No. 13 Penn State falls to No. 2 Ohio State behind a 28-point fourth quarter Buckeyes performance

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Add a line to the list of times Penn State has played Ohio State admirably and came up shy, the latest, a 44-31 loss at Beaver Stadium.

Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford said earlier in the week that “in college football, one game can define a season.” In this game, the Nittany Lions (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) could be defined by a valiant effort before being outscored 28-17 in the fourth quarter, against one of the best teams in college football.

The game was all but decided at the eight-minute mark of the final quarter, with Ohio State up by two. Penn State had a chance. Clifford was stripped in the backfield, turning the ball over at Penn State’s 24-yard line. The Buckeyes (8-0, 5-0) scored two plays later, to make it 30-21.

The dagger was a 7-yard score from TreVeyon Henderson, extending Ohio State’s lead to double digits with under three minutes to go. The Buckeyes stomped even harder on a pick-six the next drive from J.T. Tuimoloau.

Penn State showed it still hasn’t crossed the ever-growing line that delineates elite Big Ten teams. A stale third quarter gave way to a dramatic fourth. Ohio State got called for an illegal formation that gave new life to Penn State at the 10-minute mark.

Kicker Jake Pinegar missed a deflating 35-yard chip shot wide right leading to another chance on 4th-and-1. Offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich packed the box in a T-formation. Before the snap, they split five receivers out wide, causing a bit of chaos before converting a crucial first down.

It took 13 plays to go 75 yards with two fourth-down conversions to give Penn State its final lead, 21-16, on a Kaytron Allen rushing TD midway through the fourth quarter.

Ohio State then responded in dramatic fashion behind three-straight touchdown drives.

It was an archetypal performance from Clifford. The Penn State quarterback threw two interceptions, the Nittany Lions punted, then Clifford threw back-to-back touchdowns. He finished with 371 yards, completing 32 of 47 pass attempts coupled with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

On the upside, no defense has given Ohio State fits this season the way Penn State did for three quarters. Manny Diaz’s group was so strong it elicited a string of tweets from former Nittany Lions and Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons.

Ultimately, Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud made plays when it mattered. He tallied 354 yards and a touchdown. He completed 26 of 33 passes.

The Buckeyes converted just three of 12 third-down attempts. They also marked their second fewest points all season and fewest since week one against Notre Dame. Ohio State also played much of the second half without running back Miyan Williams due to injury. He finished with just two attempts for 9 yards and a touchdown.

Henderson had 69 yards on 14 rushing attempts. Marvin Harrison Jr. added 185 yards on 10 catches.

» READ MORE: Marvin Harrison Jr.'s attention to detail is propelling his career at Ohio State

Ohio State gambled with a 1-point deficit and six seconds to go before halftime. Quick completions for 14 and 21 yards moved the Buckeyes down inside the 10-yard line.

The safer play? Kick a 25-yard field goal for a narrow lead.

Instead, head coach Ryan Day pushed his chips into the middle of the table, flexing confidence in his offense. However, Penn State cornerback Johnny Dixon had other plans storming the backfield, sacking Stroud and forcing a fumble that preserved Penn State’s 14-13 lead at the break. It would mark the only t time Ohio State did not score on a trip to the red zone.

It came as no surprise that Ohio State’s offense featured plenty of Harrison and a well-rounded performance from Stroud. But it’s arguable the Buckeyes don’t jump out to a first quarter 10-0 lead without J.T. Tuimoloau setting the tone.

The defensive end knocked a Clifford throw off course, tipping the ball up and over to fellow defensive end Zach Harrison for an interception. One possession later, Tuimoloau undercut a short toss to Kaytron Allen for Clifford’s second pick in as many Penn State drives.

Tuimoloau was also responsible for stripping Clifford in the fourth quarter.

The loss was Parker Washington’s best outing of the season for Penn State with 11 catches for 179 yards and a touchdown that included a diving deep ball completion in the second half that set up a go-ahead touchdown.

Penn State will head back on the road next week to play Indiana at Memorial Stadium (time, TV, TBD). In 23 games since 1993, the Nittany Lions have only lost to the Hoosiers twice – in 2013 and 2020.