STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Will Howard passed for 182 yards and two touchdowns, while the fourth-ranked Ohio State defense put forth a strong effort late in the game, enabling the Buckeyes to secure a narrow 20-13 victory against third-ranked Penn State on Saturday.

Ohio State improved to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play, keeping their chances alive for a spot in the Big Ten Championship game by defeating the Nittany Lions for the eighth consecutive time. Howard, who felt spurned by Penn State’s decision not to extend him a scholarship, sought revenge in front of a record-setting home crowd of 111,030 at Beaver Stadium.

Despite not being flawless—Howard started with a pick-six on his opening throw and later fumbled while trying to cross the goal line—he managed to find Emeka Egbuka and Brandon Inniss for touchdowns in the first half. The resilient Ohio State defense stepped up, preventing Penn State from scoring a touchdown and stopping the Nittany Lions on critical drives deep in Buckeyes territory. Notably, defensive back Davison Igbinosun made a crucial play against Penn State receiver Harrison Wallace III to thwart a scoring attempt just before halftime.

Penn State faced a critical first-and-goal situation from the Ohio State 3-yard line in the fourth quarter but was unable to convert. Three ineffective rushes left them in a tough spot, and a failed fourth-and-goal attempt with 5:13 remaining cemented their fate.

Ohio State controlled the game’s final moments, running down the clock effectively and eventually moving to midfield. Howard capped off the victory with a run for the team’s 21st first down, celebrating with his teammates as the Buckeyes continued to strengthen their resume for the College Football Playoff, particularly following a narrow defeat to top-ranked Oregon just three weeks prior.

For Penn State, quarterback Drew Allar, who was limited by a sore left leg, threw for 146 yards and added 31 rushing yards. The Nittany Lions’ revamped offense under new coordinator Andy Kotelnicki struggled to maintain momentum in Buckeye territory. Tight end Tyler Warren achieved a combined total of 94 yards (47 rushing and 47 receiving) but lacked support from the rest of the offense.

Takeaways from the game indicate that while Ohio State’s offense may not be as explosive as in past seasons, they continue to prevail against Penn State, suggesting their physical style of play may bode well as the postseason approaches. For Penn State, head coach James Franklin fell to 1-9 against Ohio State, and this defeat mirrored previous losses, highlighting a struggle for explosive plays and a difficult time competing physically at home.

Following the matchup, Ohio State is projected to climb to at least No. 3 in the rankings, while Penn State is expected to stay around the edge of the top 10.

Looking ahead, Ohio State will host Purdue next Saturday, whereas Penn State will face off against Washington that same day.