“When you don’t capitalize on the road against the No. 1 team in the country, you’re gonna have a few problems”.
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Barry Reeger | Trib Total Media – Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg (14) is treated on the sideline against Ohio State in the second quarter of their game at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, October 17 2015, in Columbus.
The Buckeyes (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten) have won 20 straight overall games and 27 consecutive conference regular-season contests. The Lions’ defense, so stout against the stationary Jones, had no answers for how to stop Barrett once he took off running. He led them inside the red zone at the end of the first quarter, but Barrett replaced him, the same way he did against Maryland, and promptly converted a 3rd-and-7 before scoring a touchdown two plays later.
This game is a bit of discovery time for both Penn State and Ohio State, as we don’t have a great idea of where either team’s season is going.
But this is perhaps the loudest it’s been in a while following a monster day for J.T. Barrett, the No. 2 quarterback, in the Buckeyes’ 38-10 pounding of Penn State on Saturday night in Columbus. Barrett made his first appearance with the Buckeyes on the Penn State 31, and, suddenly, Ohio State set free in full the kind of diverse, relentless rushing attack last seen during its national title run. Barrett’s two touchdown passes in the final 6 ½ minutes of the game completed the scoring.
Martin ran 17 times for a career best 124 yards and a career high three TDs.
Nassib was in on two tackles on OSU’s first offensive series in the second half, and halfway through the frame, he blew by redshirt senior right tackle Chase Ferris and dragged down redshirt junior quarterback Cardale Jones for his first sack of the game. Plus, TE Mike Gesicki had a huge drop early. But then a new concern arose when the defense allowed two big plays, the second week in a row OSU was stung by a long run. He played another clean game on Saturday, escaping pressure against a defense that thrives on creating it. Franklin said doctors gave Hackenberg the OK to go back in the game.
Nebraska 48, Minnesota 25: Tommy Armstrong Jr. bounced back from two bad performances to start Big Ten play, passing for 261 yards and three touchdowns for visiting Nebraska.
“Go play really good”, Meyer said when asked what his instructions were to Barrett at that point.
Penn State came into the season as a sleeper in the Big Ten East in James Franklin’s second year in State College, but immediately, that talk came to a halt.
Ohio State scored 21 unanswered points, shredding Penn State’s defense on the ground.
“I’m trying to help the team, whether I go in in the red zone or as the starter”, Barrett said. “It’s no different than a lot of times where you have a I-A team playing maybe a I-AA team”. “I thought I found it early”.
Due to a struggling offensive line and efficiency issues at quarterback, Ohio State hasn’t been as productive offensively as everyone that it would be at the start of the year. Penn State led 3-0 after a quarter, but two Barrett touchdown runs helped open a 21-3 halftime lead.
Instead of giving Barkley another try on fourth-and-2, the Lions called for a pass play. Defensive lineman Joey Bosa is considered a probable first-round draft pick, but linemate Tyquan Lewis has 5½ sacks to 1½ for Bosa. And Miller ran four times for 30 yards and caught four passes for 33 yards and a touchdown. He doesn’t get to the quarterback here, but he doesn’t give up on the play and is opportunistic, creating a turnover for Penn State.
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Hackenberg was hit and fumbled on the Lions’ next possession, and the Buckeyes recovered at the PSU 22. Barrett closed the next drive, too, taking a keeper on the zone read 13 yards for the score.
