Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes knew they had to defeat the Penn State Nittany Lions this Saturday in order to keep their national title hopes alive. Well, they did just that.
Despite dealing with a hostile environment in Happy Valley, the Buckeyes managed to overcome an early 10-0 deficit. Will Howard had two costly turnovers in the first half, including a pick-six, but he still managed to throw for 182 yards and two touchdowns. Quinshon Judkins, meanwhile, rushed for 95 yards on 14 carries.
The real difference in this game was Ohio State’s defense. Penn State’s passing attack was kept in check all afternoon. The ground game for the Nittany Lions wasn’t very impressive either. Believe it or not, Nic Singleton and Kaytron Allen only had 42 combined rushing yards on 18 attempts.
Coming into this weekend, Ryan Day was 0-5 against opponents with a record of 7-0 or better. With the win over Penn State officially in the books, he can officially say that he has defeated an opponent that was at least 7-0.
This doesn’t mean all the pressure is off Day. He’ll need to lead Ohio State to the College Football Playoff in order to feel good about his future in Columbus.
That being said, this afternoon’s victory over Penn State gives Ohio State a legitimate chance to win the Big Ten. Next up on the schedule is a showdown with Penn State.
Ohio State will be put to the test on Nov. 23 when it takes on Indiana. That game will have a ton of hype surrounding it.
Related: Will Howard Had Brutal Fumble During First Half vs. Penn State