Penn State ran into an Ohio State wall. The Buckeyes weren’t flawless, but their defense delivered, while Ryan Day continued to own James Franklin.
Two Penn State trips inside 5-yard line produce no points.
Ryan Day now 6-0 against James Franklin.
Three yards that would begin to turn James Franklin’s history of failures against Ohio State on its head.
It gained two yards, in one of the more uninspiring sequences of offense you’ll ever see.
Penn State ran into a wall three times before Drew Allar fired a fourth-down incompletion, as a critical fourth-quarter red zone trip produced no points.
Franklin and his Nittany Lions continue to live under Ohio State’s fist, while OSU’s defense refused to let the Buckeyes slip to the wrong side of the College Football Playoff bubble.
The 12-team playof does not demand flawlessness, and how fortunate for Ohio State, because this performance fell short of perfection.
Instead, this postseason format will reward teams that endure often enough.
No. 4 Ohio State did exactly that Saturday at No. 3 Penn State.
The Buckeyes survived, playoff credentials bolstered, after a 20-13 victory.
Ohio State survived, courtesy of the Big Ten’s best defense that stopped Penn State from scoring an offensive touchdown despite two trips that penetrated the 5-yard line.
“To stand in there and get that stand like that, it shows the grit and toughness of this team,’ Buckeyes coach Ryan Day told FOX after the game.
The Buckeyes survived an early 10-point deficit, and they survived two turnovers, and they persisted in front of a crowd of 111,030 that had hoped against history that Franklin would finally solve his Ohio State problem.
Nope. More of the same from Franklin and Penn State.
A smile painted Day’s face after time expired, a happy guy in a mostly downturn Happy Valley, after the Buckeyes (7-1) soured another big moment for Penn State.
Now, the Nittany Lions (7-1) are left trying to protect a playoff bubble that’s closer to popping than Ohio State’s.
Ryan Day continues Ohio State’s mastery of James Franklin
Hold off on those Day hot takes, because the Buckeyes coach just won a big one, while Franklin wilted, as he always does, upon sight of those silver helmets covered in buckeye stickers.
You’ve heard the ceaseless refrain that Day struggles in big games, but that chorus ignores that Day owns Franklin. Day improved to 6-0 against the Nittany Lions. He’s so consistently mastered Franklin that we mostly forget to count Penn State as a big game for OSU.
For all the buzz about first-year Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and Allar, meager production derailed the Nittany Lions in yet another loss to OSU. Franklin now has won just once in 11 matchups in the series.
Penn State’s offensive success stemmed from check-down passes, Allar scrambles or tight-end runs. That’s no recipe for points, especially considering Penn State ignored its best player, tight end Tyler Warren, in the red zone.
Ohio State’s Davison Igbinosun robbed Penn State of one opportunity for an offensive touchdown with one of the most remarkable interceptions you’ll ever see. Penn State’s Harrison Wallace III shoved a hand into Igbinosun’s face mask while gaining a smidge of separation in the end zone. But, Allar’s pass ricocheted off Wallace’s fingers and caromed into Igbinosun’s chest. He secured possession with a foot in bounds for an incredible takeaway that left Penn State fans shaking their heads in disbelief.
You better believe OSU’s defense doesn’t break easily. On this day, it never broke, period.
Also credit the Buckeyes’ patchwork offensive line, remade and reconfigured after multiple injuries, for allowing OSU to generate just enough of a punch.
Ohio State musters just enough offense, survives Will Howard’s turnovers
Chip Kelly does his best work when wearing an ‘O’ on his ball cap. Once a revolutionary mind as Oregon’s coach, Ohio State’s offensive coordinator schemed up some handsome crossing routes, wheel routes and swing routes that put playmakers in space.
And Will Howard did a nice enough job finding them and moving the chains – when he wasn’t handing away points.
The Buckeyes quarterback gave away 14 points. His pick-six on OSU’s first possession spotted Penn State its only touchdown. Later, Penn State’s Zakee Wheatley stripped the ball from Howard’s grip as he raced toward the goal line, turning a would-be touchdown into a turnover.
The Buckeyes didn’t make this easy on themselves, but their defense proved it’s built for tense moments – and for the playoff.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.