NCAAF · 10 months ago

5 Things We Learned about the Penn State Nittany Lions in Week 10’s Loss to OSU

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

5. "Big Game James"
James Franklin’s Penn State teams take care of business against nearly everyone else in the Big Ten. Unfortunately, the Nittany Lions have been unable to get over the hump against Michigan and especially Ohio State, earning Franklin the sarcastic moniker of “Big Game James.” Franklin has now lost eight in a row to the Ohio State Buckeyes and compounded the negativity by getting chesty with Penn State fans as he left the field to jeers of “Fire Franklin.” Penn State is still favored to make the College Football Playoff and host a first-round game. Will Franklin and his team be able to bounce back and get another crack at earning a marquee victory?

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1. Goal Line Woes
The Ohio State defense limited a solid Penn State offense to only 270 yards. The Nittany Lions only managed to go 3 for 11 on third down and averaged just 3.8 yards per rush. Those numbers are all significant, but the game was decided by the two massive goal-line stands by the Silver Bullets from Columbus. The Buckeyes led 14-10 late in the first half, with Penn State lined up for a first-and-goal at the OSU 3-yard line. Cornerback Davison Igbinosun made a terrific individual play to snag an interception in the endzone for the first stop. The second stop came late in the game as Ohio State clung to a 20-13 lead. The Nittany Lions had four plays from the three-yard line, were stuffed on three straight runs, and then Drew Allar sailed a pass on fourth down to give the Buckeyes the ball back. The Nittany Lions did not get the ball back again. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki was hired to help in games like this one, and the play-calling in the red zone was uncreative and ultimately failed. Ignoring your best player (Tyler Warren) in the game's biggest moments was a failure.

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2. Tyler Warren but No One Else
Penn State’s most consistent and dangerous weapon all season has been tight end Tyler Warren. Despite Ohio State focusing a lot of attention on Warren, the star was the team’s leading rusher with 47 yards on just three carries and was second on the team with 47 yards receiving and four catches. Warren had Penn State’s longest rushing play and longest reception. He did what he could, but no one else stepped up. Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton combined for 42 yards on the ground, and the Penn State wide receiver corps had three catches. That won’t get the job done against good teams, and Penn State’s offense still cannot find explosive plays against good defenses.
3. No Control In Trenches
Given the struggles and injury concerns of Ohio State’s offensive line and how good Penn State’s defensive line has looked, the Nittany Lions were expected to control this game in the trenches. Penn State managed three sacks and six tackles for loss, but Ohio State matched them with three sacks of their own. The Buckeyes found some success on the ground, outrushing the Buckeyes 179 to 120 yards and 4.7 yards per rush to 3.8 yards per carry. PSU needed a decided advantage along the lines of scrimmage, which was mostly a stalemate.
4. Hot Start Fades Away
Penn State has had difficulty starting games, but that was not the case on Saturday afternoon at State College. The Nittany Lions went on a long drive on the opening possession but had to settle for a field goal. On Ohio State’s first series, cornerback Zion Tracy stepped in front of a pass and took it the other way for a touchdown to make it 10-0. With Beaver Stadium ready to explode and Ohio State reeling, the Nittany Lions could not take control. Penn State lost momentum and fell behind 14-10 after a Brandon Inniss touchdown. They were never able to recapture the magic from the hot start.
5. "Big Game James"
James Franklin’s Penn State teams take care of business against nearly everyone else in the Big Ten. Unfortunately, the Nittany Lions have been unable to get over the hump against Michigan and especially Ohio State, earning Franklin the sarcastic moniker of “Big Game James.” Franklin has now lost eight in a row to the Ohio State Buckeyes and compounded the negativity by getting chesty with Penn State fans as he left the field to jeers of “Fire Franklin.” Penn State is still favored to make the College Football Playoff and host a first-round game. Will Franklin and his team be able to bounce back and get another crack at earning a marquee victory?

Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
1. Goal Line Woes
The Ohio State defense limited a solid Penn State offense to only 270 yards. The Nittany Lions only managed to go 3 for 11 on third down and averaged just 3.8 yards per rush. Those numbers are all significant, but the game was decided by the two massive goal-line stands by the Silver Bullets from Columbus. The Buckeyes led 14-10 late in the first half, with Penn State lined up for a first-and-goal at the OSU 3-yard line. Cornerback Davison Igbinosun made a terrific individual play to snag an interception in the endzone for the first stop. The second stop came late in the game as Ohio State clung to a 20-13 lead. The Nittany Lions had four plays from the three-yard line, were stuffed on three straight runs, and then Drew Allar sailed a pass on fourth down to give the Buckeyes the ball back. The Nittany Lions did not get the ball back again. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki was hired to help in games like this one, and the play-calling in the red zone was uncreative and ultimately failed. Ignoring your best player (Tyler Warren) in the game's biggest moments was a failure.

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