Much has been made about coach James Franklin and Penn State's inability to get over the Ohio State hump in the week leading up to Saturday's Week 10 game. Franklin came into the contest with a 1-9 career mark against the Buckeyes since taking the Penn State job and had lost seven straight.
But this was supposed to be his best chance to end the losing streak. Penn State hosted the game with a perfect 7-0 record. Ohio State was reeling, coming off a loss to Oregon followed by a near disaster at home against Nebraska. The Buckeyes lost a starting left tackle in both games and were forced to move left guard Donovan Jackson -- their best offensive lineman -- over to tackle to play a position he'd never started before, weakening their entire offensive line in the process.
There was blood in the water, and Penn State, armed with a ferocious defense that ranked in the top 20 nationally in pressure rate, havoc rate and negative play rate, was ready to take advantage of it. And early on, it seemed like that's exactly what would happen.
After opening the game with a 14-play, 61-yard field goal drive to give the Nittany Lions an early 3-0 lead, Penn State corner Zion Tracy made a spectacular play on the Buckeyes' first third-down attempt. Ohio State wideouts Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka crossed at the line of scrimmage, and Tracy jumped the route as Ohio State quarterback Will Howard began to make the throw that was supposed to be easy. It turned out it was easy for Tracy, who picked the pass off and returned it 31 yards for a pick six to give Penn State a 10-0 lead.
A record sellout crowd of 111,030 at Beaver Stadium erupted. For once in this rivalry, things seemed to finally be going Penn State's way. Not only did it seem Penn State was positioned to win the game, but positioned to knock Ohio State out of the Big Ten title race entirely.
It wouldn't. Penn State scored only three more points on the day and watch the 10-point lead evaporate helplessly.
No. 4 Ohio State 20, No. 3 Penn State 13.
On the whole, things did go somewhat according to plan. The defense did play well. Ohio State was held to 4.4 yards per carry on the ground. Howard averaged only 7.6 yards per pass attempt. The Nittany Lions finished with three sacks and six tackles for loss.
Along with the pick six, the Lions forced a Howard fumble at the goal line that went out of bounds for a touchback, stripping the Buckeyes of another would-be touchdown.
And, yet, they still lost.
As has been the case too often, the Nittany Lions offense was a no-show. Quarterback Drew Allar, the former five-star prospect who was supposed to be the difference-maker and had played well this season, finished 12 of 20 passing for 146 yards, zero touchdowns and an interception.
The team's leading rusher was its tight end (Tyler Warren, 47 yards); its leading receiver was a running back (Nick Singleton, six catches for 54 yards).
New offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki's offense went 3 of 11 on third down and scored only three points on three trips to the red zone. It managed only 3.8 yards per carry and struggled to get the ball into the hands of its best play-maker, Warren, who had targets and three carries.
On a day when Ohio State was less than 100%, didn't play its A-game, had two crucial turnovers and spotted the Nittany Lions a 10-point lead, Penn State still failed to beat the Buckeyes. The losing streak is extended another season, and Franklin falls to 1-10 against the Buckeyes.
If the Nittany Lions couldn't get the job done today, why should we ever believe they will?