STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The last time Ohio State visited Beaver Stadium, it escaped by the thinnest of margins.
On Saturday night, the Buckeyes weren't as fortunate.
Penn State stunned No. 2 Ohio State, 24-21, in front of a hostile crowd of 107,280 to knock the Buckeyes from the ranks of the unbeaten.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OHIO STATE | 0 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 21 |
| PENN STATE | 0 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 24 |
It was a 60-yard return of a blocked field by the Nittany Lions' Grant Haley that decided the game. With Ohio State leading 21-17, Penn State's Marcus Allen blocked a Tyler Durbin field goal attempt and Haley returned it for the game-winning score.
The Buckeyes' final drive stalled after a Penn State sack and Ohio State failed to convert a 4th-and-23.
| Ohio State | Stat | PENN STATE |
|---|---|---|
| 413 | NET TOTAL YARDS | 276 |
| 168 | RUSHING YARDS | 122 |
| 40 | RUSHING ATTEMPTS | 37 |
| 4.2 | AVERAGE PER RUSH | 3.3 |
| 1 | RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS | 1 |
| 245 | PASSING YARDS | 154 |
| 28–43 | COMPLETIONS–ATTEMPTS | 8–23 |
| 8.8 | AVERAGE PER COMPLETION | 19.2 |
| 1 | PASSING TOUCHDOWNS | 1 |
| 19 | 1st DOWNS | 13 |
| 9 | RUSHING 1st DOWNS | 6 |
| 9 | PASSING 1st DOWNS | 6 |
| 1 | PENALTY 1st DOWNS | 1 |
| 83 | TOTAL PLAYS | 60 |
| 5.0 | YARDS PER PLAY | 4.6 |
| 2-2 | RED ZONE | 3-4 |
| 9-22 | 3rd DOWNS | 2-13 |
| 1-2 | 4th DOWNS | 0-1 |
| 8-45 | PENALTIES | 1-5 |
| 37:19 | POSSESSION | 22:41 |
Penn State also blocked a punt in the Buckeyes' territory that led to a field goal to get within 21-17. Ohio State led 21-7 thanks to a 74-yard touchdown run from Curtis Samuel and a safety, but the Nittany Lions responded with 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to win the game.
It was another slow start for the Ohio State offense.
The Buckeyes and Nittany Lions were scoreless after the first quarter, but after a 33-yard field goal from Tyler Durbin opened the scoring, Barrett hooked up with Marcus Baugh for a 26-yard touchdown strike to give Ohio State a 9-0 lead. Baugh caught Barrett's pass around the Penn State 10-yard line, shed a tackle and then spun away from another defender before leaping into the end zone for the score.
After another field goal by Durbin gave the Buckeyes a 12-0 lead, the Nittany Lions responded with a seven-play, 74-yard drive that took just 1 minute and ended with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Trace McSorley to Chris Godwin. At halftime, Ohio State held a 12-7 advantage.
The Buckeyes held a slight advantage in total offense in the first half as they outgained Penn State, 219-204. Barrett was 13-for-24 passing for 125 yards and a touchdown while Mike Weber carried the ball 12 times for 60 yards. Curtis Samuel was the team's leading receiver in the first half with four catches for 38 yards.
Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley had seven first-half carries for 56 yards. McSorley was just 5-for-15 through the air for 95 yards and a touchdown in the first half.
Ohio State will next be in action 3:30 p.m. Saturday when it hosts Northwestern.
