With the first release of the College Football Playoff rankings slated for Tuesday, Saturday’s matchup between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Penn State Nittany Lions had the potential to make waves. Both teams began the day among the top four teams in the Big Ten football conference, but in the end, it was the lower-ranked Buckeyes who prevailed in the 20-13 win over the Nittany Lions.
There’s no doubt Ryan Day’s Buckeyes won the day, but who else stands out among today’s winners and losers?
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Winner: Chip Kelly, Ohio State offensive coordinator
After spending six years as UCLA’s head coach, Chip Kelly shockingly decided to step down and become an offensive coordinator at Ohio State instead. The move was an odd one at the time, yet it seems to be paying off in a big way. The Buckeyes entered the day 10th in the nation in scoring, and just outschemed the eighth-best defense. This was a big win for Kelly’s future job prospects.
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Loser: Nicholas Singleton, Penn State RB
After bursting out onto the scene with 1,061 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns as a freshman, Nicholas Singleton looked like the next superstar tailback to emerge out of Penn State’s backfield. Yet, Singleton amassed just 752 yards last season. Well, he’s back to averaging over 80 rushing yards per game this season, but Ohio State still found a way to hold him to just 15 rushing yards on six carries. He still led the team with 54 receiving yards, but getting bottled up in the run game obviously didn’t improve their chances to win.
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Winner: Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State RB
Quinshon Judkins got shut down last week against Nebraska, where he was held to 29 rushing yards on 10 carries. But he got his groove back against Penn State, going off for 95 yards on just 14 carries. He averaged almost as many yards per rushing attempt (6.3) as Penn State averaged when passing the ball (7.1). He played a big role in helping the Buckeyes chew up the clock.
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Winner: Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State WR
Emeka Egbuka’s stats weren’t impressive by any means. He finished with 31 yards and a touchdown on three receptions. Yet, that 25-yard touchdown came at a big moment, with Penn State getting out to an early 10-0 lead over Ohio State. In a game where Ohio State only scored 20 and won by one touchdown, Egbuka touching paydirt had a big impact.
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Loser: James Franklin, Penn State head coach
James Franklin may have come into the day with the better record, as one of just a handful of remaining undefeated college football teams. Yet, the decisions Penn State made on offense directly contributed to their loss. Down 20-13 in the fourth quarter, facing a first and goal at the 3-yard line, the Nittany Lions attempted three consecutive rushes straight up the middle, getting stopped each time. Then, on fourth down, they had what appeared to be a trick play in mind, only to attempt a routine passing play that failed to convert.
Ultimately, it looked like Coach Franklin didn’t have his team as prepared as Coach Day did. Now Penn State moves to 1-7 against teams ranked in the top-10 while playing at home under Franklin.
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Winner: Zion Tracy, Penn State CB
Sophomore cornerback Zion Tracy got the party started for Penn State on Saturday, returning an interception from Will Howard to the house for six points. It felt like the type of start that could propel Penn State to victory, yet the Nittany Lions only scored three more points over the next three quarters. Still, Tracy did his part.
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Winner: Abdul Carter, Penn State pass-rusher
While it didn’t lead to a win, Penn State’s Abdul Carter continues to be a big nuisance for opponents. That continued into Saturday, where the star pass-rusher racked up two sacks in Ohio State QB Will Howard, including one in the third quarter on third down as the Nittany Lions were still trailing by just four points. He looks like a future NFL star.
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Winner: Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State cornerback
One of the biggest plays of the game was made by Ohio State junior cornerback Davison Igbinosun, who managed to wrestle away what appeared to be a Penn State touchdown. Except Igbinosun snatched the ball away in the air at the last second, turning six points into another possession for Ohio State. Who knows? If Igbinosun didn’t snag this interception, Ohio State may have lost.
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Loser turned Winner: Will Howard, Ohio State QB
He may have won the game, but Will Howard had his fair share of struggles. Yes, he only had eight incompletions on 24 attempts, and he had two passing touchdowns. However, Howard also threw what could have been a costly interception and also fumbled the ball out of the end zone just as he was about to score. Yet, his teammates still rallied around their quarterback, and in the end, Howard got one of the biggest wins of this football career.
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Loser: Drew Allar, Penn State QB
To be fair, Drew Allar had to be a bit hobbled coming into Saturday after suffering a left knee injury in last week’s win. However, after the Penn State quarterback was cleared for action, much of those concerns dissipated. Yet, after completing just 12-of-20 passes for 146 yards and an interception, maybe Allar should have let someone else play in such a pivotal matchup.
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