Penn State vs. Ohio State: Score, Highlights and Twitter Reaction

The No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes extended the longest active FBS winning streak to 20 games with a 38-10 home victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday.

But it was Ohio State’s multiquarterback scheme that had the college football world abuzz. Though head coach Urban Meyer indicated this week that circumstance would dictate who was under center, backup J.T. Barrett supplanted starter Cardale Jones late in the third quarter and stayed in for the rest of the game. 

Barrett, who started most of 2014 before suffering a season-ending ankle injury, went 4-of-4 for 30 yards and a pair of touchdowns, also rushing for 102 yards and another two touchdowns. His performance prompted speculation that he may reassume the starting role.

Here's what Fox Sports' Stewart Mandel thought:

Jones was 9-of-15 for 84 yards and no touchdowns, and he wasn't in the game for any scoring situations. 

Meyer first employed the splits in the Buckeyes’ Week 6 win over Maryland after much speculation.

This week, Meyer told Pete Thamel and Thayer Evans of Sports Illustrated the threat of a quarterback run had been the team's "little edge down there” near the red zone, and “that’s not really Cardale’s game.”

Some analysts, however, believe Barrett is better regardless. Joel Klatt of Fox Sports tweeted his approval well before Jones left the game:

Ohio State went three-and-out on two of its first three drives and fell behind 3-0 after Penn State notched a 33-yard field goal within the first four minutes of the game. But the Buckeyes responded with three straight touchdown drives in the second quarter to take a 21-3 halftime lead.

The Nittany Lions scored on a three-play drive to open the second half but punted three times and had two turnovers in their remaining drives.

Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg continued to struggle behind a lackluster offensive line, going 7-of-13 for 120 yards and a touchdown while getting sacked five times. The junior is averaging 172.3 yards per game with a 53.1 completion percentage. 

Running back Saquon Barkley, however, gave Penn State a glimmer of greatness, rushing for 194 yards on 26 attempts in his first game since Sept. 26.

He had a 44-yard touchdown that would've given Penn State a 10-0 lead in the first quarter had it not been called back for a holding call against guard Brian Gaia, according to Mark Wogenrich of the Morning Call. The freshman is averaging 8.3 yards per carry in the five games he's played.

Aside from the actual gameplay, the Buckeyes donned black uniforms for the first time in program history, prompting lively conversation on social media.

Sporting News' Matt Hayes and ESPN.com's Brett McMurphy chimed in:

The Nittany Lions had a five-game winning streak snapped and look ahead to the Maryland Terrapins. Meanwhile, the defending champion Buckeyes remain firmly in the driver’s seat to return to the College Football Playoff.

The Buckeyes face the Big Ten’s lower echelon in their next three games—Rutgers, Minnesota and Illinois—before colossal games against No. 7 Michigan State and No. 12 Michigan to finish the regular season. 

The Buckeyes aren’t blowing teams out the water they were supposed to, but they keep finding ways to win—largely thanks to offense. If Barrett does become the starter, he’ll bring experience and versatility that might return the Buckeyes to their once-dominant form. The Spartans and Wolverines, however, will dish out daunting defenses unlike any the Buckeyes have faced this year.

Ohio State's goals remain intact—but there are barricades looming ahead.

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Postgame Reaction

Following the game, many have their eyes on the Buckeyes' quarterback situation. When asked at his postgame press conference how he could turn back to Jones after Barrett's performance, Meyer responded: 

"

Well, the last, I just read we're 6-for-6 in the red zone again, so that's 12-for-12 the last 12 times we've been in there. First of all, it's a lot of times in there, which is good.

The second thing is just let me evaluate it, let you guys know on Monday, and go from there.

"

Meyer was also asked if he cares if the quarterback that starts the game is different than the quarterback that ends the game. He responded:

"

Of course I care. But the job is to go win a game. And we won. We beat a very good team by, what was it, 28 points. Very good win. Of course I care. ...

Whatever it takes to win. I don't know—someone else should be standing here if there's some other purpose of our job. And that's, first of all, I care about these players. And you try to win a game at whatever cost. However you can do it.

And the offensive job is to secure the ball, limit the turnovers. That's two games that are, 6-6 in the red zone. So I'm very extremely pleased with this.

And I want to make sure that this idea, care big time about these guys because, like I said, there's a lot of people in that locker room that are the very best and have done a lot of things. And I do care, but our job is to go win.

"

Ohio State is on the road against Rutgers on Oct. 24 at 8 pm. ET.