Defending a college football national championship can be as difficult as winning one in the first place, with only three teams managing the feat since 1996 at the FBS level.
For the first two months of the season, Ohio State made it look easy, with a 7-0 record that included six wins by at least 18 points.
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That ruthlessly efficient march continued this weekend.
Behind a near flawless performance from quarterback Julian Sayin, the No. 1 Buckeyes overcame a slow start to blow past Penn State 38-14 on Nov. 1 at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
Sayin completed 20 of his 23 passes for 316 yards and four touchdowns, further bolstering the sophomore’s Heisman Trophy candidacy. Much of that output ended up in the hands of Jeremiah Smith (six catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns) and Carnell Tate (five catches for 124 yards and a touchdown).
Defensively, Ohio State allowed just 200 total yards and 3.3 yards per play to the Nittany Lions, who got 76 rushing yards and a touchdown from Kaytron Allen. One of Penn State’s touchdowns came off a short field, with the Nittany Lions beginning their drive at the Ohio State 13-yard line after forcing a fumble.
The game had lost much of the luster it had as recently as one month ago, when both teams were ranked in the top 10 of the US LBM Coaches Poll. Since then, the Nittany Lions have lost four games in a row, lost quarterback Drew Allar to a season-ending injury and, most notably, fired coach James Franklin in his 12th season at the helm.
The win was the Buckeyes’ 13th in the past 14 games against Penn State, including their ninth in a row.
USA TODAY Sports brought you live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Follow along.
Ohio State vs Penn State score
This section will be updated throughout the game
Ohio State vs Penn State updates
This section will be updated throughout the game
Ohio State vs Penn State highlights
Julian Sayin stats
Julian Sayin entered the game with an 80% completion percentage on the season and somehow managed to improve on that, completing 20 of his 23 passes for 316 yards and four touchdowns.
Jeremiah Smith stats
Jeremiah Smith, the Ohio State phenom wide receiver, had six catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes’ victory.
FINAL: Ohio State 38, Penn State 14
Ohio State runs out the clock and caps off a 38-14 victory over Penn State, improving the No. 1 Buckeyes to 8-0.
Caleb Downs end-zone INT ends Penn State scoring threat
A promising Penn State drive ends with no points. The Nittany Lions go 68 yards in 11 plays, but on a fourth-and-goal from the Ohio State 7-yard line, Ethan Grunkemeyer throws a pass into heavy Buckeye coverage, with Caleb Downs coming down with an interception.
Ohio State will take over at its own 20-yard line with 4:29 left.
Caleb Downs targeting call overturned
It looked for a moment like Ohio State might be without its best defensive player for the first half of its game against Purdue, with star safety Caleb Downs getting whistled for targeting on a big hit on Khalil Dinkins over the middle. Upon review, the targeting call was overturned, though Downs was hit for a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty.
Jeremiah Smith scores TD on circus catch
Even when things don’t go exactly according to plan for the Ohio State offense, it still works out. On a first-and-10 from the Penn State 11-yard line, Julian Sayin has a pass deflected into the air, but it still finds its way to Jeremiah Smith, who hauls in the catch with a remarkable one-handed grab and gets into the end zone to extend the Buckeyes’ lead to 38-14.
Sayin now has four touchdown passes today while Smith has six catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns.
Penn State goes three-and-out
The Nittany Lions have been stifled offensively much of the second half, with just seven yards across three drives. After the latest punt, Ohio State will take over at its own 38-yard line with 10:38 left.
Ohio State punts
For the first time today, the Buckeyes punt after failing to convert on a third-and-4 from their own 47-yard line. A 15-yard penalty for kick catch interference will give Penn State the ball at its own 25-yard line with 12:23 left.
End of third quarter: Ohio State 31, Penn State 14
Penn State is forced to punt after Ethan Grunkemeyer is dropped for an 11-yard loss on a sack, with Ohio State taking over at its own 30-yard line as the third quarter comes to an end.
Julian Sayin’s third TD pass puts Ohio State up 17
It took a minute, but Ohio State’s starting to pull away. The Buckeyes go 84 yards in seven plays, a drive punctuated by a 1-yard touchdown pass from Julian Sayin to Bennett Christian on third-and-goal to extend the Ohio State lead to 31-14.
