In Saturday’s big game between No. 13 Penn State and No. 4 Ohio State, the Nittany Lions gave the Buckeyes a competitive contest for three quarters. However, an Ohio State offensive barrage in the final quarter paved the way for a 44-31 Buckeyes win.
Ohio State got off to a quick 10-0 lead after the first fifteen minutes, in part due to a pair of Sean Clifford interceptions. Clifford did bounce back to add two passing touchdowns and get Penn State right back in the game, allowing the Nittany Lions to take a 14-13 lead into halftime.
After a low-scoring third quarter, Penn State used a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to take a 21-16 lead with 9:26 remaining. And that was when the Buckeyes turned it up a notch.
TreVeyon Henderson’s 41-yard touchdown run not only gave Ohio State the lead, it seemed to ignite the Buckeyes. From that point on, Ohio State scored four touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and went on a 28-3 run in the final frame, to secure the win and remain undefeated.
Despite the score, both sides played a pretty even game. However, Ohio State forced Penn State into four turnovers, which included a pick-six to seal the game late, while the Buckeyes offense stayed turnover-free on the day.
Clifford and C.J Stroud both threw for over 350 yards, while Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Penn State’s Parker Washington both had at least 10 catches for 179 yards on the day.
However, the player of the game was Ohio State defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau who recorded two interceptions, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on the day.
With the win, Ohio State was able to temporarily take first place in the Big Ten East, while No. 4 Michigan will look to keep pace and remain undefeated vs. Michigan State tonight.
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