A grade card on Ohio State’s 20-13 win at Penn State:
OFFENSE: B
Ohio State’s 358 yards of offense wasn’t spectacular but it was balanced — 182 yards passing and 176 yards rushing — and it gained those yards against a pretty good defense.
The offensive line greatly exceeded expectations with starting left tackle Josh Simmons out the rest of the season because of a knee injury and his replacement Zen Michalski also unavailable because of an injury. Donovan Jackson moved from left guard to left tackle and Carson Hinzman, a starter last season at center but seldom used this season, played left guard. The line got a good push most of the game and dominated when Ohio State ran out the clock in the final five minutes.
Will Howard was 16 of 24 for 182 yards and threw touchdown passes to Emeka Egbuka and Brandon Inniss. But he also threw a pick six and fumbled at the goal line for a touchback. Jeremiah Smith did not have a touchdown catch for the first time this season.
Quinshon Judkins rushed for 95 yards on 14 carries and TreVeyon Henderson had 54 yards on 10 carries. Howard ran for first downs three times.
DEFENSE: A
Ohio State’s defense allowed two field goals and did not surrender a touchdown. Penn State’s only touchdown came on an interception on the Buckeyes’ first possession of the game.
When Penn State had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter Ohio State put together a great goal line stand. Penn State had a first down at OSU’s 3-yard line but was turned away four times. Kaytron Allen ran for no gain, one yard and one yard before Drew Allar’s incomplete pass on fourth down gave the ball to the Buckeyes and they never let go of it the rest of the game.
Penn State also had a first down at Ohio State’s 3-yard line late in the first half and came away with no points because of an interception by Davison Igbinosun.
Cody Simon led OSU with 10 tackles. Sonny Styles had nine tackles and Lathan Ransom had seven. Penn State’s top two running backs, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, combined for only 42 yards rushing and averaged 2.3 yards a carry. Former Ohio State receiver Julian Fleming had 1 catch for 4 yards for Penn State.
SPECIAL TEAMS: A
Kicker Jayden Fielding connected on field goals of 46 yards and 39 yards in his only two attempts of the game. Punter Joe McGuire averaged 47 yards per kick.
OVERALL: B+
It would be overly dramatic to say Ohio State was on the brink of disaster if this game had turned out differently. But it certainly can be viewed as a turning point. If OSU wins its final four games against Purdue, Northwestern, Indiana and Michigan it will control its own destiny and will be one of the two teams in the no-divisions Big Ten championship game.
That would be Ohio State’s first appearance in the Big Ten championship game since 2020. It had a streak of four consecutive Big Ten championships from 2017 and has made six appearances overall in the Big Ten championship game.
