Why the Penn State Win Will Define Ohio State in 2014 and Beyond

Urban Meyer and Ohio State pulled out a closer-than-expected victory over Penn State in double overtime Saturday night, and while it hurt their standing in the polls (and their chances to make the inaugural College Football Playoff), it was a win that will positively impact the Buckeyes in 2014 and beyond.

Winning a prime-time matchup on the road in one of the Big Ten's most hostile environments can have that effect.

Reflecting on the dramatic win in Happy Valley, Meyer talked about how the team rallied in overtime after the Nittany Lions took their first lead of the game.

“It’s a great thing,” Meyer said, according to Todd Porter of The Canton Rep. “You gotta nut up, man. You’re down by several points in that environment, and there’s no looking to anyone for help. There’s 11 guys out there who have to score a touchdown, and they did. There was incredible efforts.”

How will that impact the team moving forward?

''Invested players and invested teams really celebrate wins, and our guys did," Meyer said, via Rusty Miller of the Associated Press (h/t Yahoo Sports). "You started getting your tail kicked and you came back and won. That builds toughness.''

An invested team is a coach's dream, and the Buckeyes are buying in.

Cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs talked about the improbability of it all.

“You’re not supposed to win in that situation," Coombs said, via Porter. "You get caught from behind in an environment like that, and then go behind in overtime, going into their student section. You are not supposed to win that game.”

But the Buckeyes did, thanks to a gutty performance from a hobbled J.T. Barrett and Joey Bosa, who came up with a walk-off sack to end the game. In fact, a number of first- or second-year players (such as Ezekiel Elliott, Vonn Bell and Sean Nuernberger) came up big for the Buckeyes throughout the game Saturday night.

Overcoming that adversity has pulled the team together, which is invaluable as the Buckeyes draw closer to the highly anticipated matchup against Michigan State.

That game, which will kick off under the lights in East Lansing on November 8, has been circled by many as the Big Ten game of the year. Meyer and Ohio State will be looking to avenge last year's loss in the conference title game, which snapped the Buckeyes' 24-game winning streak and their chance to play for a national title. 

But the close road victory will benefit the Buckeyes beyond 2014. With so many young players in Ohio State's two-deep roster, much of the nucleus from this year's team will return in 2015. That group will know they have a quarterback in Barrett who can deliver in the clutch—whether he's playing alongside (or filling in for) Braxton Miller.

“[Barrett] was a hero,” Elliott said, via Patrick Murphy of The Ozone. “Came out there and had a lot of confidence even though he was a little bit banged up. He played through it.”

With the first rankings released by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee Tuesday night, it's hard to imagine a scenario where 16th-ranked Ohio State ends up playing for it all this January. 

But the Buckeyes have banded together after their trip to Happy Valley, and that makes Urban Meyer's team more dangerous than it has been all season. 

David Regimbal covers Ohio State football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.