Ohio State’s protection blanketed Penn State to ship a 20-12 win in one of the crucial necessary video games of the common season.
5 years after James Franklin promised the Nittany Lions would finally graduate to hitch the highest groups within the Bowl Subdivision, the loss reinforces this system’s place: Penn State is superb, however not elite. The Nittany Lions are treading water.
And Ohio State is discovering new methods to win video games within the Large Ten. Clearly influenced by back-to-back losses to Michigan, the Buckeyes are a bodily workforce outlined extra so by defensive excellence than by an offense that has top-end talent expertise however has taken a noticeable step again from the previous two seasons.
Penn State did not convert a single third-down try till there was underneath a minute left. The Nittany Lions averaged simply 2.6 yards per try on 25 carries. Drew Allar hit on simply 18 of 43 throws for 191 yards, a median of 4.3 yards per go. A good portion of his yardage and lone landing got here on his workforce’s last drive after Ohio State held a 14-point lead.
The Buckeyes’ failed fourth-down try on the aim line and a turnover on particular groups gave Penn State probabilities to attract even within the second half. When in comparable conditions within the latest previous, Ohio State has pulled away from the Nittany Lions with pure offensive firepower. However the seventh win in a row on this collection was sparked by a protection which may be one of the crucial improved items within the FBS. After Saturday, the Buckeyes are giving up simply 3.9 yards per play.
This stage of stinginess has been sufficient to offset a hit-or-miss offense that thrives when delivering the ball to All-America huge receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who had 11 receptions for 162 yards and a landing. Going up in opposition to the Nittany Lions’ personal stout protection, the Buckeyes managed to run for 79 yards whereas Kyle McCord went 23 of 35 for 286 yards.
The win units up a breezy four-game run earlier than assembly the Wolverines to finish November. Subsequent, Ohio State goes to Wisconsin and Rutgers earlier than returning house for Michigan State and Minnesota. This monthlong stretch will give Ryan Day and the Buckeyes’ offense extra time to develop earlier than heading into the winner-take-all rivalry recreation in Ann Arbor.
The speedy future is hazier for Penn State. This was an unimaginable alternative to finish an extended dropping streak in opposition to an Ohio State that has clear flaws relative to this system’s latest customary. With the loss, the Nittany Lions are as soon as once more no higher than a New Yr’s Six participant with Michigan nonetheless to come back in November. The frustration is palpable.
The Buckeyes and Nittany Lions prime Saturday’s greatest winners and losers:
Winners
Alabama
Mainly buried after dropping to Texas and struggling to place away South Florida in September, Alabama has put collectively a collection of shut victories culminating in a 34-20 win in opposition to Tennessee to climb proper again into the Faculty Soccer Playoff race. Like earlier wins in opposition to Mississippi, Arkansas and others, beating Tennessee required a toned-down offense constructed round quarterback Jalen Milroe, who accomplished 14 of 21 makes an attempt for 220 yards and two scores with an interception. Down 20-7 at halftime, the Crimson Tide outscored the Volunteers 27-0 within the second half to avenge final 12 months’s shootout loss. There are fewer type factors than up to now however the leads to league play have been acquainted: Alabama is weighing groups down with a powerful protection and doing a greater job defending the soccer whereas discovering explosive performs downfield. And whereas the flash is lacking, the Crimson Tide have proven excessive psychological toughness in weathering the early-season swoon to appear like Georgia’s greatest menace within the SEC.
Florida State
Florida State acquired 330 yards of complete offense from quarterback Jordan Travis and remained unbeaten with a closer-than-it-looks 38-20 win in opposition to Duke. Riley Leonard was again within the the lineup for the Blue Devils, however he struggled to get issues going by way of the air even earlier than leaving the sport within the third quarter after apparently reinjuring the ankle he harm in final month’s shut loss to Notre Dame. However the recreation turned in the intervening time Leonard left: FSU trailed 21-17 when Leonard went down however was in complete management from that time ahead. Whereas Duke continues to impress even in defeat, the Seminoles managed to drag out one other resourceful win in opposition to one of many prime groups within the ACC and stay on monitor for a convention championship recreation look and potential playoff berth.
Missouri
Missouri is nice. Not win-the-SEC good, clearly, however it is a very improved workforce that’s enjoying the very best soccer thus far underneath coach Eli Drinkwitz. The Tigers are actually 7-1 after dispatching South Carolina, taking a 24-3 lead at halftime after which sleepwalking by way of the second half to win 34-12. Missouri’s protection did a pleasant job with Spencer Rattler, limiting him to only 5.4 yards per try, whereas the offense drew 159 yards and two touchdowns from operating again Cody Schrader and a team-leading 90 receiving yards from potential All-America choose Luther Burden. Up subsequent are Georgia, Tennessee and Florida, as Missouri prepares for significant November soccer for the primary time in a number of years.
Nebraska
Matt Rhule has Nebraska pointed towards bowl play after one other sturdy efficiency from a rejuvenated protection sparked a 17-9 win in opposition to Northwestern. Now 4-3, the Cornhuskers could have probabilities to get to 6 wins in opposition to a really pleasant house stretch of video games — Purdue, Michigan State, Maryland, Wisconsin and Iowa — and will conceivably make the Large Ten title recreation. Whereas deeply flawed workforce from an offensive perspective — the entire offense is taped along with sticks and branches, making each optimistic acquire an absolute journey — that Nebraska might finish the longest bowl drought within the Energy 5 in Rhule’s first season can be an achievement that breathes monumental life into this system heading into 2024.
