It took a half to get going, but once Ohio State hit its stride, there was no looking back. The top-ranked Buckeyes shook off a slow start and dominated the second half to keep their unbeaten season alive.
Ohio State QB Julian Sayin was spectacular, throwing for 316 yards and four touchdowns, while Jeremiah Smith found the end zone twice in a statement win over Penn State on “Big Noon Saturday.”
Here are my takeaways:
Julian Sayin for Heisman
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin put another outstanding performance on tape Saturday. He completed 20 of 23 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns in the Buckeyes’ 38–14 win over Penn State. Sayin has now topped 300 passing yards in five of eight games and completed at least 78% of his throws in six of them.
Heisman voters usually reward the best player on the best team — and right now, Ohio State is clearly that team. If the voting ended today, Sayin would likely earn more votes than anyone else. He’s got mine.
Julian Sayin finds Jeremiah Smith for a 14-yard TD to give Ohio State a lead over Penn State
Jeremiah Smith or Carnell Tate?
Each of them has a legitimate case not only to be WR1 at Ohio State, but also to hold the title of best wide receiver in the country, and perhaps the next Biletnikoff Award winner. Together, the Buckeye duo combined for 11 catches, 247 yards, and three touchdowns in an aerial showcase from the nation’s top-ranked team.
Ohio State WR Carnell Tate recorded his fourth 100-yard performance of the season. He entered the game with 587 receiving yards — already four more than he totaled in all of 2024 — and left with 711 yards through eight games this year.
Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith, who hauled in a highlight-reel catch for his second touchdown of the day, continues to draw double-teams from defenses and still has managed 602 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Jeremiah Smith makes OUTRAGEOUS ONE-HANDED TD CATCH, extending Ohio State’s lead over Penn State
Buckeye defense amps up
After giving up 14 first-half points to a Penn State team without QB Drew Allar and head coach James Franklin, the Buckeye defense clamped down. In the second half, the Buckeyes allowed just 1 yard on Penn State’s first 17 plays. The Buckeye defense also held the Penn State offense to just 200 total yards, including a paltry 55 rushing yards despite PSU star running backs Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton combining to carry the ball 27 times.
The Buckeyes, having held all of its opponents to 16 points or fewer, continues to showcase the best scoring defense in the country.
Ohio State will be the No. 1 team in the first College Football Playoff rankings
The Buckeyes are 8-0, and they’ve held every opponent this season to 16 points or fewer. With four games left on the schedule — and just one against a ranked team — it’s reasonable to believe Ohio State will play for its first Big Ten title since 2020 and could enter the new 12-team College Football Playoff as the No. 1 seed.
For Ryan Day, this season couldn’t be going much better. In a year when programs like Penn State, Florida, and LSU have all fired their head coaches, Day’s new hires at offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, and offensive line have looked as if they’ve been part of the Buckeye staff for years. In Brian Hartline’s case, that’s literally true. And his receiver room continues to thrive as he calls plays for a quarterback as accurate and gifted as any to ever run out of the tunnel at The Shoe.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes Highlights | FOX College Football
4 ½: What’s next?
Ohio State should still be viewed as the favorite to win the national title. This team is firing on all cylinders, with a pair of Heisman hopefuls at quarterback and wide receiver and the most dominant defense in the sport.
For Penn State, it’s back to the drawing board. Things don’t get any easier for the Nittany Lions, who now face a daunting home clash with No. 2 Indiana.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him @RJ_Young.
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