It was a heart-pumping, sweaty palm affair for a while against Penn State, but Ohio State got its act together in the fourth quarter and earned a huge 44-31 win in Happy Valley against a top-15 opponent. It’s the type of gut-check win you can hang your hat on and build upon.
After every game, we like to reflect and peel the layers back on the scarlet and gray onion to dissect what we saw and what we think we learned about this Buckeye squad.
There is a ton we can examine after the first real, true road test Ohio State has faced this season and one that the Buckeyes absolutely had to have to stay among the top of the Big Ten East race and an inside track to the College Football Playoff.
Here are five things we think we learned after Ohio State took care of business at Penn State.
Running game struggles are now a trend
Penn State has five TFLs. Ohio State has none. The running game has struggled two weeks in a row. That officially makes it a concern.
— Tony Gerdeman (@TonyGerdeman) October 29, 2022
One week is an aberration. Two in a row and we’re starting to look at a trend. There was a big, big emphasis on becoming a tougher team and being able to bludgeon opponents on the ground when the need arose this season.
After the game against Notre Dame in which the Buckeyes were able to do just that in the fourth quarter and put the game away, there was evidence that a change in culture was there.
But not now.
After struggling to get yards on the ground against Iowa last week continuing into this week vs. Penn State and you have to worry about OSU’s chances against a team like Michigan and whomever it matches up with in the postseason. The offense started to get going a little more in the fourth quarter on the ground, but it was a struggle for much of the game.
The defense showed a few leaks today
🙌 @PennStateFball TAKES THE LEAD IN HAPPY VALLEY 🔥 pic.twitter.com/zl1C9CAP5i
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 29, 2022
There is no doubt this defense is a much-improved unit when stacking it up against what we saw over the last couple of years. Statistically speaking, it’s one of the best in the country, and the defense was nowhere in the stratosphere of being the best last season.
And while the Buckeyes forced a lot of turnovers in this one to really set the pace, there were issues with stopping the run at times and with giving up too much space down the field. Truth be known, it is a high-risk/high-reward defense, but there are still things to work on.
Penn State gobbled up 482 yards of offense, and I think defensive coordinator Jim Knowles isn’t going to be happy with that.
But …
Speaking of turnovers
J.T. TUIMOLOAU PICK SIX 😤
THIS GUY IS UNREAL 🔥@OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/sMn0dh5MpJ
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 29, 2022
However, remember when there were questions surrounding why this new look, aggressive defense wasn’t creating turnovers before the Iowa game? That’s not a question any longer. Ohio State forced six turnovers against the Hawkeyes and followed that with four today on the road.
That’s 10 turnovers in two games and there’s also a defensive touchdown in two straight games. Stopping opponents and getting them off the field on third down is one way to stifle a team, but creating turnovers is another, more demoralizing way.
Can we get both though?
J.T. Tuimoloau is coming of age
JT(urnovers) https://t.co/dmUOWBIP6d
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 29, 2022
They call him JTT, but we know him more formally as defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau. He was a huge difference-maker today and may not have another game like this one the rest of his career. He tipped one pass that resulted in an interception, had a pick-six, a forced fumble he recovered, two sacks, and more than a few quarterback hurries.
I’m not sure Ohio State wins this game without Tuimoloau and the future is bright for him going forward. Remember, he’s just a true sophomore, so there’s still more time for him to develop and show even more flashes of what he can become.
The passing game won this one
CJ & Cade🤝 https://t.co/ggn1pKnxvB
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 29, 2022
We keep hearing that Ohio State has to be able to run the ball, and we believe it, too. Occasionally though, you just run into a game that’s a statistical anomaly and this one would certainly be in that column. Penn State outgained and outrushed Ohio State but still lost the game, mostly because of turnovers, but also because of the Buckeyes’ ability to move the ball through the air.
C.J. Stroud and Marvin Harrison Jr were absolute studs in the passing game. Stroud was 26-of-33 for 354 yards and a touchdown, a lot of that going to Harrison who caught 10 passes for 185 yards. Penn State came in wanting to take the running game away and did until the fourth quarter. Ohio State did business through the air and it worked today.
However, down the line, you have to feel like the running game has to be better (cough, cough — Michigan).
Onward and upward …
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