Kansas State
Kansas State was throughout TCU from the opening whistle of a 41-3 win that is in all probability the Wildcats’ most full efficiency of the season. Whereas two powerful setbacks in opposition to Missouri and Oklahoma State have knocked them out of the Prime 25, the Wildcats have moments after they appear like certainly one of two or three greatest groups within the Large 12 — Saturday being certainly one of them. Kansas State continues to make use of a really attention-grabbing two-quarterback rotation of upperclassman Will Howard and true freshman Avery Johnson, with the pair combining for 244 yards and 4 touchdowns with out an interception with one other 135 yards on the bottom. Coach Chris Kleiman could have steered his workforce all through a tough patch and pointed the Wildcats again towards the convention championship recreation.
Losers
James Franklin
Saturday’s loss drops Franklin to 1-9 in opposition to Ohio State and 4-15 mixed in opposition to the Buckeyes and Michigan, the Nittany Lions’ opponent on Nov. 11. For the entire program’s wins, major-bowl appearances and general success, there’s a sense of missed probabilities and unrealized expectations that grows even stronger with each successive failure in opposition to the very best of the very best within the Large Ten. The Nittany Lions might find yourself with double-digit wins however dropping to the Buckeyes and Wolverines would solely be a reminder of how far this system nonetheless has to go earlier than actually competing for nationwide championships.
Southern California
One other week, one other terrible loss. And in contrast to final week’s blowout defeat at Notre Dame, this one got here at house and featured extra conventional heartbreak: Utah drove 54 yards within the last 1:46 and made a 38-yard subject aim as time expired to beat Southern California 34-32. Quarterback Bryson Barnes had 235 passing yards, 4 complete touchdowns and a vital scramble on the ultimate drive to offset Caleb Williams’ 256 passing yards and one speeding rating. Whereas this was a greater efficiency general than in opposition to the Preventing Irish and one which noticed extra moments of effectiveness from the USC protection, these two losses in a row have precipitated the ground to present method for the Trojans, and this 12 months might get even worse with video games forward in opposition to Oregon, Washington and UCLA.
North Carolina
There was at all times this sense that unbeaten North Carolina was dwelling on borrowed time. After which Drake Maye would throw for 350 yards and three scores to elevate the Tar Heels to a different high-scoring win. Luck lastly ran out in opposition to an sudden opponent, Virginia, which captured the most important win of coach Tony Elliott’s tenure by controlling the ball and retaining Maye on the sidelines in a a 31-27 upset. The Cavaliers had possession for greater than 37 minutes and ran the ball 54 instances for 228 yards, offsetting the manufacturing of a UNC offense that also had 26 first downs and almost 500 yards regardless of the restricted touches.
Clemson
Clemson continues to float towards its worst season since 2010 after a 28-20 extra time loss to Miami. The Tigers turned the ball over thrice, had a nonexistent operating recreation and have been nonetheless in place to win this recreation late into the fourth quarter, solely to permit the game-tying subject aim with underneath two minutes left and fail to punch it in from inches away from the top zone within the second extra time. The win mainly saves Miami’s season at a potential breaking level after losses to Georgia Tech and North Carolina, and will briefly quiet the elevated scrutiny round coach Mario Cristobal. The loss is a devastating one for Clemson, basically ending any hope of regaining the ACC crown and formally signaling a second 12 months in a row out of the playoff.
Arkansas
That is the worst workforce within the SEC West and the worst offense within the SEC, and that is mixed to depart Sam Pittman on some shaky floor heading into the ultimate 4 video games of the common season. You’ll be able to write off any professional shot on the postseason after a 7-3 loss to Mississippi State, the Razorbacks’ sixth loss in a row and worst of the bunch. An way-too-empty stadium displays the present state of affairs: Arkansas has gone from stylish to a complete bore underneath Pittman.
Iowa
It was enjoyable and video games when Iowa was profitable. However the jokes and eyerolls on the state of Iowa’s offense will grow to be a extra severe concern after a 12-10 loss to Minnesota that noticed the Hawkeyes ship simply 127 yards and fail to win regardless of retaining the Golden Gophers out of the top zone. Even worse, the potential game-winning landing on a punt return from Cooper DeJean with underneath two minutes left was taken off the board after officers dominated DeJean had a made a fair-catch sign. One week after the Hawkeyes had appeared to place a headlock on the Large Ten West with a win in opposition to Wisconsin, the division is again up for grabs.
Pittsburgh
Wake Forest confronted Pittsburgh with out its beginning quarterback and his backup, leaving Dave Clawson to the flip the offense over to redshirt sophomore Santino Marucci, whose profession expertise earlier than Saturday consisted of six garbage-time snaps in opposition to Norfolk State two years in the past, all on particular groups. You understand precisely the place this going. The Panthers have been up 17-14 with 1:30 left after a 75-yard landing drive after which intercepted Marucci with simply over a minute left. Even after punting again to Wake Forest solely 23 seconds later, Pittsburgh wanted only one final defensive cease to safe a second win in a row. However Marucci marched the Demon Deacons 48 yards in 33 seconds, connecting with Cameron Hite on a 15-yard rating with seven seconds left, handy out the Panthers’ worst loss in what has been a brutal season.
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