Column: Penn State makes up ground where it counts
The plays are familiar to Penn State fans, whether desirable or not. Leading No. 2-ranked Ohio State on Oct. 29, 2022, the Nittany Lions found themselves in a fourth quarter filled with game-defining performances.
After taking a 21-16 lead with about 10 minutes to play, Buckeyes’ quarterback C.J. Stroud engineered a three-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to take a lead. He hit Marvin Harrison over the middle to reach midfield. He followed with an easy pickup to Emeka Egbuka for another first down. And, TreVeyon Henderson capped the stunning turn with a 43-yard jaunt through Penn State’s defense and into the end zone.
Suddenly trailing 23-21, the Nittany Lions further fell apart. Facing a second-and-4 at the 31-yard line, Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford’s arm was swatted by J.T. Tuimoloau, forcing the ball to the Beaver Stadium turf. Recovered by the star defensive end, he returned possession to Ohio State.
With the opportunity, the Buckeyes’ third takeaway of the game to that point, Stroud delivered another shot. This time, he found tight end Cade Stover at the hash. He broke three Penn State tackles to again reach the end zone.
Though Penn State punched back with a field goal to create a one-possession game with enough time remaining, Ohio State had yet another answer. This time, Stroud hit Harrison Jr. for two first downs. Egbuka then produced a beautiful 42-yard reception. And, Henderson cashed in to put the game out of reach.
Of course, for good measure, Clifford was intercepted by Tuimoloau on a remarkable play at the line of scrimmage, the defensive end taking it back himself to complete the pick-six. What’d been a 2-point Penn State lead seven minutes prior transformed into a 44-24 Ohio State advantage.
It was, effectively, the scenario Penn State head coach James Franklin outlined Wednesday night. Asked what it takes to win this type of game, against this type of opponent, he ticked all of the boxes that were inflicted upon his Nittany Lions, both externally and via self, in the loss last year.
“You got to put yourself in a position to win those games,” Franklin said. “If you look at the NFL, typically those games come down to one-possession games. And when you’re playing two highly ranked teams competing against each other, that’s typically how it’s going to come down. It’s going to come down to a one-possession game.
“And usually one of two things happened. Situational football is going to win the game for you, and [your team] understanding how to handle situational football, whether it’s two-minute or four-minute, and the ability for you to close the game on your terms. Or, talent… over time, the talent takes over. So those are the two things.”
Penn State changes for the better?
The question for Penn State heading into a Saturday showdown with the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium (noon, FOX), is whether or not the Nittany Lions have changed enough of those dynamics to generate an equally changed outcome this season.
Certainly, many of the faces on both teams are going to be the same on Saturday. Tuimoloau and Harrison Jr. are still making massive plays for the Buckeyes. Each is projected as a potential first-round NFL Draft selection. Henderson has missed the past two games due to injury and remains listed as questionable for this weekend’s tilt. Egbuka got hurt two games ago and sat out the last game against Purdue, also bringing a questionable status into Saturday.
There are, of course, many key personnel differences heading into Saturday, too. They start at the quarterback position for both teams. While Stroud has established himself as the best rookie signal-caller in the NFL this season, Clifford is serving as a backup in Green Bay. In their places, Kyle McCord has thrown for 1,651 yards and 11 touchdowns with just one interception in six games for Ohio State. Drew Allar, meanwhile, has generated 1,254 passing yards with 12 touchdowns, without throwing any interceptions.
At right tackle, a healthy Caedan Wallace will stand where Bryce Effner filled in last season. At linebacker, Tyler Elsdon has ceded his starting Mike job to Kobe King. And, the Nittany Lions boast three projected first-round draft selections themselves this year in Olu Fashanu, Chop Robinson, and Kalen King.
In the other locker room, Ohio State will be without offensive linemen Paris Johnson, Dawand Jones, and Luke Wypler. A virtual line shift up front for the Buckeyes, their replacements have been pointed to as a potential vulnerability of the offense this season.
What comes of those changes could hold the key to Saturday’s outcome, a point Franklin subtly acknowledged on Wednesday night.
“I think we have closed the gap with a lot of what people would consider the top five programs in the country. We have slowly chipped away at that. So, we’ve put ourselves in a much better position,” he said. “But, I think it’s going to come down to a one-possession game. And we got to be able to find a way to win that situation at the end of the game; whatever it is, four-minute, two-minute, whatever it may be. We got to be able to capitalize in that situation on the road in a tough environment.”
Evaluating the critical final 10 minutes of last year’s game, and the specific personnel losses and additions between last year and this for each team, Franklin’s sentiment rings particularly true.
Though very much an opponent representing the most difficult challenge the Nittany Lions have faced this season, Ohio State’s 1:1 steps backward (even if slight) coincide with the improvements Penn State has enjoyed between last year and this.
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