In a punt-filled first quarter Saturday, two heavyweights tested their vaunted opponents, and the lessons learned were pretty obvious to viewers: Penn State and Ohio State are remarkably similar ballclubs.
Both teams leaned heavily on their stingy defenses — when was the last time you saw Ohio State kneel in the locker room with three timeouts — and battled through the growing pains that come with young, inexperienced quarterbacks. But while struggling PSU quarterback Drew Allar found no peace in his unproven receiving corps, Ohio State University gunslinger Kyle McCord was able to pull away from the Nittany Lions in a Maserati.
Marvin Harrison Jr. solidified his candidacy for a first-round draft pick on Saturday by hauling in 11 receptions for 162 yards and a late touchdown grab that sealed Ohio State’s 20-12 victory on Saturday.
McCord seemed completely unfazed as he faced the very best defense in college football early Saturday, making his way through the blue-and-white secondary and completing all five of his first passes. A turnover against Chip Trayanum stretched 19 yards inside the red zone, but with the goal line breathing down its neck, Penn State’s defense finally began to live up to its tradition. McCord promptly fired three straight incompletions, stopping the Buckeye drive and forcing a field goal.
Both defenses continued to excel, forcing nine punts in the first half, and it appeared Penn State’s front line had scored a momentum-boosting blow when linebacker Curtis Jacobs knocked the ball away from a rushing Kyle McCord and made a perfect punt for a 56- Yard fumble recovery touchdown.
However, completely unnoticed by a jubilant Jacobs, who stood cheering on the sideline, the Penn State secondary was whistled for a defensive play, giving the Ohio State offense new life and new defeats. McCord took full advantage, throwing to Harrison Jr. at the four-yard line and later handing the ball off to Miyan Williams, who fought through initial contact and stretched across the goal line six times.
Penn State tied Williams with two field goals, cutting Ohio State’s lead to 10-6 in the locker room.
The same stingy defense consumed the entire third quarter, with seven combined possessions, accounting for five punts, a turnover on downs and a fumble. But as Ohio State opened the fourth quarter looking to extend its lead to four points, McCord turned to old stalwarts Harrison Jr. and Cade Stover for two 30-yard grabs – the duo combined for 82 percent of OSU’s shooting on Saturday. Receiver yards to push the Buckeyes into opposing territory.
Ohio State scored a game-winning field goal from 40 yards out, and a huge fourth down stop in front of midfield by the Buckeye defense set up a short field that Harrison Jr. eventually took for a 13-yard TD score. Penn State managed a consolation touchdown in the final minute, but the Buckeyes secured the on-side kick and improved the season’s score to 7-0.