The biggest gain of the drive came on a 57-yard pass from Sayin to Jeremiah Smith, who made his way behind the Penn State secondary and got all the way to the Nittany Lions’ 21-yard line.
Sayin has completed 18 of his 21 passes today for 301 yards and three touchdowns, further bolstering the Heisman Trophy resume for the first-year starter.
Penn State punts
The Nittany Lions pick up a couple of first downs, but don’t get past their own 37-yard line, as Ethan Grunkemeyer is sacked for an 8-yard loss on third-and-6, forcing a punt. It was the first sack of the day for either team.
Ohio State will take over at its own 16-yard line with 7:52 left in the third quarter.
Ohio State pushes lead back to 10 on opening-drive TD
The Buckeyes come out about as forcefully as they can, with C.J. Donaldson Jr. plowing into the end zone from one yard out on third-and-goal to push his team’s lead over Penn State back to 10, 24-14, with 12:18 left in the third quarter.
The big play on the drive came courtesy of Carnell Tate, who hauled in a 57-yard pass from Julian Sayin down to the Penn State 4-yard line. Tate now has four catches for 125 yards, more than double the yardage of his next-closest teammate.
Ohio State vs Penn State stats
Here’s a look at some of the key stats at halftime, with Ohio State leading Penn State 17-14:
- Total yards: Ohio State 221, Penn State 140
- Passing yards: Ohio State 168, Penn State 64
- Rushing yards: Penn State 76, Ohio State 53
- First downs: Ohio State 12, Penn State 8
- Yards per play: Ohio State 7.6, Penn State 4.4
- Third downs: Ohio State 4-5, Penn State 5-8
- Penalties: Ohio State 0-0, Penn State 1-15
- Turnovers: Ohio State 1, Penn State 0
Halftime: Ohio State 17, Penn State 14
Julian Sayin takes a knee and Ohio State heads to the locker room with a 17-14 lead over Penn State at halftime, with some audible groans from the Buckeye faithful at Ohio Stadium.
Ohio State will receive the kickoff to open the second half.
Kaytron Allen TD gets Penn State within three
Penn State is able to capitalize on the fumble, with Ethan Grunkemeyer getting an 8-yard completion to Kaytron Allen on third-and-5 from the Ohio State 9-yard line. One play later, Allen barges just over the goal line, getting the Nittany Lions within a field goal, 17-14, with 20 seconds left in the half.
Penn State forces fumble, takes over in Ohio State red zone
Just when it looked like Ohio State could add to its two-possession lead, Penn State comes in with a potential game-changing play.
On the first play of the Buckeyes’ possession, running back CJ Donaldson Jr. is stuffed, but while he keeps fighting for yardage, the Nittany Lions rip the ball away from him and recover the fumble.
The referees hadn’t ruled the play dead and, because of that, Penn State will get the ball at the Ohio State 13-yard line with a chance to get within a score.
Penn State punts
After giving up the touchdown on its previous defensive possession, Ohio State holds firm, forcing an Ethan Grunkemeyer incompletion on third-and-10. Penn State punts the ball into the end zone, meaning the Buckeyes will start at their 20-yard line with two minutes remaining before halftime — more than enough time for Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith and company to add on to their lead.
Julian Sayin TD pass pushes Ohio State lead back to 10
Ohio State responds to Penn State’s touchdown with a score of its own, with Julian Sayin connecting with Carnell Tate for a 45-yard touchdown to push the Buckeyes’ lead back to 10, 17-7, with about four minutes left in the first half.
Things initially looked dicey for Ohio State, with a third-and-5 from its own 30-yard line, but Sayin escaped a collapsing pocket for a 9-yard scramble for a first down before finding an open Tate streaking down the field three plays later.
Nicholas Singleton TD pulls Penn State closer
We’ve got a game, folks. What had looked like a lifeless Penn State offense for much of the game comes alive with a 15-play, 75-yard drive that ends with a Nicholas Singleton 3-yard touchdown run on third-and-goal.
