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The Lantern > Sports

Ohio State leaves Happy Valley with victory

By Zack Meisel

meisel.14@osu.edu

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Published: Saturday, November 7, 2009

Updated: Sunday, November 8, 2009

pennstate

Jeff Simpson / The Lantern

Ohio State tops Penn State 24-7

penn fans Pryor with the ball Ray Small dodges the Lions Shawney Kersey Ohio State defense make a tackle Boom Herron on the carry Pryor on the carry. Sanzenbacher completes a pass Carmen Ohio Post victory celebrating

In a successful homecoming for Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State (8-2, 5-1) avenged last season’s 13-6 loss to Penn State, leaving Happy Valley with a 24-7 victory Saturday at Beaver Stadium.

Brandon Saine’s six-yard touchdown reception with 9:37 remaining put the Buckeyes up by the final margin, as the whiteout crowd — the fourth largest in the stadium’s history — filed for the exits.

Pryor, a native of Jeannette, Pa., had a hand in all three OSU touchdowns.

“Terrelle Pryor came in here and did a heck of a job,” coach Jim Tressel said. “He was a little bit banged up, but he gutted it out and did what he had to do.”

Receiver Ray Small returned a punt 41 yards to the Nittany Lions’ 9-yard line, setting the table for the Buckeyes’ first score, a seven-yard rush by Pryor.

“I always go out there and do my part, and coach [Tressel] always preaches special teams,” Small said. “So every time I’m back there, I’m thinking big. The first drive, I sparked it, and it just got me going from there.”

Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark spent the evening under pressure from the OSU defensive line. Junior Cameron Heyward led the Buckeye charge with 11 tackles, including three for loss and a pair of sacks. In all, OSU held Penn State to just 201 total yards.

“It seemed like every time I looked around, Cam [Heyward] was back there bull-rushing over a guy, using brute strength,” senior linebacker Austin Spitler said. “It was unbelievable to see these guys. We have a great defensive line, and everybody’s aware of that. They played lights out.”

The lone Penn State score came early in the second quarter. Clark punched it in from less than a yard out to tie the game 7-7.

The Bucks answered with a 10-play drive, culminating in a 37-yard field goal by 26-year-old walk-on kicker Devin Barclay, who replaced starter Aaron Pettrey, out for the regular season with a knee injury.

“Devin’s been good all year,” Tressel said. “He’s been good when called upon in games. He’s a veteran.”

OSU had one final chance to tack on a score in the first half, but
Pryor overthrew a wide-open Dane Sanzenbacher near the end zone, and the Buckeyes settled for a 10-7 lead at the break.

“No one is harder on themselves than [Pryor],” Tressel said. “The fact that he had a chance to hit a home run and didn’t, you know that was eating at him.”

Pryor got his opportunity to atone for the overthrow.

With 1:47 left in the third quarter, Pryor connected with sophomore DeVier Posey for a 62-yard touchdown strike, nudging the OSU lead to 10.

“We had been running a lot on first downs,” Tressel said. “We felt like, if we had decent field position, that it was time to try to strike.

We were out near the 40, and we felt like we could get behind them.”
Penn State never got in an offensive rhythm, especially in the second half, when held scoreless. Clark completed just 12 of 28 passes, and the Nittany Lions’ rushing attack averaged just 2.5 yards per carry.

“Going up against a great offense like that, you don’t expect to hold them to such few yards and such few points,” Spitler said. “We always talk about how we want to outplay their defense if we want to win the game. Obviously, we did that tonight.”

With the victory — and Iowa’s first loss of the season, 17-10 to Northwestern — the Buckeyes control their own destiny in the quest for a Big Ten championship. OSU hosts Iowa Saturday, and with a Buckeye victory, both the Hawkeyes and Nittany Lions would have two conference losses to OSU’s one, guaranteeing OSU at least a share of a Big Ten title.

“November is for contenders,” Tressel said. “That’s why it’s hard to get too ecstatic now, because we know the Hawkeyes are coming to town.”Oh 

Comments

19 comments
Sherry
Mon Nov 9 2009 12:42
What I admired is Pryor let his skills and TEAM speak to all the naysayers. He had a lot riding on this game being the top rated recruit who turned down Penn St and from PA. What a load to carry. Congrats to the Buckeeyes. Paterno was so gracious in his comments before and after the game!!!!!

