3 takeaways from Penn State football’s 28-17 loss to Ohio State
Penn State couldn’t complete the comeback in Columbus and fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday afternoon, 28-17. The Nittany Lions trailed 21-0 at one point but were able to make it a one-score game before ultimately losing.
Let’s look at our three takeaways from the game.
1. Will Levis changed the game for Penn State
Penn State starting quarterback Sean Clifford took a hard hit as he made a play early in the third quarter and was forced to leave the game. The redshirt sophomore didn’t return for the rest of the contest, opening the door for redshirt freshman quarterback Will Levis. Levis and the Nittany Lions quickly scored two touchdowns utilizing a run-heavy offense that showed off the redshirt freshman’s powerful running style. He finished the game with 34 rushing yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, and led Penn State in the second half to a much closer game.
You can attribute some of that to a change in style that Ohio State likely didn’t game plan for, but some of the credit has to go to Levis. His fourth-quarter interception ended the team’s comeback attempt, but the Nittany Lions wouldn’t have been in that position without him. The redshirt freshman may have reopened the quarterback competition that ran through the summer.
2. Lamont Wade played like a star
Penn State junior safety Lamont Wade had a massive game and played a huge role in keeping the game close. Wade forced three fumbles, both recovered by the Nittany Lions, and gave the team a jolt of energy when it needed it most. He was all over the field in the game, tallying 10 tackles in the game. The junior cornerback found himself in the Ohio State backfield as well, earning a tackle for loss.
His biggest plays came on the forced fumbles, one in the first quarter, and two in the third quarter. The first quarter fumble stopped the Buckeyes from scoring a touchdown to go up 14-0 early. The third quarter fumbles gave Penn State momentum and led to a touchdown and a made field goal that cut the Ohio State lead to four. Wade played a massive role in the game and showed why he was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school.
3. Penn State’s defense was at the top of its game
The Penn State defense gave up 14 points in a first half that Ohio State dominated. Most defenses in the country would have allowed the Buckeyes to find the end zone more offense, but thanks to timely turnovers and a stingy run defense, the Nittany Lions held. The unit’s play was the only reason the game was close at halftime, and was a major reason why the Nittany Lions were able to cut into the lead in the second half.
Two more timely turnovers gave the Penn State offense a short field and allowed it to cut the gap between the two teams. Even though the Nittany Lions were unable to walk out with a victory, its defense proved its among the nation’s elite.
This story was originally published November 23, 2019 at 3:39 PM.
