New-Look Ohio State Gets Win over Penn State, Could Finally Unlock Playoff Potential

In an odd way, this is the kind of win Ohio State needed.

We've seen what flash gets us. We've seen what a sensational quarterback with NFL potential can provide. We've seen points and great wide receivers and blowouts in games that ultimately don't reveal much.

All of it has failed short of the ultimate goal: winning a national championship.

What we haven't seen in recent years, however, is an overwhelming team that can simply smother the opposition, especially on defense. And perhaps that's exactly what Ohio State and Ryan Day needed after years of falling flat in the most meaningful moments.

Against Penn State, that's exactly what we saw on Saturday afternoon in Columbus. The offense was largely average, which has been the case all year long. The defense was anything but, which is a development that could ultimately pave the way for something more.

The Buckeyes beat the Nittany Lions 20-12 in the biggest test of their season to date. While the first half had its moments, the second half was dominated by the home team outside of a late touchdown that ultimately didn't mean much.

Ohio State's defense held Penn State to 255 yards of offense. Nittany Lions QB Drew Allar spent much of his day on the move, and he only completed 18 of 43 passes as a result.

And James Franklin's tremendous running game? It was held in check. Penn State ran for just 65 yards on 24 carries, and much of that production came on the first few drives.

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The most jarring statistic, however, was the way Ohio State's defense handled key moments. The Nittany Lions finished just 1-of-16 on third downs, which ultimately told the story for how the game went. In some ways, this effort mirrors what we've seen in recent weeks.

Overwhelming. Smothering. Dominant.

The only difference is those past exploits came against inferior competition. Penn State is anything but, and Saturday's performance should completely alter the way we view Ohio State moving forward.

Up until now, the focus had been on QB Kyle McCord. More specifically, the conversation has centered on his performance and (at times) lack of production.

McCord hasn't been tremendous this year by any means. He finished Saturday with 286 passing yards and a touchdown, though, all while facing one of the best defenses in college football. Not too shabby.

Given the level of production Ohio State QBs have garnered in recent years—most recently the superb CJ Stroud and Justin Fields—the expectations were understandably robust. But lost in this attention is the fact that Ohio State might have the best defense in college football.

Coming into Saturday, the Buckeyes had the nation's No. 3 scoring defense. They have yet to allow 20 points in a game, and they have allowed 14 points only twice. Facing two top-10 teams—Notre Dame and Penn State—the Ohio State defense allowed a combined 26 points.

For some perspective, Ohio State finished with the nation's No. 24 scoring defense in 2022, No. 38 in 2021 and No. 43 in 2020.

When you look at the failures against Michigan and Georgia in massive moments over the past few seasons, a great deal of that blame can be placed on the defense. The addition of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles—who joined the staff prior to last season—is one of the most important coaching additions in recent memory.

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With his influence, Ohio State finally has an edge. And while some could view winning ugly as a negative, the long-term impact could be the exact opposite.

Against Michigan the past two years, the Buckeyes looked overwhelmed. Physically, they were completely overmatched and unable to keep up.

While there still is much to be determined in the coming weeks before these two teams meet up once again, the Buckeyes' identity is built for a game of that magnitude.

While the offense will have to find more in the future, having Marvin Harrison Jr. at wide receiver makes that possibility a likely reality. Harrison caught 11 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown against an elite Penn State defense on Saturday. As long as he stays healthy, the offense should be good enough.

If the defense continues to play this way, "good enough" should be more than good. Although the days of high-octane offense have temporarily subsided, all of this is likely for the better.

A Big Ten Championship is now squarely in sight, as is another appearance in the College Football Playoff. Only this time, the formula feels different.

Don't mistake winning ugly as a bad thing. Winning ugly is exactly what this program needs.