Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Garrett Wilson each finished with over ninety yards to pace the Buckeyes pass catchers and the biggest play of the game was a fifty-seven-yard fumble return for a touchdown by defensive tackle Jerron Cage after Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford was hit by Tyreke Smith and Zach Harrison and coughed up the football.
Ohio State improved to 7-1 with the triumph (5-0 Big Ten) and will travel to Lincoln to visit the Cornhuskers next week.
Coverage of that game may be limited as I will miss most of the game as I have to attend a wedding of someone I've met less than five times in my life.
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1) Ohio State wore their latest from their gimmick uniform collection which is usually worn against Penn State or Michigan, depending on which team is traveling to Columbus that season.
This season saw scarlet pants used with the normal scarlet home jerseys and while I kinda liked it, I could understand if someone believed the all-red was overkill.
2) One bad part of the red uniforms weren't a problem on the field, it was for the person watching the game on television.
In the second quarter, when Chris Olave hovered under a C.J.Stroud pass that would result in a thirty-eight-yard touchdown, it was difficult to find Olave.
Why? Because in the frame was the all-red Buekeye end zone and Olave's uniform blended into the picture.
3) Penn State did have what seemed to be success controlling TreVeyon Henderson, yet at the end of the game, Henderson had 165 yards.
Yes, sixty-eight of those would come on one carry, but Penn State found out what so many teams found out about Saquon Barkley during his time at State College- you can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him,
4) Ohio State also profited from the accuracy of Noah Ruggles, who connected on all four of his field-goal attempts.
The kicker is another of those positions that aren't truly appreciated until you have a kicker that is inconsistent.
The graduate transfer from North Carolina has yet to miss a kick this season.
5) Steele Chambers continues to impress with his speed and aggression as he adjusts to linebacker but Chambers will learn about the worst rule in college football as he was ejected and will miss the first half next week against Nebraska.
I thought there was contact with the crown of the helmet but it was slight but all fans hate the rule because of the inconsistency of the calls between referee crews.
I still say unless it is egregious that the call should be roughness and a fifteen-yard penalty with ejection for a second violation.
6) Give veteran corner Cameron Brown credit for great timing for his first career interception in the fourth quarter with he grabbed a Sean Clifford pass intended for their best Jahon Dotson.
Brown returned the ball deep into Penn State territory (to the Penn State 28) and set a drive that would result in a Noah Ruggles field goal.
7) You had to feel good for Jerron Cage on the scoop and score for two reasons.
The first is that defensive linemen rarely score touchdowns, let alone on a long jaunt such as Cage's, and anytime a big man can score, it's a good memory.
The second is Jerron Cage himself, who rarely played for three seasons before entering the interior line rotation last season.
The fifth-year senior is a long shot to make an NFL roster next season, so that play in a big game will be the highlight of his career.
8) How about the Ohio State offensive line that kept C.J. Stroud's jersey clean and didn't allow the Nittany Lions to sack Stroud one time?
Thayer Munford and Nicholas Petit-Frere could be late first-rounders in the next draft and the offensive line has come a long way since the Oregon game.
9) C.J. Stroud's 300 yards didn't seem dazzling but what was more impressive than his numbers was his poise in the pocket and the freshman is starting to realize when to throw the ball away and when to force a throw.
Progress.
10) As for Penn State, with all the rumors that have James Franklin as a major candidate for USC and to a lesser degree LSU, with the Lions at 5-3 and still with games remaining against Michigan and Michigan State, have either school thought about what a hard sell Franklin could be after a 7-5 season?
And should they be upset by Rutgers or Maryland, both of which target the Nittany Lions as "rivals", Is it possible that a 6-6 team could not only see a loss of interest in Franklin by others but also a lack of interest in Penn State retaining him at all???
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