With Ryan Day at a crossroads at Ohio State, the Buckeyes earned a few weeks of consolation

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Penn State is the big lifeblood for Ohio State. The Nittany Lions are good enough to make the Buckeyes feel like they accomplished something by beating them, but never good enough to actually beat Ohio State.

Let's take the last two possessions of the game, which lasted 10:13 minutes, included 20 plays and produced no points.

The first of those two drives ended with a score by the Ohio State defense, which stopped the Nittany Lions in four plays after a first-and-goal at the 3. The second was a time-consuming, nail-biting march by the Buckeyes, led by their beleaguered offensive line and capped by a winning lineup that gave a program and a coach that faced more pressure than anyone in the country this season, not just a top-five finish. Victory, but also a few weeks of peace.

With a 20-13 win Saturday against No. 3 Penn State that felt very familiar, the fourth-seeded Buckeyes didn't necessarily make an emphatic statement but rather came off the ropes.

“We were at a crossroads,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “That was a big game. We really didn't want to say that publicly. We said that behind closed doors. This was a big game for us for many reasons.”

Day improved to 3-6 in AP Top 5 matches at Ohio State.

“It just shows the courage and toughness of this team. Here’s a smile on my face and I’m really proud of this team and the physicality.” @JennyTaft is catching up @OhioStateFBis Ryan Day after a huge win over Penn State ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/dto7zA1tJs

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 2, 2024

The expectations for Day and these Buckeyes are enormous. They are the $20 million team full of players who could already command NFL salaries. These players were enticed by NIL deals and unfinished business – not necessarily in that order – to return for another year. None of these Buckeyes have ever beaten Michigan. Ohio State hasn't won the Big Ten since the 2020 pandemic season.

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Advancement into an expanded 12-team College Football Playoff is taken for granted for Ohio State, but after its loss to Oregon three weeks ago and narrowly escaping Nebraska at home last week… well, panic is quick to set in in Columbus these days out of.

Just one more loss and a place in the playoffs would be in doubt for the Buckeyes. Imagine Day's team breaking its three-game losing streak against Michigan and then playing in the Citrus Bowl. Would it even still be Day’s team?

The results of the last two games were concerning, but even more concerning was the loss of two left tackles to injuries. A unit that was already considered the biggest question mark in a star-studded offensive appeared to be in crisis.

The solution: Move All-America guard Donovan Jackson to left tackle and put Carson Hinzman, last season's starting center who was relegated to reserve, back into Jackson's left guard spot. Hinzman lost his job this season to Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin. Day said they turned to junior Hinzman because the team felt his experience was important against good defenses in a loud and hostile environment.

“There was no concern whatsoever about Carson moving to the left side. We knew he was going to dominate,” Jackson said.

Jackson hadn't played tackle since high school. “It’s a different staff that you’re competing against. As a guard, you go up against players who weigh over 300 pounds, and when you get over the block, you take two steps and they run into your face and try to rush you or make a move on you. When you're tackling, man, you're almost on an island. And you’re going up against guys who are as fast as wideouts.”

Jackson faced one of the craziest pass rushers in college football – Penn State's Abdul Carter – and was twice beaten for sacks at the rim.

“I am by no means saying that I have achieved a Herculean achievement. A lot of people helped put me in the right place, but I was proud of what we did on the field,” he said.

Ohio State should come out of this encouraged.

Last week against Nebraska, Ohio State University's two uber-talented tailbacks, Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, averaged under 3.0 yards per carry. Against a Penn State defense that ranked seventh nationally with 3.18 yards allowed per carry, the two ran 24 times for 6.2 yards per attempt – even when they needed it most.

But first the Buckeyes defense had to assert itself.

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After shutting out Drew Allar and Penn State for most of the day, the Nittany Lions rallied from a 20-13 fourth quarter deficit to first-and-goal in the third quarter.

Even though it was just a one-point game, Ohio State felt like it was in control at that point. That feeling suddenly disappeared when Tyler Warren rolled toward the goal line on one of the few explosive plays the Nittany Lions made all day.

On the next three plays, Penn State tested the middle of Ohio State's defense with Kaytron Allen runs, managing only two yards.

“We were able to thrive in those moments,” Ohio State University defensive end JT Tuimoloau said. “You know, if you shy away from those moments, you’re not here to play Big Ten football. And for us, you know, we've solidified who the silver bullets are and what we're supposed to be and what we're capable of.”

A fourth-down pass had almost no chance as the Buckeyes' defensive backs pressured Penn State's receivers as they had done all day.

BUCKEYES😤📈
pic.twitter.com/VyDDhTZiIb

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 2, 2024

“It shows that there is courage and toughness, that there is never giving up, that there is a ‘give me an inch and I will defend it’ mentality,” Day said.

Day was seemingly on a perpetual mission to prove his team's toughness, whether Lou Holtz called it out or not. If the defensive stance wasn't enough to prove Day's point, then the Buckeyes' final drive certainly was.

It started with 5:13 left with a 4-yard quarterback sneak by Will Howard that crossed the goal line.

“Our O-line is unbelievable in this,” Howard said. “The biggest thing about this drive was the quarterback sneak on the first play.”

Nine more runs followed, none of more than 15 yards.

“As soon as the situation arose that we had to run to win the game, we thought: come on. This is what matters in all the film sessions, all the teachings and all the practices we do,” Jackson said. “So we say, come on, let’s run the ball.”

On the second of two third-down conversions by Howard, he slipped while signaling for first down. The Pennsylvania native, who ended up at Kansas State after not being recruited by the Nittany Lions, had no choice but to take a knee.

Will Howard and Ohio State were good enough 🙌#B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/HU5SmaTgtO

– Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) November 2, 2024

“We wanted this game. We talked about it earlier in the week,” Howard said. “We have to prevail to win this game. There's no way we can lose. And that’s how we played.”

Of course, that's how it works between Ohio State and Penn State. The Buckeyes have now won eight games in a row. Most of them go like this: Strange plays – Howard had two turnovers worth 14 points in the first half – Ohio State wins late in the fourth quarter.

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“Probably the busiest locker room I’ve been in in a long time,” Day said.

The Buckeyes now return home with their groove on and have games against Purdue and Northwestern ahead of them. Everyone can take a breather around the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

Two more challenges remain: No. 13 Indiana at home on Nov. 23 (imagine writing that sentence in August?) and Michigan — which admittedly isn't much of a challenge right now.

“It takes a lot to be the head coach at Ohio State,” Day said. “You can say ignore everything that happens, but your players read it, your coaches read it, your staff read it, your families read it and you have to stay strong in those moments.”

(Photo: Scott Taetsch / Getty)