Dwayne Haskins threw two touchdown passes in the final seven
minutes as No. 4 Ohio State wiped out a 12-point deficit to beat No. 9 Penn
State 27-26 Saturday night in another wild game between the Big Ten
powerhouses.
Trace McSorley had 461 total yards, including a career-high
175 rushing and threw two touchdown passes, and the Nittany Lions (4-1, 1-1)
went up 26-14 with 8:00 left in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard TD plunge by
Miles Sanders.
The record-breaking crowd of 110,889 at Beaver Stadium was
rocking, singing along to “Sweet Caroline” and “Livin’ on a Prayer.” It looked
like the Nittany Lions would get another whiteout win against the Buckeyes
(5-0, 2-0).
Instead, for the second straight season, Ohio State made a
fourth-quarter rally from a double-digit deficit. Haskins connect with Binjimen
Victor, who weaved and slipped through tacklers for a 47-yard touchdown catch
and run that cut it to 26-21 with 6:42 left.
Penn State could not put the Buckeyes away with a closing
drive but the Nittany Lions buried Haskins and Ohio State at their own 4 with
4:35 left on the clock.
A screen to J.K. Dobbins got 35 and took Ohio State out of
the hole. Mixing runs and passes, the Buckeyes worked their way into Penn State
territory. Haskins hit K.J. Hill with a quick pass to the outside and the
receiver picked up a couple of blocks, broke a tackle and went in for a 24-yard
score that made it 27-26 with 2:03 left.
McSorley and Penn State could not come up with a response.
On fourth-and-5 from the Ohio State 43, McSorley handed off to Sanders on a
read option and his was smothered by Chase Young, who had a huge game at
defensive end for Ohio State.
THE TAKEAWAY
OHIO STATE:
Penalties and a propensity to give up long gains had dogged the Buckeyes early
this season and both were a problem against Penn State. For the second time in
September, the Buckeyes allowed a 93-yard touchdown, this time on a slant pass
from McSorley to K.J. Hamler in the second quarter to make it 13-0. The
Buckeyes finished with 10 penalties for 105 yard – and still won.
PENN STATE: The
winner of this game has won the Big Ten the past two seasons. The Nittany Lions
can still think conference title and College Football Playoff, but their road
will be tough with games remaining against No. 21 Michigan State, No. 15
Wisconsin and No. 14 Michigan still left. And no tiebreaker against the
Buckeyes.
OBJ-ESQUE
Penn State receiver Juwan Johnson, who has had an issue with
drops the first month of the season, made what could go down as one of the best
catches of the season in the first half. Conjuring up comparisons to Odell
Beckham’s famous one-handed grab against Dallas in 2014, the 6-foot-4 Johnson
reached high as he was falling back and made a spectacular right-handed grab
for 31 yards down the sideline.
UP NEXT
OHIO STATE is
home to play Indiana next week.
PENN STATE is off
next week before hosting No. 21 Michigan State on Oct. 13.
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