Carnell Tate (17) and Julian Sayin (10) line up before a play during Ohio State’s 38-14 win over Penn State, Saturday at Ohio Stadium. Credit: Liam Ahern | Sports Photo Editor
Before the 2025 season kicked off, Ohio State’s Week 10 matchup against Penn State was circled as a marquee showdown of the college football slate.
The Nittany Lions’ collapse and firing of coach James Franklin dulled the buildup, but when the Buckeyes ran through the tunnel on a crisp Saturday afternoon, the roar from a black-clad Ohio Stadium crowd made it feel like a top-five showdown anyway.
In the end, the Buckeyes buried the Nittany Lions with 21 unanswered second-half points, cruising 38-14 to their ninth straight win in the series. For Penn State it was another low in a season gone sideways, but for Ohio State, it was yet another dominating performance that kept it unbeaten on the year.
“We constantly talk about being consistent week in, week out,” head coach Ryan Day said. “It doesn’t matter who the opponent is. And I thought this was a good example of really testing the theory up and seeing where our team was in this area.”
Ohio State was nearly flawless again on offense, piling up 480 yards and scoring on all but two possessions.
Quarterback Julian Sayin delivered another Heisman-caliber outing, completing 20 of 23 passes for 316 yards and four touchdowns. The deep ball was working, as he connected on three throws of 40 yards or more, and his command of the offense made it look effortless.
Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith were once again unguardable, combining for 247 yards and two scores to reaffirm their status as the best receiving tandem in college football.
“If there are two better wide receivers in the country, I’d like to see them,” Day said.
Penn State’s defensive front created more pressure than most teams have this season, but Sayin’s poise neutralized it. He slid through collapsing pockets, extended plays with his legs and never looked rattled.
But even with the Buckeyes’ dominance on offense, they were tested early.
A CJ Donaldson fumble with just under two minutes left in the first half set up a 13-yard Penn State touchdown drive, cutting Ohio State’s lead to three and giving the Nittany Lions momentum for the only time all day.
It was the second touchdown allowed by a Buckeye defense that came into Saturday’s game, not allowing a first-half touchdown all year.
“We came in at halftime, we were up by three,” Day said. “You would have thought we’re down by 21.”
However, even when the defense faltered, the offense responded immediately.
Sayin and company scored on both possessions following the touchdowns, first with a six-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 45-yard strike to Tate, and then with a 57-yard back-shoulder dart to him on the opening drive of the second half.
“We were kind of disappointed about that last drive turning the ball over,” Sayin said. “So coming out of halftime…we took a shot on the second play and it hit.”
The Buckeyes’ efficiency through the air eventually allowed the run game to regain momentum.
After two sluggish weeks on the ground, the Buckeyes finally found a spark. Freshman running back Bo Jackson ripped off a 51-yard run, Ohio State’s second-longest of the season and its first gain of 20 or more yards in nearly a month.
From there, the defense slammed the door.
Ohio State bounced back from its first-half struggles and allowed just 60 yards in the last two quarters. They sacked Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer four times, ending any hope of a comeback.
The 24-point win is the largest win against Penn State in Day’s seven seasons as head coach, making it hard for him to dwell on the Buckeyes’ mistakes.
“We just won 38-14 against Penn State,” Day said. “If you said that to me about two months ago I don’t think I would be talking about one fumble that we had.”