I bet he was proud mom/dad were in audience.....

Happy in St. Paul
Mon Nov 9 2009 10:39
@Still Waiting
Perhaps you missed watching a little guy named TROY SMITH. He won a thing called the Heisman Trophy. Seriously, go to youtube and watch some of the highlight reels - his accuracy that season was unreal.
Gary
Mon Nov 9 2009 10:03
Our team played like warriors! As long as they play like that, no team can touch them.
buckeyegirl
Mon Nov 9 2009 09:50
WOW, amazing game, see what happens when offense/defense show up for the same game
It wasn't a touchdown..
Sun Nov 8 2009 17:35
Ohio State 24, Penn State 0, Replay Booth 7.
Erin says Go Bucks!
Sun Nov 8 2009 15:24
I attended the game and sat far from the Buckeye visitors section, in the heart of lifelong Penn State fans. I was so impressed by the PSU fans' hospitality and classy sportsmanship. They were gracious losers and wished Ohio State best of luck for the rest of the season. Our guys on the OSU sideline also held their composure in a white-out environment and represented our University well (and make the USC sideline's behavior in a hostile road environment all the more embarrassing for them).

I fully understand the frustrations this season, but I hope OSU fans take the players' and PSU fans' example and learn how to balance intense support for the Bucks with better hospitality to visiting fans and players. We can do better, and the Big Ten deserves classy sportsmanship from its outright Big Ten Champion's fans, too.

Larry in Portland
Sun Nov 8 2009 12:45
Win or lose, the Buckeye uniforms always look great next to the black and white Target (or was it Walmart?) specials.
Still waiting
Sun Nov 8 2009 11:56
I'm happy for yesterday, but still concerned about the future. Pryor is a good quarterback because sometimes he makes up for his poor passing with a long run. However, that won't cut it against the best teams like, Florida, USC, LSU, etc... Accuracy has more to with timing and good decision making then athleticism. I'm not sure why year in and year out we always have one of the best defenses, good receivers, good running backs, good offensive line, etc...but we never have one of the best quarterbacks???
4buckeyesOHIO
Sun Nov 8 2009 11:17
lights out fo the White out.
BVB
Sun Nov 8 2009 10:08
Way to go Buckeye Football!!

Congratulations to the OSU Men's Soccer Team who won the BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP last night by defeating Michigan 1-0!!

JeffT
Sun Nov 8 2009 08:59
They played a good second half. Now that Stanzi is out, they can't let up against Iowa. Michigan is fading, as expected, so 10-2 looking good.
Billium
Sun Nov 8 2009 08:40
A decent second half but poor play calling hindered as usual. PSU is much inferior to past years so don't take too much out of this. Pryor is a good runner when he decides to run early and seemed to keep his cool but still has a huge way to go to be a QB. What bothers me most his how he does not interact with the team and is certainly not a leader. Maybe he will work on that along with his non-existent footwork.
Adam
Sun Nov 8 2009 06:10
It was reviewed. If you remember the extra point needed to be kicked again. The officials got the notice just before the snap. On TV they explained it when coming back from commerical.
John
Sun Nov 8 2009 00:08
We had that shut out. Why was PSU's 'touchdown' not reviewed?
CK
Sat Nov 7 2009 23:50
Where was this team for the USC and Purdue games? The team- and Pryor- made me proud today. Let's do this again next week on home turf against Iowa for the coveted Big 10 championship. The Michigan game should be a no-brainer.
M.
Sat Nov 7 2009 21:36
Awesome game, just awesome!
Laurie
Sat Nov 7 2009 21:22
perhaps now the Buckeye bashing will stop....great game, just superb!!
Dave
Sat Nov 7 2009 21:17
now that's the way they should have been playing all year............kudos to the O-line
Amanda
Sat Nov 7 2009 20:48
should be noted, the lone Penn State score was not a touchdown. Go D!!!






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