The key play for the Nittany Lions came on a 9-yard completion from Ethan Grunkemeyer to Devonte Ross on a third-and-9 from the Penn State 26-yard line. Instead of a three-and-out, Penn State takes 7:50 off the clock and gets within three with 6:18 left in the quarter.
Ohio State settles for field goal
After getting a first-and-goal from the Penn State 6-yard line, Ohio State’s offense sputters, with Julian Sayin rushed into an incompletion on third-and-goal from the Penn State 4. Rather than going for it, Ryan Day opts for the multi-possession lead, with Jayden Fielding knocking through a 22-yard field goal.
It’s 10-0 Buckeyes with 14:08 left in the second quarter.
End of first quarter: Ohio State 7, Penn State 0
Ohio State’s threatening to double its lead, with a second-and-goal at the Penn State 7-yard line as the first quarter comes to a close.
Penn State punts again
Two drives and two punts for Penn State. This time, the Nittany Lions go three-and-out, with Ethan Grunkemeyer getting flushed out of the pocket on a third-and-3 and throwing an incomplete pass.
A 43-yard punt results in a fair catch at the Ohio State 25-yard line, where Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith and the Buckeyes will take over.
Jeremiah Smith TD gets Ohio State on the board
One of the nation’s best and most talented offenses makes it look easy on its first drive. After forcing the Penn State punt, Ohio State goes 89 yards in 11 plays, capped off by a 14-yard Jeremiah Smith touchdown catch from Julian Sayin on a third-and-3.
Smith had three catches for 42 yards on the touchdown march while Sayin went a perfect 6-for-6 for 71 yards.
Penn State punts on opening drive
The Nittany Lions get the ball first and get off to a strong start, with a Kaytron Allen 26-yard rush on the first play from scrimmage. Their drive stalls from there, though, and rather than go for it on a fourth-and-3 from the Ohio State 42-yard line, interim head coach Terry Smith opts to punt.
A 31-yard Penn State punt is downed at the Ohio State 11, where the Buckeyes will take over from.
Jim Knowles makes return to Ohio State
After helping lead Ohio State to a national championship last season, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles left the Buckeyes for the same position at Penn State, putting the Philadelphia native back in his home state (or, technically, commonwealth). Today, he makes his return to Ohio Stadium, albeit under circumstances few would have realistically envisioned when he left for Happy Valley earlier this year.
Ohio State injury updates
Here’s a look at Ohio State’s injury situation heading into its game against Penn State, according to the Big Ten’s availability report:
Out
- #9 Malik Hartford
- #11 Quincy Porter
- #16 Mason Maggs
- #21 Anthony Rogers
- #48 Logan George
- #59 Ahmed Tounkara
- #93 Maxwell Roy
Penn State injury updates
Here’s a look at Penn State’s injury situation heading into its game against Ohio State, according to the Big Ten’s availability report:
Out
- #7 Kaden Saunders
- #13 Tony Rojas
- #14 Jaxon Smolik
- #15 Drew Allar
- #18 Max Granville
- #19 Josiah Brown
- #23 Tikey Hayes
- #30 Kari Jackson
- #34 Owen Wafle
- #38 Jackson Pryts
- #42 Mason Robinson
- #58 Kaleb Artis
- #59 Brady O’Hara
- #61 Liam Horan
- #81 Donte Nastasi
- #84 Peter Gonzalez
- #93 Bobby Mears
- #95 Jordan Mayer
What TV channel is Ohio State vs Penn State on today?
- TV channel: Fox
- Streaming: Fubo (free trial)
Penn State-Ohio State will air live on Fox, with streaming options available on Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.
Ohio State vs Penn State start time today
- Time: Noon ET
- Date: Saturday, Nov. 1
- Location: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)
Ohio State vs Penn State predictions, picks, odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Friday, Oct. 31.
- Spread: Ohio State (-19.5)
- Over/under: 44.5
- Moneyline: Ohio State -1400 | Penn State +825
Prediction: Ohio State 36, Penn State 13
Even under much better circumstances, the Nittany Lions would have faced an uphill battle in this game, having to go on the road to take on a deep and talented Buckeyes team that has shown few, if any, flaws this season. Given where Penn State finds itself now, that challenge is even bigger.