Penn State Football: Moral Victories Adding Up Despite Snapped Win Streak

The Penn State Nittany Lions (5-3) hosted the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes (9-0) in a Big Ten showdown that provided Penn State with their biggest challenge of the season. 

The Nittany Lions fell behind after the Buckeyes put up 21 points in the third quarter, and despite scoring 13 points in the final quarter, it was not enough for Penn State to cover the deficit. 

The final score was 35-23. 

Quarterback Matthew McGloin was productive through the air with 327 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns, but it was not enough to outscore the Buckeyes.

Braxton Miller once again proved that he's an all-purpose weapon responsible for nearly all of Ohio State's offensive production.

His ability to produce on the ground and through the air has made him a unique offense weapon unlike any other in the country, and it turned him into the first quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in Ohio State history.

"

With that previous run, Braxton Miller eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark on the ground this season. First OSU QB ever.

— Buckeye Nation (@HangOn_Sloopy) October 27, 2012"

Against Penn State, Miller picked up 143 yards and a touchdown through the air, while adding an additional 134 yards and two more touchdowns on the ground. 

He was too much for the Penn State defense to handle, but that was predictable. 

It was also predictable that Penn State would ultimately lose the game, but the surprising thing is that they kept it a two-score game, and had it not been for a third-quarter disaster, Penn State could have pulled off an upset. 

Their five-game winning streak has reached a conclusion, but the Nittany Lions deserve credit for having any win streak whatsoever. 

After tough losses against two underwhelming teams in Ohio and Virginia to start the season, it was widely assumed that obvious distractions were dragging down the team. 

They answered back with five consecutive wins before finally being beat by the Buckeyes, which is pretty impressive considering the circumstances. 

With Purdue, Nebraska, Indiana and Wisconsin still remaining on the schedule, there are some challenging games remaining. But in return, there's an opportunity to secure big victories. 

So far, the Nittany Lions have picked up moral victories this season, especially with their five-game win streak. And with four games remaining, there's still time to make even more noise.