Ohio State's defense blanketed Penn State to deliver a 20-12 win in one of the most important games of the regular season.
Five years after James Franklin promised the Nittany Lions would eventually graduate to join the top teams in the Bowl Subdivision, the loss reinforces the program's place: Penn State is very good, but not elite. The Nittany Lions are treading water.
And Ohio State is finding new ways to win games in the Big Ten. Clearly influenced by back-to-back losses to Michigan, the Buckeyes are a physical team defined more so by defensive excellence than by an offense that has top-end skill talent but has taken a noticeable step back from the past two seasons.
Penn State failed to convert a single third-down attempt until there was under a minute left. The Nittany Lions averaged just 2.6 yards per attempt on 25 carries. Drew Allar hit on just 18 of 43 throws for 191 yards, an average of 4.3 yards per pass. A significant portion of his yardage and lone touchdown came on his team's final drive after Ohio State held a 14-point lead.
The Buckeyes' failed fourth-down attempt on the goal line and a turnover on special teams gave Penn State chances to draw even in the second half. When in similar situations in the recent past, Ohio State has pulled away from the Nittany Lions with pure offensive firepower. But the seventh win in a row in this series was sparked by a defense that may be one of the most improved units in the FBS. After Saturday, the Buckeyes are giving up just 3.9 yards per play.
0 Comments