“We knew we had to get this game into the fourth quarter,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “Tommy Eichenberg said in the locker room how we have to be second half warriors if we want to take the next step as a team. Really good leadership there. Cade Stover’s leadership was tremendous. Xavier Johnson had to step up with Emeka (Egbuka) out again. I thought he did that. Leadership is important in big games like this.”
The hosts started strong, forcing a three-and-out defensively then driving 57 yards to the Penn State 15-yard line.
Kyle McCord completed his first five passes, but three consecutive incompletions led to the Buckeyes settling for Jayden Fielding’s 33-yard field goal.
After the teams traded punts, No. 7 Penn State tied the game on a 40-yard field goal by Alex Felkins. Runs of 20 and 16 yards by Nicholas Singleton put the Nittany Lions in scoring position, though those turned out to be the only explosive runs a strong PSU rushing attack managed on the day.
Ohio State went back in front midway through the second quarter on a 2-yard run by Miyan Williams, who bounced off a tackler and stretched the ball over the goal line with 7:31 on the clock.
That capped a 13-play, 61-yard drive by the Buckeyes, who survived a potential defensive touchdown by Penn State thanks to a defensive holding call in the secondary.
Seventh-ranked Penn State answered with a 41-yard field goal set up by a 34-yard pass from Drew Allar to Theo Johnson, who got lost while running a crossing route and had to be run down by Lathan Ransom and Steele Chambers.
Neither quarterback was sharp in the first half, though McCord found more success.
He completed 11 of 21 passes for 125 yards, numbers that could have looked better if not for a couple of off-target throws and at least two dropped passes.
Allar was 6 for 17 for 91 yards with almost half his yards coming on one completion.
Marvin Harrison Jr. caught five passes for 75 yards while Miyan Williams ran for 52 yards on 13 carries.
The third quarter was mostly a rock fight before Ohio State was able to add a 37-yard field goal with 8:59 left in the fourth quarter.
Penn State turned the ball over on downs at its own 43 on the next possession, setting up a 19-yard touchdown pass from McCord to Harrison that gave Ohio State a two-touchdown lead with 4:07 left.
That was more than enough as the Buckeye defense suffocated the Nittany Lions, who went five straight possessions without running more than four plays or gaining more than one first down.
Penn State had 16 yards in the second half before a last-gasp drive netted them 73 and a touchdown with :29 left on the clock.
McCord finished with 286 yards on 22-for-35 passing while Harrison caught 11 passes for 162 yards and Stover caught four passes for 70 yards.
Eichenberg, a senior linebacker, spear-headed the defensive effort with eight tackles and a quarterback hit.
Sonny Styles, Kenyatta Jackson Jr., J.T. Tuimolau and Caden Curry all notched sacks for the Buckeyes.
Ohio State took the field without top running back TreVeyon Henderson, No. 2 receiver Emeka Egbuka and top cornerback Denzel Burke, who all are dealing with unidentified injuries.
SATURDAY’S GAME
Ohio State at Wisconsin, 7:30 p.m., NBC, 1410
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