However, the big stars were on defense as Ohio State didn't allow a touchdown until there were only twenty-nine seconds remaining in the game and sacked Penn State quarterback Drew Aller four times in the game.
Ohio State improves to 7-0 on the season and 4-0 in the Big Ten in the win.
The Buckeyes will travel on the next two Saturdays to Wisconsin and Rutgers.
Olentangy Offerings
1) This one was all about the defense even though they didn't force a turnover.
Four sacks and constant harassment of Drew Aller were the key to this victory as the pass rush never stopped breaking down the pocket and Aller never seemed to have the time to do anything against the supposed weakness of the OSU defense. the secondary.
2) Penn State was one of sixteen on third down and didn't convert their own success until their final drive with under a minute to play.
The Nittany Lions' inability to convert those chances kept the Buckeye defense fresh and didn't allow the physical Penn State offensive line to wear down the OSU defensive line.
3) J.T. Tuimoloau finished with one sack and tackle on the stat sheet but it seemed like in the second half that he was constantly around the ball.
I was surprised to see JTT with such low statistics.
4) The Ohio State offensive line has been maligned at times this season and while they allowed two sacks against Kyle McCord, they were outplayed in the first half against the Penn State defensive line, and on a key third-quarter drive, they were pushed back on a third down run by Miyan Williams.
5) That entire sequence of plays called by Ryan Day made little sense to me.
Second and goal from the Penn State six, here comes the Devin Brown package.
Now I'm not a fan of these running quarterbacks inside the red zone packages to begin with because almost always coaches call run plays for the newly entered quarterback, defenses know this and go all out for the run.
Brown gains five yards and lands inside the one but is forced to leave the game with a sprained ankle (more on that later) leading to a third and goal from the half-yard line.
Williams then loses yardage on the play mentioned earlier to set up a fourth and goal from the two.
6) I'm not going to gripe too much about going for it here, although I would have kicked the field goal to go up seven in a game where points are at a premium.
I won't even quibble with the play call, a short pass to Carnell Tate on the side of the field where Penn State had most of their defender, but what I will complain about is this- Ryan Day is this supposed wizard, so wouldn't have made more sense to catch the defense napping on third down when you have options available for another play?
Day has been criticized for calling third-down plays on fourth down and vice versa and on this occasion, it would be a fair one.
7) Fun fact: Entering the game Penn State averaged allowing 121 passing yards per game.
Marvin Harrison Jr. today- 162 yards.
He may not win the Heisman but Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best player in the country.
8) Back to the unsuccessful fourth try as we rejoin with Penn State punting from inside their end zone and on the punt, the bouncing ball brushes the leg of Julian Fleming as he is blocking.
Penn State recovers and you felt that this could be the break that Penn State needed.
The defense stops them on three plays and a punt.
9) And more on the Devin Brown package.
Brown suffered a sprained ankle on the play and his status is unknown but now behind Kyle McCord is only true freshman Lincoln Kienholz and transfer Tristan Gebbia, neither of whom have taken a snap in Columbus.
Considering the state of the Buckeye offense with Kyle McCord, I'd hate to think about the offense without him.
10) I know Penn State fans may not believe this but I thought the call on the fumble return touchdown was a good one.
Penn State's Curtis Jacobs hit Kyle McCord, causing him to fumble the ball with Jacobs grabbing the bouncing ball and taking sixty yards for a score that would be overturned because a Penn State defense held Marvin Harrison Jr. on the play.
Replays showed Harrison was indeed grabbed on the play.
11) The win over Penn State is the Buckeye's second over a top-ten team and the second that the offense hasn't overwhelmed anyone.
I'm still not sure how good Michigan is because they haven't beaten anyone of note but they've looked the part doing it.
I don't think Ohio State can truly answer how good they really are until that upcoming November day in Ann Arbor.
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