Penn State Nittany Lions Report Card Vs. Ohio State

STATE COLLEGE | Trace McSorley, the last Penn State quarterback to beat Ohio State, was at Beaver Stadium on Saturday for the last painful replay of the series. Before the game, McSorley gave the Nittany Lions some YOLO advice.

“They need to take their shots early and often.” McSorley said. “This is one of those games where you can’t be afraid to go play it. And if you miss it, you just have to live with it and move on.”

This did not happen. In the most important game of the regular season so far, Penn State looked narrow and felt constrained; 20-13 loss to Ohio State. The game felt so familiar as the Buckeyes (7-1) continued their wizarding ways against the Nittany Lions (7-1).

We’d like to reprint the Penn State report cards from the past seven years, but that requires a fresh look, especially considering Penn State failed to score an offensive touchdown for the first time since a 29-6 loss to Northwestern in 2014. This is James Franklin’s fifth game as head coach.

However, notes.

CRIME: D

Penn State coach James Franklin changed offensive coordinator last year as he threw three touchdown passes against Ohio State and Michigan (one against the Buckeyes). Andy Kotelnicki’s go-to offense in 2024 scored no touchdowns Saturday against the Buckeyes and broke loose twice inside the 5-yard line. One of them was a great play by Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun to eliminate Tre Wallace’s interception in the end zone. But the other was a four-game, red zone meltdown; Kotelnicki jumped Kaytron Allen with three straight window dressings but no power. Finally, in the fourth place, Penn State Tyler Warren, well covered, looked at the tight end and it was too late.

Ohio State once again exposed some of Penn State’s fundamental offensive flaws. Warren was the team’s leading rusher (41 yards) and running back Nicholas Singleton’s leading receiver (six). The Buckeyes capped off the game with their dominance at the goal line, bulldozing Singleton and Allen on the ground (42 yards combined). There were no wide receivers. With no one open on the field, quarterback Drew Allar had to struggle 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, picked off six, forced a fumble at the goal line 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. Defenseman Abdul Carter was again a passing terror, tallying two sacks. Zion Tracy gave the Nittany Lions a 10-0 lead by forcing a bad throw from Ohio State quarterback Will Howard to make it 6. Zakee Wheatley stripped Howard of the ball half a step from goal. Everything is fine. But…

Penn State’s tired, possibly frustrated defense was unable to stop the run on Ohio State’s final drive. The Buckeyes went on 11 consecutive plays, including three by Howard, who converted a pair of third downs. Penn State allowed Ohio State to finish the game on its terms. The Buckeyes imposed their will, so to speak.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B-

Kicker Ryan Barker went 8-for-8 and had a career-long 44-yard field goal. The redshirt freshmen’s walk-on has been a revelation since the UCLA game. But 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 (except for a fumble by Howard). Singleton was more aggressive on kickoff returns but went high for 25 yards.

COACHING: C-

Kotelnicki’s offense was a big surprise, but Penn State’s discipline again proved problematic. The Nittany Lions received two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, both of which had major impacts. One didn’t necessarily need to be called out (sarcastic play by Elliot Washington II), but the other was stupid. Jaylen Reed was called out for celebration after being selected No. 6 overall for the second week in a row. It was very impressive in Wisconsin, here He gave the football to his mother and his team won. Less this week. These moments call for another Sunday conversation. But so was the decision not to deploy Warren inside the 5-yard line three straight times in the fourth quarter.

IN GENERAL: C-

For the second straight season, Penn State’s offense came up short in a huge game against Ohio State. The Buckeyes have an extremely deep, fast and disruptive defense, to be sure, but Penn State didn’t shoot the ball as McSorley suggested. Rather, the Nittany Lions pulled their punches while shooting themselves in the foot. That’s the most surprising thing about Franklin’s 10th loss to the Buckeyes in the last 11 seasons.