio State offense 16 points below its season scoring average, allowing just 20 points compared to the Buckeyes’ season average of 36.0, but the Buckeyes defense did even better. The Nittany Lions put defensive pressure on the Buckeyes all afternoon, securing a muffed punt fumble and also forcing a turnover on downs by Ohio State inside the five-yard line.

Linebackers Abdul Carter and Curtis Jacobs led Penn State with nine tackles apiece. Johnny Dixon (1), Kobe King (0.5), and Adisa Isaac (0.5) each contributed to the Nittany Lions’ sack total, with the Nittany Lions also racking up nine tackles for loss in the game.

Offensively, quarterback Drew Allar extended his turnover-free streak, throwing for 191 yards and a touchdown without an interception. KeAndre Lambert-Smith posted a team-leading 52 receiving yards on six catches, while Kaden Saunders hauled in Allar’s touchdown pass. Allar and the offense struggled mightily in the second half until picking up a last minute score.

Ohio State got on the board on its first trip down the field. The Buckeyes took a 3-0 lead on a 33-yard field goal at the 10:49 mark of the opening quarter, the result of an 11-play, 57-yard drive.

Penn State answered later in the first quarter, with Felkins knocking through a 40-yard field goal with 2:36 left in the frame to tie the game at three apiece. The Nittany Lions went 39 yards in six plays for the score.

A 5:16 drive for the Buckeyes resulted in the first touchdown of the ballgame at the 7:31 mark of the second quarter. Miyan Williams recorded the game’s first touchdown on a two-yard run to put Ohio State up 10-3.

The Nittany Lions added a field goal in response to Ohio State’s touchdown, a 41-yarder by Felkins. Penn State went 51 yards in seven plays for the score with just over three minutes remaining in the first half. The Nittany Lions entered the halftime break trailing 10-6.

Neither team was able to get anything going in the third quarter, as the defenses led the way into the fourth and final frame. The Nittany Lion defense forced a goal-line fourth down stop and another special teams turnover in the third quarter but were unable to convert.

Ohio State kicked its second field goal of the afternoon at the 8:59 mark of the fourth quarter to increase its lead back to seven points. The Buckeyes took nine plays and 4:40 off the clock to go 71 yards, taking a 13-7 advantage.

The Buckeyes tacked on another touchdown with 4:07 to play, taking a 20-6 advantage on an 18-yard touchdown by Marvin Harrison Jr.

Penn State scored its first touchdown with 29 seconds left in the game, an eight-yard pass from Allar to Saunders that cut the Ohio State lead to 20-12. The Buckeyes would hold on to win the game by a final score of 20-12.