STATE COLLEGE | Trace McSorley, the last Penn State quarterback to beat Ohio State, was at Beaver Stadium for the series’ latest painful iteration Saturday. Before the game, McSorley offered the Nittany Lions some YOLO advice.
“They’ve got to shoot their shot early and often,” McSorley said. “It’s one of those games where you can’t be afraid to go make a play. And if you miss, you’ve got to live with it and move on.”
That didn’t happen. In its marquee game of the regular season so far, Penn State looked constricted and felt restricted, leading to a 20-13 loss to Ohio State. The game felt so hauntingly familiar, as the Buckeyes (7-1) continued their witchcraft ways against the Nittany Lions (7-1).
We’re tempted to reprint a Penn State report card from the past seven years, but this one requires a fresh look, particularly since Penn State did not score an offensive touchdown for the first time since a 29-6 loss to Northwestern in 2014, James Franklin’s fifth game as head coach.
“For us, we’ve got to play our best when our best is needed most, in the biggest games and the biggest moments,” Franklin said in July. “And I think if you look at us, specifically last year, we did some phenomenal things. That’s the step that we need to take.”
With that, the grades.
OFFENSE: D
Penn State coach James Franklin replaced his offensive coordinator last year for scoring three touchdowns against Ohio State and Michigan (one against the Buckeyes). Andy Kotelnicki’s go-go 2024 offense scored no touchdowns Saturday against the Buckeyes, coming unglued twice inside the 5-yard line. One was a great play by Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun to strip an interception from Tre Wallace in the end zone. But the other was a four-play, red-zone meltdown, in which Kotelnicki covered straight dives to Kaytron Allen with window dressing but no power. Finally on fourth down, Penn State looked at tight end Tyler Warren, who was well covered, and it was too late.
Once more, Ohio State exposed some core Penn State offensive flaws. Warren was the team’s leading rusher (41 yards), and running back Nicholas Singleton its leading receiver (six). The Buckeyes bulldozed Singleton and Allen on the ground (a combined 42 yards), punctuating the game with their dominance at the goal line. The wide receivers were absent. With no one open downfield, quarterback Drew Allar was forced to scramble on a less-than-perfect knee. Penn State went 3-for-11 on third down. Just an inexplicable offensive day, and final series, for the Nittany Lions.
DEFENSE: C
It’s hard to fault a Penn State defense that allowed 20 points, produced a pick-6, forced a goal-line fumble to prevent a touchdown and held Ohio State’s top receiver, Jeremiah Smith, to four catches on seven targets. For the most part, Penn State’s defense played well enough to win. Defensive Abdul Carter was a pass-rush terror again, making two sacks. Zion Tracy gave the Nittany Lions a 10-0 lead by goading Ohio State quarterback Will Howard into a bad throw to produce that pick-6. Zakee Wheatley stripped Howard of the ball a half-step before the pylon. All good. However…
Penn State’s weary, likely disillusioned defense couldn’t get a run stop on Ohio State’s final drive. The Buckeyes ran 11 consecutive plays, including three by Howard, who converted a pair of third downs. Penn State allowed Ohio State to end the game on its terms. The Buckeyes imposed their Will, if you will.
SPECIAL TEAMS: B-
Kicker Ryan Barker improved to 8-for-8 and made a career-long field goal of 44 yards. The redshirt freshman walk-on has been a revelation since the UCLA game. However, punter Riley Thompson was inconsistent, and a 33-yard punt in the second quarter gave the Buckeyes a short field, which they nearly turned into a touchdown (but for Howard’s fumble). Singleton got more aggressive on kickoff returns but topped out at 25 yards.
COACHING: C-
Kotelnicki’s offense was the big surprise, but Penn State’s discipline was an issue again. The Nittany Lions took two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, both of which had major impacts. One didn’t necessarily have to be called (the taunting-ish play by Elliot Washington II), but the other was silly. Jaylen Reed got called for celebrating after a pick-6 for the second consecutive week. It was charming at Wisconsin, where he gave the football to his mom and his team won. This week, less so. Those moments require another Sunday conversation. But so does that decision not to deploy Warren on three straight downs inside the 5-yard line in the fourth quarter.
OVERALL: C-
For the second consecutive season, Penn State’s offense went very small in a very big game against Ohio State. The Buckeyes have an exceptionally deep, quick, disruptive defensive, no doubt, but Penn State didn’t shoot its shot, as McSorley suggested. If anything, the Nittany Lions pulled their punches while shooting themselves in the foot. That’s the most surprising aspect of Franklin’s 10th loss to the Buckeyes in 11 seasons.
More Penn State Football
Drew Allar analyzes the final drive vs. Ohio State
“I own it all,” James Franklin says after loss to the Buckeyes
What they said after Ohio State’s win over Penn State
