Penn State can’t overcome struggles on offense in 20-12 loss to Ohio State: Recap

COLUMBUS – Penn State’s biggest game of the season has arrived, as James Franklin and the seventh-ranked Nittany Lions take on third-ranked Ohio State in Columbus. Kickoff is set for Noon ET on FOX.

“Tremendous challenge,” Franklin said this week. “Also tremendous opportunity. We’re looking forward to going to Columbus and play this game. We’re trying to find a way to get a win this week against a really good team, against a program we got tremendous respect for, coaching staff we got a ton of respect for, the talent they have.

“But we approach to the same every single week. Everybody on the outside is talking. We’re approaching it the way we do every single week. This is a really important game. Why? Because of how we’ve handed the previous six. If we didn’t handle the previous six the right way you wouldn’t be asking that question. So each week is really important. That’s how we approach it.”

Buckeyes coach Ryan Day also discussed the game this week.

They were a very, very good defense [last year],” Day said. “And you can see the turnovers they’re creating. And they played against some solid teams. It’s not like they haven’t played against anybody. They played against some Big Ten teams, and you can just see the one-on-one matchups. And then also coming off the last year. I mean, these guys have played before, and some veteran guys on that side of the ball. So I mean, they’re a very good defense.”

4th Quarter Updates

End of game – Penn State loses to Ohio State, 20-12.

0:29 – Touchdown Penn State. Drew Allar to Kaden Saunders makes it 20-12.

2:50 – to play Penn State trails Ohio State 20-6. The Buckeyes have the ball and are trying to run the clock out. An OSU field goal with 2:46 left was no good, giving the Lions the faintest of heartbeats with 2:41 to play.

7:30 – Penn State goes for it on fourth down, but Allar’s pass falls incomplete. Ohio State ball.

8:59 – Penn State forces two incompletions at its own 25-yard line, but Ohio State converts a 38-yard field goal to take a 13-6 lead.

11:25 – McCord completes a 28-yard pass to Harrison Jr., followed by a 29-yard pass to Stover. OSU now has the ball at the Penn State 31-yard line following a 5-yard run.

13:39 – Allar takes a sack on 2nd down and completes just a five-yard pass to Theo Johnson on third. Penn State ends up punting it away. Thompson’s punt goes 42 yards. OSU ball at its own 10-yard line.

15:00 – Penn State has the ball at the 49-yard line. It’s 2nd and 7.

3rd Quarter Updates

End of the Quarter – Penn State gets a massive play on special teams and the offense now has the ball around midfield. Ohio State leads 10-6.

Notable stats at end of 2nd Quarter

Allar – 9 for 22, 113 yards passing
Singleton – 9 carries, 48 yards rushing
Lambert-Smith – 4 receptions, 43 yards
Carter – 8 tackles

0:44 – Penn State punts the ball but it hits Julian Fleming and the Lions are able to recover. Penn State ball now at its own 48-yard line.

2:12 – Ohio State goes for it on 4th and 2 and Penn State gets the stop. Allar and the offense will start with the ball at their own 2-yard line.

3:08 – McCord completes a 30-yard pass to Cade Stover to give Ohio State a 1st and Goal at the PSU 9-yard line.

5:43 – Allar takes a shot deep to Lambert-Smith but it falls incomplete. Penn State punts it down to the Ohio State 35-yard line. Still Ohio State 10, Penn State 6.

7:17 – Following a holding call on Ohio State, Penn State sacks Kyle McCord for a 10-yard loss. The Lions force a punt from OSU’s 4-yard line but Daequan Hardy lets it bounce and PSU will start at its own 24-yard line.

11:55 – Penn State runs it in on 3rd and 2 but is unable to convert. Riley Thompson pins Ohio State down at its own 7-yard line.

13:49 – Nittany Lions forces a punt following a three-and-out. The punt rolls to the Penn State 31-yard line.

15:00 – Ohio State starts at its own 25-yard line. Penn State tackles Williams for a 5-yard loss to open the second half.

2nd Quarter Updates

End of the Quarter – Ohio State decides to take a knee. Ohio State 10, Penn State 6.

Notable stats at end of 2nd Quarter

Allar – 6 for 17, 91 yards passing
Singleton – 6 carries, 45 yards rushing
Lambert-Smith – 2 receptions, 27 yards
Hardy & Carter – 6 tackles

0:42 – Penn State ultimately punts following three straight incompletions. Ohio State ball at its own 17-yard line.

1:17 – Penn State runs it on the first two plays and gets a first down. KeAndre Lambert-Smith then converts another first down. He stays down injured after the play but appears to be OK.

2:43 – Dixon breaks up a deep pass to Julian Fleming on second down, followed by another incompletion on third down. Buckeyes punt it down to PSU 6-yard line.

3:35 – McCord hits Harrison Jr. for a 35-yard gain to open the drive. Buckeyes are already at the PSU 40-yard line.

4:16 – Penn State can’t convert on 3rd and five from OSU’s 23, but Alex Felkins does convert a 41-yard field goal. Ohio State 10, Penn State 6.

