In one of the most significant games of the regular season,
Ohio State's defense shut down Penn State to record a 20-12 victory.
The defeat solidifies the program's standing five years after James Franklin predicted the
Nittany Lions would one day join the best teams in the Bowl Subdivision:
Although not the best, Penn State is pretty good. The Nittany Lions are
floundering.
Ohio State is also developing new strategies to prevail in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes are a
physical squad whose defensive prowess define them more than their offense,
which possesses top-end skill talent but has clearly regressed from the
previous two seasons despite being clearly influenced by back-to-back defeats
to Michigan.
Till there was just a few seconds left, Penn State didn't manage to convert a single third-down
try. On 25 carries, the Nittany Lions only gained 2.6 yards on average. Only 18
of Drew Allar's 43 attempts for 191 yards were successful, averaging 4.3 yards
per pass. On his team's final drive, with Ohio State leading by 14, he
accumulated the majority of his yardage and scored the team's lone touchdown.
Penn State had opportunities to tie the game in the second half thanks to the Buckeyes'
unsuccessful fourth-down effort at the goal line and a mistake on special teams.
In recent times, Ohio State has distanced itself from the Nittany Lions by
using its superior offensive firepower in scenarios similar to this one.
Marvin Harrison Jr., an All-America wide receiver who had 11 receptions for 162 yards and a
touchdown, and the team's hit-or-miss offense have both benefited from this
degree of stinginess. The Buckeyes managed to gain 79 yards on the ground while
Kyle McCord completed 23 of 35 passes for 286 yards against the Nittany Lions'
formidable defense.
After the victory, the team will have a simple four-game run before facing the Wolverines to close
November. Ohio State then travels to Wisconsin and Rutgers before playing
Michigan State and Minnesota at home. Prior to the winner-take-all rivalry game
in Ann Arbor, this month-long stretch will give Ryan Day and the Buckeyes'
offense more opportunity to mature.
Penn State's near future is less certain. This was a fantastic chance to snap a protracted losing
trend against an Ohio State team that clearly falls short of what has been
expected of them recently. With Michigan yet to play in November, the Nittany
Lions are now no better than a participant in the New Year's Six after the
loss. There's no denying the disappointment.
The Nittany Lions
and Buckeyes are Saturday's top wins and losers, respectively:
Alabama winners
After losing toTexas and having trouble defeating South Florida in September, Alabama was all
but out of the College Football Playoff race. However, since then, they have
strung together a string of victories, culminating in a 34-20 victory over
Tennessee that has resurrected them.
Winning over
Tennessee required a scaled-back offense led by quarterback Jalen Milroe, who
completed 14 of 21 passes for 220 yards, two TDs, and an interception. This was
similar to past victories against Mississippi, Arkansas, and other opponents.
After trailing 20-7 at the break, the Crimson Tide outscored the Volunteers
27-0 in the second half to avenge their shootout loss from the previous season.
In league play, there are fewer style points than in the past, but the outcomes
have been consistent: Alabama is putting pressure on opponents with a strong
defense and doing a better job keeping the football while still creating
explosive plays downfield. The Crimson Tide have demonstrated exceptional
mental toughness in overcoming their early-season slump to appear as Georgia's
strongest danger in the SEC, despite the absence of their sparkle.
I like Missouri. Obviously not good enough to win the SEC, but under coach Eli Drinkwitz, this
squad has made significant strides and is currently playing its best football.
The Tigers defeated South Carolina to improve to 7-1. They led 24-3 at the
half, but the second half was a complete blur as they won 34-12. Spencer Rattler
was well contained by Missouri's defense, who held him to just 5.4 yards per
attempt. Meanwhile, Cody Schrader, the team's leading rusher, gained 159 yards
and two touchdowns, and Luther Burden, a possible All-America candidate, had a
team-high 90 receiving yards. Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida are the next
opponents, and Missouri is getting ready for important November football for
the first time in a while.
Nebraska
After another great effort from a revitalized defense ignited a 17-9 victory against Northwestern,
Matt Rhule has Nebraska aimed toward bowl play. The Cornhuskers, who are now
4-3, will have opportunities to reach six victories against a very friendly
home stretch of opponents, including Purdue, Michigan State, Maryland,
Wisconsin, and Iowa. If they do, they may qualify for the Big Ten championship
game. That Nebraska could end the longest bowl drought in the Power Five in
Rhule's first season would be an accomplishment that breathes enormous life
into the program going into 2024, despite the fact that they are a deeply
flawed offensive team — the entire offense is taped together with sticks and
branches, making every positive gain an absolute adventure.
Looser
James Franklin is a loser With the defeat on Saturday, Franklin is now 0-9 against Ohio State and has a combined record of
4-15 against both the Buckeyes and Michigan, the Nittany Lions' opponent on
November 11. Despite all of the program's victories, appearances in major
bowls, and general success, there remains a feeling of squandered opportunities
and unmet expectations that intensifies with each defeat against.Even if the
Nittany Lions finish with double-digit victories, losses to the Buckeyes and
Wolverines would serve as a stark reminder of how far the team still needs to
advance before being able to seriously contend for national championships.
Arkansas
With the poorest
offense in the SEC and the worst squad in the SEC West, Sam Pittman is in a
precarious position going into the final four games of the regular season.
After a 7-3 loss to Mississippi State, the Razorbacks' sixth straight defeat
and worst of the lot, you can write off any real chance of making the
postseason. The current situation is reflected in a way-too-empty stadium:
under Pittman, Arkansas went from trendy to completely boring.
Iowa
When Iowa was triumphant, it was enjoyable. But with a 12-10 defeat to Minnesota in which the
Hawkeyes' offense managed just 127 yards while the Golden Gophers were kept out
of the end zone, the jokes and side-eye about Iowa's offense will become a more
serious worry. Even worse, with less than two minutes remaining, Cooper
DeJean's punt return touchdown that may have won the game was called back
because officials determined that DeJean made a fair-catch signal. The Big Ten
West is once again up for grabs one week after the Hawkeyes appeared to have
the division under control with a victory over Wisconsin.
Pittsburgh
Wake Forest's redshirt sophomore Santino Marucci, whose career experience before Saturday
consisted of six garbage-time snaps against Norfolk State two years ago, all on
special teams, faced Pittsburgh without its starting quarterback and his
backup. Dave Clawson was left to run the offense in their absence. You can see
where this is going. Following a 75-yard touchdown drive, the Panthers were up
17-14 with 1:30 remaining when Marucci was intercepted. Just one more defensive
stop was all Pittsburgh needed to secure a second straight victory, even after
punting back to Wake Forest just 23 seconds later.