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5 things we learned from Ohio State football's 38-14 win over Penn State
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- 5 things we learned from Ohio State football's 38-14 win over Penn State
Here are four things we learned from No. 1 Ohio State's 31-14 win over Penn State on Nov. 1:
Big plays make the difference for Ohio State
If not for the quick-strike capability of the Buckeyes ' offense, a few red flags might be more concerning.
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The running game continues to be up and down, and CJ Donaldson's fumble breathed life into the Nittany Lions as they were falling behind just before halftime. Red-zone trips are not an automatic 7 points for Ohio State, either.
But the issues remain almost trivial as long as the Buckeyes can dial up a deep ball at any point and move down the field in chunks.
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin had three passes that went for 45+ yards in a 31-14 win over Penn State on Nov. 1.
Quarterback Julian Sayin connected with wide receiver Carnell Tate on passes of 45 and 57 yards and also hit Jeremiah Smith for a pass of 57 yards.
Sayin's 45-yard completion to Tate resulted in a touchdown in the second quarter, while the others put the Buckeyes deep in Penn State's territory, positioning them for scores early in the third quarter.
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The ability of Sayin, Tate and Smith to take the top off defenses goes a long way.
Ohio State's Julian Sayin is at the forefront of the Heisman race
The buzz around Sayin's Heisman Trophy candidacy has been building in recent weeks, and the redshirt freshman's dissection of Penn State puts him front and center entering the last month of the regular season.
Sayin was as effective as he had been at any point, throwing for 316 yards and four touchdowns. Only three of his 23 passes fell incomplete, and two were throwaways. He averaged 13.7 yards per attempt, his best against an FBS opponent.
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The stage might have been the most significant factor in elevating his candidacy, though, as he faced another blue blood in FOX's prime midday time slot.
It was likely the largest audience that saw the Buckeyes since the opening week, reintroducing Sayin to a large swath of voters for college football's most prestigious player of the year award.
The stretch run will determine Sayin's chances of lifting the trophy, needing a win in The Game and the potential Big Ten championship game, where he is in line to face Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, the conference's other prolific passer.
Matt Patricia's halftime adjustments matter
Penn State was starting to bully the Buckeyes at the line of scrimmage during the second quarter.
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The Nittany Lions ate nearly 8 minutes of game clock on its first touchdown drive, using formations with extra offensive linemen and tight ends to open holes for running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen .
When Singleton ran for a 3-yard touchdown to cap off the drive, it was on a sweep behind the linemen.
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive coordinator Matt Patricia celebrates with Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles (0) and linebacker Arvell Reese (8) following the NCAA football game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 1, 2025.
But the Ohio State defense held both backs to just 18 yards on eight combined carries during the second half. Allen was twice stuffed for gains of no yards.
The Buckeyes also managed to get pressure on Ethan Grunkemeyer, the redshirt freshman quarterback from Olentangy who was making only his second career start. Grunkemeyer was sacked four times over the third and fourth quarters.
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Penn State totaled just 60 yards of offense during the second half, including minus-21 yards on the ground, after finishing with 140 yards in the first half.
The Nittany Lions' 200 total yards were their fewest since a loss at Michigan in 2018.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Bo Jackson (25) runs during the NCAA football game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 1, 2025.
Ohio State's Bo Jackson offers hope for the running game
The Buckeyes' rushing attack has been a sore spot at times between a lack of explosive runs and trouble in short-yardage situations.
But Jackson remains a bright spot, providing a reason for optimism that the Buckeyes could turn a corner down the stretch.
Jackson had his first 100-yard rushing game against a Big Ten opponent, finishing with 105 yards on 13 carries.
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While nearly half of his yards came on a breakaway run of 51 yards early in the fourth quarter, he also had carries of 11 yards and 9 yards.
The Buckeyes continue to favor Donaldson as their preferred back in short-yardage situations, but Jackson continues to be their best bet at finding a burst.
There is little love lost for Jim Knowles
The Ohio Stadium video board showed Knowle s in the booth during the fourth quarter.
Knowles, the former Ohio State defensive coordinator who left for Penn State in January, drew a flurry of boos from the crowd.
It was harsh reception for the former assistant who had a significant role in helping the Buckeyes capture the national championship last season.
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But it was evident that leaving for one of the Buckeyes' fiercest competitors in the Big Ten overshadowed much of his previous work in the eyes of the fan base at large.
The operations staff only added fuel to the fire by cutting back and forth between Knowles and Patricia, who replaced him as defensive coordinator.
While they would boo Knowles, they cheered Patricia.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow along on Bluesky , Instagram and X for more.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football beats Penn State. 5 things we learned from win
