It was a defensive showing on Saturday between No. 7 Penn State and No. 3 Ohio State, and the Buckeyes held off the Nittany Lions en route to a 20-12 win, their seventh-straight to start the season.
Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord threw for 286 yards and had a touchdown pass to receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who finished with 162 yards and eclipsed 100 receiving yards for a third-consecutive game.
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Both teams matched each other with field goals after the first quarter.
Penn State had a defensive touchdown wiped off the board after a holding penalty midway through the second quarter following a fumble by McCord. Nittany Lions linebacker Curtis Jacobs scooped the football and returned it for what would’ve been a 60-yard score before it was called back.
Ohio State running back Miyan Williams had a 2-yard rushing touchdown on that same drive in the second quarter. It was his first touchdown since Week 1, and Williams played on Saturday for the first time in two games after missing Week 7.
The Buckeyes held Penn State to just six total yards throughout much of the second half. While quarterback Drew Allar and the Nittany Lions offense sputtered, it allowed Ohio State to keep them at bay.
Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding made a 37-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to draw the Buckeyes’ lead to 13-6, then Harrison later scored on an 18-yard pass.
Penn State’s final drive of 12 plays and 73 yards was its most on the day. Allar went 8-of-12 on the last series for 73 yards, and he found receiver Kaden Saunders on an 8-yard score with 50 seconds left.
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Ohio State outgained the Nittany Lions 365 yards to 240, including a total of 178 yards in the second half to Penn State’s 79.
The Nittany Lions went 1-for-16 on third down and they converted for the first time on their final series. Allar had 191 passing yards and a touchdown while Penn State rushed for a season-low 49 yards.
