Ohio State defeated Penn State to advance to 2-0 for the 2020 season. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Over the last three seasons Ohio State and Penn State played down to the wire — with a combined 13 points separating the two programs since 2017 — this season, the Buckeyes had a much easier path to victory against the Nittany Lions.
Jumping out to a 21-3 lead, Ohio State (2-0) never looked back and went on to defeat Penn State (0-2) 38-25. The Buckeyes outgained the Nittany Lions by 201 yards, with the Ohio State defense holding a Penn State offense that gained 488 yards a week ago to 325 yards Saturday.
“Overall, I thought we played physical,” head coach Ryan Day said Saturday. “I thought we had good energy, I thought we played tough. It wasn’t clean but our guys just kept swinging away.”
Junior quarterback Justin Fields was once again perfect in the game’s opening quarter, going seven-for-seven for 81 yards and a touchdown. Fields finished the game 28-for-34 with 318 yards and four touchdowns.
Fields fell two yards short of breaking his career high of 320 passing yards set against Clemson in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl.
Fields said him and the rest of the team’s work in the offseason paid dividends for him and the Buckeyes.
“I feel very confident, just going back to what I said earlier, I think we put so much work in the offseason, I worked my butt off just trying to get better,” Fields said. “I think it’s paying off right now.”
Following a lackluster performance in the Buckeyes’ season opener, the Ohio State running game found a little more wiggle room Saturday. Redshirt sophomore running back Master Teague III ran free, picking up a 110 yards and a touchdown.
The backs weren’t the only contributors to the Buckeye rushing attack as sophomore wide receiver Garrett Wilson opened the game with a 62-yard tone-setting run. In the passing game, Wilson added 11 receptions for 111 yards.
Hauling in seven catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns, junior wide receiver Chris Olave eclipsed 100 receiving yards for a second consecutive game. Before the 2020 season, Olave’s only 100-yard performance came Nov. 16 against Rutgers.
This is the second straight week Olave and Wilson have each had over 100 yards receiving, marking the first time in Ohio State history that a pair of Buckeye receivers each eclipsed 100 yards in consecutive contests.
Penn State redshirt junior quarterback Sean Clifford had trouble finding room to operate against the Buckeyes in the opening half — completing only two of his passes.
In the second half, Clifford found more of a rhythm. He would finish the game with 281 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Junior wide receiver Jahan Dotson was the recipient of 144 yards and three touchdowns.
The Buckeye defensive line also had a bounce back performance, sacking Clifford four times and limiting the Nittany Lions rushing attack to 44 yards.
“Overall just a gutsy win on the road, hard to win here and proud of our guys,” Day said.
The Buckeyes will return home to play Rutgers (1-1) Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
