Andre Monroe
STATE COLLEGE – Penn State continues to start the season off right as it glides to a win against Ohio, 46-10. The Nittany Lions got off to a great start and didn’t let up until the clock hit zero. We saw some amazing plays from several players today; let’s talk about it.
First Quarter
It was Ohio’s ball first as Penn State won the coin toss and deferred. The Ohio Bobcats would convert a third down shortly after, their only notable play from the first series. Following the conversion, the pressure from Penn State’s defense would mount. Edge rusher Chop Robinson, a transfer from Maryland, would take over the series with his intimidating presence in the backfield. He would net a TFL and a batted pass to force an Ohio punt. The Ohio Bobcats were shut out for the rest of the first quarter.
The Nittany Lions’ offense shined in the first quarter. We saw a couple of big runs by Nick Singleton that put Penn State in the red zone on the first drive. Sean Clifford would cap it off with a QB sneak on a series that saw him go 6/6, with 62 passing yards. Nick Singleton proved why he’s received Saquon Barkley comparisons on the next drive. He scored an explosive 70-yd running TD in one play to put the Nittany Lions up. 14-0.
Second Quarter:
The second quarter saw a few punts and turnovers on downs from both teams. A great punt by Barney Amor pinned the Ohio Bobcats at their own one. This was followed by a fumble by Ohio QB Kurtis Rourke, resulting in a safety. Penn State would go up 16-0.
On the next drive, Kaytron Allen would make up big for a missed assignment that resulted in a Sean Clifford sack. His 22-yard reception put Penn State in the red zone. The drive would stall, but kicker Jake Pinegar would nail his first field goal of the year to put Penn State up 19-0.
Ohio would catch fire on the next drive. A plethora of trick plays would place them in the red zone, leading to a touchdown by Ohio RB Sieh Bangura. The score would be 19-7 with a little over a minute left before halftime.
Sean Clifford led a drive reminiscent of the one that won Penn State the game against Purdue last week. Clifford connected with Parker Washington on a 41-yd pass that placed them on the goal line. A play later, Mitchell Tinsely would cap it off after catching a dot from Sean Clifford. The Penn State Nittany Lions would lead, 26-7, going into halftime.
Third Quarter
Penn State RB Nick Singleton would pick up where he left off with a rushing gain of 48 yards to start the third quarter. I believe James Franklin is beginning to realize who his feature back should be; a committee is no longer needed. The drive would stall though, and kicker Jake Pinegar would miss the 42-yd field goal. By a lot.
The defense was able to get disruption in the first half, and it would continue in the second. A tackle-for-loss from Penn State LB Curtis Jacobs would force another punt from the Ohio Bobcats. Let’s also shine some light on CB Joey Porter Jr, who continued his excellent coverage from last week.
James Franklin had seen enough and went with some backups to begin the next drive. If Ohio fans thought that would stop the bleeding, they were wrong. Freshman QB Drew Allar capped off a surgical drive with a 32-yard passing touchdown to Omari Evans, a fellow freshman. Later that quarter, Nick Singleton would score again, outrunning everyone on a 44-yard score. The third quarter would end with Penn State up, 40-7.
Fourth Quarter
The last quarter didn’t hold much significance as the game had already been a Penn State victory. Drew Allar netted another touchdown in the game of the freshman. An appearance from Penn State QB Chrisitan Veilleux was made late as well.
Looking Ahead
The Penn State Nittany Lions now move to 29-3 all-time against current members of the Mid-American Conference and 6-1 against Ohio. Getting the job done to start the season was key for the coaching staff. Next are the Auburn Tigers, who Penn State will travel to next Saturday and look to leave 3-0.
Andre Monroe covers Penn State Football for Insider Institute. Follow him on Twitter @amonroe_ and Contact him andremonroe03@gmail.com.
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