5:45 – Allar converts an 11-yard throw to Tyler Warren, followed by a 34-yard completion to Theo Johnson. Nittany Lions now have the ball at Ohio State’s 28-yard line.

7:31 – Touchdown Ohio State. Kalen King allows a 3rd and 10 conversion to Harrison Jr., followed by an unsportsmanlike penalty by Kobe King two plays later. Miyan Williams runs it in from two yards out on the following play. The Buckeyes converts a 13-play, 61-yard drive for a score. Ohio State 10, Penn State 3

9:20 – LB Curtis Jacobs strips QB Kyle McCord and returns it for a touchdown. However, Kalen King is called for defensive holding and the Buckeyes retain the ball.

9:58 – DE Chop Robinson has been down for a few minutes in pain. It looks like he took a hit to the head. He’s now being helped off the field.

12:48 – Penn State goes three and out following two carries for Allen and an incompletion for Allar. The Buckeyes get a 9-yard return following a 54-yard punt. Ohio State ball at its own 39-yard line.

14:20 – Johnny Dixon has a nice pass breakup on 2nd down, followed by Hardy and Kalen King making a stop on 3rd down. Penn State gets the ball following a punt at its own 13-yard line.

1st Quarter Updates

End of the Quarter – Ohio State picks up two quick first downs and now has the ball at its own 38-yard line. Penn State 3, Ohio State 3.

Notable stats at end of 1st Quarter

Allar – 3 for 9, 31 yards passing
Singleton – 4 carries, 44 yards rushing
Wallace – 2 receptions, 19 yards
Jacobs & Carter – 4 tackles

1:09 – Penn State wanted to go for it on fourth down at its own 46-yard line, but confusion in the huddle forces Franklin to take a timeout. He ultimately decides to punt it on 4th and 1. Ohio State ball at its own 13-yard line now following a 42-yard punt.

3:07 – Ohio State gets a first down, but Daequan Hardy makes an open field tackle on 3rd and 10 to force a punt. No return. Penn State ball at its own 24.

5:15 – Penn State’s drive stalls out, but Alex Felkins converts a 40-yard field goal to tie it up. Penn State 3, Ohio State 3.

6:46 – Nick Singleton takes back-to-back runs of 20 and 16 yards into Ohio State territory. Penn State ball at the 29-yard line following a loss of three for Allar.

7:51 – Penn State now forces a three-and-out following a sack on third down by CB Johnny Dixon. Daequan Hardy takes the return 15 yards to PSU’s 38-yard line to start the drive.

9:20 – Penn State picks up a first down on a 12-yard completion to Harrison Wallace but then gets just three yards on the following set of downs. Lions punt. Ohio State will start at its own 26-yard line.

10:49 – Penn State holds the Buckeyes to a 33-yard field goal. The kick is good. Ohio State 3, Penn State 0

11:20 – Ohio State is down inside Penn State’s red zone following three first downs.

14:32 – Penn State gets six yards on a Kaytron Allen run to open the game but then goes three-and-out following two incompletions from Allar.

15:00 – Vega Ioane starts at left guard.

Pregame updates

12:11 — Tails is the call. It is heads. Ohio State defers its choice. Penn State will start with the ball moving right to left on your television screen. Kickoff is moments away.

12:10 — Dom Deluca, Keaton Ellis, Theo Johnson, and Malick Meiga are the Penn State captains for the coin toss.

11:57 – Official start time is looking like 12:14 p.m. ET.

11:50 – Not a whole lot to report from warmups. Lions look ready to go. So, too, does Ohio State. Kickoff is set for a bit after noon and Ohio Stadium is filling in with pockets of Penn State fans surrounded by scarlet-wearing Buckeye backers.

11:30 — Egbuka and Henderson may both play today. But neither look totally 100 percent during the early part of warmups.

10:55 a.m – Early warmups are underway. All looks good for JB Nelson as expected.

10 a.m – The availability report is out.

For the visiting Nittany Lions, tight end Andrew Rappleyea and defensive end Smith Vilbert are OUT. No one is questionable. It means guard JB Nelson is back after missing the UMass game.

For the Buckeyes, cornerback Denzel Burke is OUT. Running back TreVeyon Henderson is questionable. So, too, is star receiver Emeka Egbuka. Neither played last week. Buckeyes back Chip Trayanum is in today. He was hurt last week. But, he’s back for this contest.

Game time, how to watch: Penn State football vs. Ohio State

Venue: Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio

Kick time: Noon ET

TV: FOX

Stream: FOX Sports Line

On the call: Gus Johnson (play-by-play), Joel Klatt (color commentator), and Jenny Taft (sideline reporter).

Penn State radio: Steve Jones, Jack Ham, and Brian Tripp will call the Penn State Sports Network radio broadcast on Saturday. It airs on 99.5 & 103.7 FM/1450 AM locally and at GoPSUSports.com online.

Series facts: Penn State last won in Columbus in 2011. It last beat Ohio State in 2016. The Buckeyes are riding a six-game winning streak. And, they own a 23-14 all-time advantage in the series.