Ohio vs. Penn State: Live Score, Analysis and Results
By on September 1, 2012
14,145 reads
Ohio pulls the upset in State College.
Final Score: Ohio 24, Penn State 14
The beginning of the Bill O'Brien era starts with a thud, as Ohio University comes into Happy Valley and outlasts the Nittany Lions to win the opening game of the season. Penn State was unable to capitalize on a 14-3 halftime lead, as Ohio dominated every phase of the second half.
The game started well for Penn State, as the offense was moving the ball down the field with a lot of passes by Matt McGloin. Bill O'Brien simplified his reads and let McGloin put the ball easily into receivers' hands in the open field, where plays could be made.
Even though the offense was moving the ball, Penn State built a lead in the first half on solid defense and special teams. A missed field goal and a blocked punt broke the game open in Penn State's favor late in the second quarter when PSU added to a 7-3 lead with another touchdown.
However, Ohio came out swinging in the second half. With all-conference LB Gerald Hodges and CB Stephon Morris both going down to injury, the lack of depth was exploited by the Bobcats QB Tyler Tettleson. The first two drives of the second half ended in Ohio touchdowns as the Bobcats stormed to a 17-14 advantage.
Penn State could never get much of a response going in the fourth quarter. One mildly promising drive ended in an interception, and Ohio salted away the win with a 95 yard fourth quarter touchdown drive to lead 24-14. Considering Ohio missed two field goals, the score could have been much worse.
Ohio will now be favored in the remainder of games on the schedule, and the Bobcats are definitely a solid contender for a MAC title once again. Penn State faces a tough road trip to Virginia followed by Navy at home, and neither of these games will be easy considering how bad the team played today.
The game was a tale of two halves...Penn State dominated the first, Ohio the second. Now Penn State will have to find a way to overcome these injuries and play better to earn some wins in Bill O'Brien's first run in Big Ten play.
Until next time, thanks for reading!
Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE
And that's it. Penn State gets shut out in the second half as an 11 point lead becomes a 10-point deficit. Ohio dominated every aspect of the second half, except for the one missed field goal.
Penn State has a long road back, and it likely will not get better next week. Still, the first half showed that this team can play, as long as Bill O'Brien keeps them from quitting on him.
Ohio has a miserable schedule left strength-wise, so a 12-0 finish is not out of the question. However, that will not make them BCS worthy because this win will probably not hold up as the season goes along.
The Big Ten has the first loss of the season and the first MAC upset. Fair warning to other teams, this may not be the only one.
Thanks to everyone for reading!
Post-game grades coming in a couple hours for Penn State. If only they had stopped at halftime...
Strong statement win for Ohio. The road schedule is very easy from here, and there's a legitimate possibility that the experience will lead to another undefeated MAC team.
For Penn State, the long road begins. Road game at Virginia will be dicey next week unless the guys lost today come back healthy this week.
INTERCEPTION OHIO.
Another missed connection by a receiver and Ohio picks up the pieces. This game is now out of reach, and the Bill O'Brien era will start with an upset loss at home.
Desperation time. Receivers dropping passes right in the gut, and fourth down arrives.
The defensive lapses are frustrating for Penn State fans, but there were critical injuries that helped that cause for Ohio.
The big questions in the post-game press conferences will be about where did the offense go in the second half. So good in the first half, so bad in the second half.
TOUCHDOWN OHIO!
Turn out the lights. Donte Foster catches the fade route in the back of the end zone, and Penn State watches the opener slip away from them.
Ohio 24, Penn State 14.
2:50 left in the game.
Ohio regroups with a timeout. If I'm the Bobcats, I go for the kill right here. Not only do I throw on third down, I do it again on fourth down. Penn State has an inexperienced kicker and so no field goal, even if the offense gets that close, is a guarantee.
More throwing on third-and-short, more profit. Ohio almost breaks the game open with a broken tackle in pass coverage. Penn State cannot afford to give up the six now.
Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE
Just when the defensive line looked ready to stuff the run and force Ohio to be one-dimensional, two big holes open up right in a row and Beau Blankenship takes advantage. Ohio showing the same balance and poise that led them to two straight touchdowns in the third quarter.
Defense is looking tired. Bad signs abound.
Big seniors make big plays. TE Jordan Thompson makes a tough catch on a gutsy play call by Frank Solich on third-and-short.
Considering how well the Bobcats have converted third-and-short today, Solich probably does not have much choice. Penn State is still strong on the line.
Just when the crowd was beginning to rattle the Bobcats, an offsides penalty. Penn State cannot afford these mistakes with good field position a play away.
Big penalty there. The misdirection play has been effective, including on that play, but holding will back Ohio up towards the end zone.
Not that it makes much of a difference with the punt team on, but McGloin is lucky that pass was not intercepted. Why he did not run for the first down, I don't know.
Bad. Decision. Making.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Shawney Kersey makes a big catch and then eludes tacklers. O'Brien wants McGloin to put his athletes in open field and see what happens. The results have been mostly good when that happens. Ohio's tackling form has not been ideal in the open field.
FIELD GOAL MISSED.
Matt Weller makes a better attempt on this field goal, but his accuracy from more than 40 yards stays suspect. Penn State dodges a bullet, but the offense needs to do something or else Ohio is going to run all the way back to Athens with a win.
Ohio 17, Penn State 14 with 12:27 left.
If Penn State loses, the story should be that the lack of depth caught up with the Nittany Lions. LB Gerald Hodges is being missed even more than Stephon Morris, as Ohio breaks plays repeatedly into the middle of the field.
Six straight third-down conversions this half for Ohio.
This game is shaping up as a tale of two halves. Penn State was dominant on defense in the first half, and used a couple special teams miscues to break open a lead. The offense was not generating a lot of points, but McGloin was leading the team enough to force Ohio into bad field position.
In the third quarter, Ohio's offense stepped up and started dominating, while Penn State appears to be stuck in the mud. That needs to change quickly in the fourth quarter if the Nittany Lions are to turn the momentum around and win this game.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Official attendance today at Beaver Stadium is 97,186. This is 10,000 short of a sellout.
If this game does not get better, those numbers may only get worse as the season goes along.
Although the Bill Belton injury is important, this game will no longer be decided by Penn State running the ball. McGloin needs to be the leader he was in the first half to make this comeback happen.
Other injury news: CB Stephon Morris appears to be done for the day. Critical loss for the defense that had been playing so strong.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Nice gesture by Jay Paterno and Sue Paterno attending this game. ESPN has handled the issue with class as well, which would be easy not to do.
Penn State has moved on, but you don't want to completely forget all of the good that family did.
Random thought: that's why they kept Joe's name on the library, but not the statue. Makes perfect sense.
In other news, another Penn State drive stalls out and Ohio's suddenly-dynamic offense could extend the lead. Yikes.
The critical third down conversion is made by McGloin throwing the ball again. This is simply uncanny for anyone who was used to the old Paterno offense.
The good news is that Penn State can throw the ball effectively. The bad news is that they now must do so to get back the lead.
EXTRA POINT GOOD (after the review).
Easy review there. Nothing could prove Tettleton did not get in, so now the Nittany Lions must respond.
Ohio 17, Penn State 14, 3:49 left in the third quarter.
TOUCHDOWN OHIO.
Tettleton showed some real toughness running hard into the scrum of the line on two straight plays. Nicely done and the Bobcats take the lead, review pending.
Ohio 16, Penn State 14.
3:49 left in the third quarter.
Goal line stand? Anyone?
Mark A. Cunningham/Getty Images
Tettleton shows off a big arm there executing a play that McGloin could not on the last drive for Penn State. All of a sudden, the Nittany Lions defense looks to be back on their heels in the red zone. Trouble brewing in State College.
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