Julian Sayin threw for 316 yards and four touchdowns while Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith each had more than 100 receiving yards when No. 1 Ohio State pulled away from Penn State for a 38-14 victory in Columbus on Saturday.
The Buckeyes (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) led by only three at the half but a 57-yard pass to Tate set up a 1-yard rushing TD for CJ Donaldson Jr. to make it 24-14 to start the third quarter.
On the next possession, Smith hauled in a 57-yarder from Sayin that led to Sayin’s 1-yard TD to Bennett Christian for a 31-14 lead as the Buckeyes extended their winning streak against the Nittany Lions to nine games.
Sayin was 20 of 23 and Bo Jackson ran for 105 yards.
Smith had six catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns, including a wild one-handed grab at the goal line off a deflection to make it the 38-14 midway through the fourth quarter. Tate had 124 yards and a score off five catches.
Penn State (3-5, 0-5 Big Ten) has lost five straight.
The Nittany Lions, a three-touchdown underdog, stunned the Buckeyes by training only 17-14 at the half thanks to a late Ohio State turnover.
After a 63-yard punt gave the Buckeyes the ball at 20 with 2:00 left, running back Donaldson’s fumble was recovered by Chaz Coleman to give the Nittany Lions possession at the 14 with 1:48 remaining.
Four plays later, Kaytron Allen carried it in from the 1 with 20 seconds to. He had 76 yards for the game.
Until the miscue, the Buckeyes seemed to be in control when Sayin threw a 45-yard touchdown pass, his second of the half, to Tate to make it 17-7.
Smith was the recipient of the first TD, a 14-yarder on Ohio State’s first possession. A 22-yard field goal made it 10-0.
The Nittany Lions responded with a 75-yard drive capped by a Nick Singleton 3-yard run with six minutes remaining in the first half.
Penn State redshirt freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, in his third start replacing the injured Drew Allar, completed 19 of 28 for 145 yards.
