MotS&G Recap: #2 Ohio State vs Penn State

[Richard Tongohan]

Recap: #2 Ohio State vs Penn State
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
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The Ohio State Buckeyes are traveling away from the shoe for the second straight week and they look to beat rival Penn State at their house heavily influenced by the White Out conditions. The Buckeyes are fresh off of an ovetime win against the Wisconsin Badgers while Penn State enjoyed a bye week to prepare for a battle with the Buckeyes.

The game started off with the battle of the defenses. Another slow start and a scoreless first quarter for the Buckeyes. Special Teams has helped the team and tonight is no exception. Tyler Durbin has been a godsend for the Buckeyes with Sean Nuernberger being sidelined due to injury. Durbin has kicked in a pair of field goals, but he missed an extra point due to fellow Special Teamer, Cameron Johnston’s inability to maintain control of the snap. Cameron Johnston is also contributing to the cause, during the first half he punted the ball 4 times and has 199 yards. Per punt, Johnston is averaging 49.8 yards per punt. Crazy. To think that Special Teams is keeping the Buckeyes afloat until they get some momentum, hopefully the Buckeyes wake up in the second half.

J.T. Barrett and the offense has struggled through the first half, but prior to halftime, he picked up the team and threw a touchdown strike to Tight End Marcus Baugh. Barrett finished the first half 13 for 24 for 125 yards and a touchdown. He has 34 rushing yards on 6 carries and he pulled a Houdini as he used the football to stay upright to scramble for a 19-yard gain. Curtis Samuel is trying to help out, but the inconsistencies with the playcalling is evident and it is hurting the production of the offense once again. Mike Weber is also running with a purpose as he looks to become a mainstay in the Buckeyes offensive attack. Weber has 60-yards total and on 12 carries. Barrett is looking to share the load, but the Penn State Defense seems to be ready for the Ohio State Offense.

The Silver Bullets are flying around once again and they will look to assert their will and keep the Penn State Offense from making big plays. The Rushmen are looking as lethal as ever, constantly causing pressure in the pocket. The Scarlet Curtain has smothered the Penn State Receivers, but prior the halftime, they gave up back to back 20-yard plays that resulted in a touchdown. Nick Bosa also notched another sack to his season statistics. This is tough sledding for now, but the Buckeyes will weather the storms like they did against Wisconsin and they will do their job until they slow down the Nittany Lions. Good news is they struggled early against Saquon Barkley, but they have slowed him down enough to only allow him to gain 56 total yards.

Curtis Samuel scored on a 74-yard scamper on his first carry of the second half. This is the longest rushing play the Buckeyes have had this year and it comes during a perfect time to kill the vibe of the White Out. Ever since the play the crowd is noticeably quiet and they were silenced by the Buckeye Silencer Curtis Samuel. You think he single-handedly silenced the White Out? Penn State gave up a Safety to the Buckeyes Defense and they are now up by 14 with the ball after the punt. That is where the momentum stopped. The Buckeyes coaches got too cute and J.T. Barrett should just change his name to Captain Checkdown. Someone needs to go and the Receiver flat out stink. A nice pass get thrown to you and you lose it? Sour grapes. Bad taste in my mouth. Everything. I never thought that a Special Teams blunder which led to a touchdown would do the Buckeyes in. Meyers road streak is over and TTUN will probably wreck the Buckeyes at the end of the season. I am pessimistic, but this hurts. I am upset. Goodbye CFB Playoffs. Whoever calls the offensive plays… Please quit…

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