STATE COLLEGE − Twice Penn State football had a first down inside the 5-yard line Saturday against the all-powerful Ohio State Buckeyes.
Both times, the Nittany Lions failed to cash in touchdowns.
Both times they failed to score at all.
So no matter how hard the defense fought all afternoon, no matter how gutsy quarterback Drew Allar ran and threw with an injured knee, the Nittany Lions fell – once again in excruciating, head-shaking fashion – to their long-time nemesis.
Despite even playing in front of a record-setting Beaver Stadium crowd.
The No. 3 Nittany Lions (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) lost for the eighth straight time to the No. 4 Buckeyes (7-1, 4-1). This time it was 20-13.
And much of it hinged on Penn State failures to end the first half and with less than six minutes to go in the game. On the first, Allar threw an interception thanks to a stunning defensive play to steal the ball away from receiver Tre Wallace.
On the second, the Lions were stuffed four times with the ball on the 3-yard line, down just seven points.
Here are three key observations from the Lions’ first defeat of the season:
The Penn State defense answered every charge by what may be the nation’s most talented offense.
The Nittany Lions made the electric, first-quarter interception return for a touchdown.
They forced a touchdown-saving fumble and got the ball back. They nearly forced another game-changing turnover early in the fourth quarter that was overturned.
They controlled Ohio State’s stars when it mattered most.
They played better than the final score or stats would indicate. Zakee Wheatley (10 tackles, pass breakup and that touchdown-saving forced fumble) and Abdul Carter (four tackles, pair of sacks) were two of the best.
The Lions wideouts and tight ends just could not get open.
This stat says it all: Tailback Nick Singleton led the Lions in receiving with six catches for 54 yards.
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When Allar finally did seek out a wideout, such as Wallace, he had to make a stunning catch in tight coverage or had the ball stolen away from him for a killer interception.
Only a last-minute push gave Allar − who played much of the first half wearing a leg brace − more first-half yards passing (62) then rushing (41).
Penn State’s backup quarterback owns a promising future. He’s a true weapon not only with his running ability but with the way he can boost the overall run game.
But it’s really only working if Beau Pribula is running the offense.
Not with coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s continued use of subbing Pribula in for starter Allar for a play or two at a time.
This now-and-again substitution strategy hasn’t proven overly useful at all this season, and it truly went nowhere against the elite Ohio State defense. Pribula completed one first-half pass for 4 yards. He ran the ball once for no gain. He handed off the ball with little success.
He did a marvelous job in relief the previous week at Wisconsin when in control of the offense. Otherwise, his change-of-pace plays have done nothing more than rendered the starting quarterback useless.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
