Ohio State pulls away from Penn State: Julian Sayin's 4-TD performance leads No. 1 Buckeyes past Nittany Lions

Heisman hopeful Sayin put on a show as the Buckeyes pulled away from the upset-minded Nittany Lions

No. 1 Ohio State unleashed another aerial assault on Saturday in a 38-14 win over Penn State that was a bit too close for comfort at halftime. The Buckeyes (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) led just 17-14 entering the break before seizing control with a dominant third quarter that showcased their best traits.

Penn State (3-5, 0-5) pumped some tension into Ohio Stadium late in the second quarter when it flipped the momentum with a turnover and a touchdown. But, Ohio State's passing attack came up big in the third quarter, and its defense produced drive-ending sacks on three straight Penn State possessions to help the Buckeyes pull away.

It marked Ohio State's ninth straight win over Penn State, which has now started 0-5 in conference play for the second time in six years after also doing so in 2020. Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate each surpassed 100 yards receiving for the Buckeyes as quarterback Julian Sayin turned in another gem. The redshirt freshman finished with four touchdown passes and no interceptions while completing 20 of 23 passes for 316 yards.

The win pushed Ohio State one step closer to reserving a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game for the first time since 2020. With games against Purdue, UCLA and Rutgers next before the season finale at Michigan, the Buckeyes are poised to continue extending their nation-best winning streak, which now stands at 12.

Read on below for takeaways from Ohio State's win over Penn State on Saturday. 

[Nov 1, 2025 at 3:19 pm ET · David Cobb]

Ohio State's running game remains inconsistent, but its passing attack is the most dangerous in college football. Julian Sayin continued demonstrating pinpoint accuracy on deep balls, as he racked up a pair of 57-yard completions in the third quarter alone. One of them went to Jeremiah Smith while the other went to Carnell Tate. Both surpassed 100 yards receiving as they further cemented their status as the best receiver duo in college football. Smith also added a unique highlight to his Heisman Trophy montage when he made a one-handed touchdown grab off a batted ball with 9:43 remaining.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 3:19 pm ET · David Cobb]

Ohio State entered with the nation's best scoring defense by a wide margin, allowing just 5.9 points per game. While the Nittany Lions surpassed that mark, it was still a dominant effort for the Buckeyes. One of Penn State's two touchdowns came after a turnover that gave the Nittany Lions possession on Ohio State's 13-yard line. The one real touchdown drive that Ohio State surrendered came in the first half, and it required Penn State to use 15 plays and over half of the second quarter clock. Explosive plays were simply too hard to find for Penn State against Ohio State, which produced four sacks in the second half. The Buckeyes put an exclamation point on another strong defensive effort when Caleb Downs picked off an Ethan Grunkemeyer pass in the end zone as the Nittany Lions were driving late in the fourth quarter.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 3:18 pm ET · David Cobb]

Ohio State has officially rested its case to be ranked No. 1 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, which will be released next week. The Buckeyes beat the AP poll's preseason No. 1 team, Texas, in their season opener by a score of 14-7 and have defeated everyone else since then by at least 18 points. While the schedule hasn't featured an abundance of strong tests since the Texas game, the Buckeyes have never looked anything less than elite. Big Ten counterpart Indiana could also have a strong case to be No. 1 considering it won at Oregon on Oct. 11 and has been similarly dominant throughout the season. However, there aren't many holes to find in Ohio State's case to be considered the nation's top team.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 3:11 pm ET · David Cobb]

No. 1 Ohio State unleashed another aerial assault on Saturday in a 38-14 win over Penn State that was a bit too close for comfort at halftime. The Buckeyes (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) led just 17-14 entering the break before seizing control with a dominant third quarter that showcased their best traits.

Penn State (3-5, 0-5) pumped some tension into Ohio Stadium late in the second quarter when it flipped the momentum with a turnover and a touchdown. But Ohio State's passing attack came up big in the third quarter, and its defense produced drive-ending sacks on three straight Penn State possessions to help the Buckeyes pull away.

It marked Ohio State's ninth straight win over Penn State, which has now started 0-5 in conference play for the second time in six years after also doing so in 2020. Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate each surpassed 100 yards receiving for the Buckeyes as quarterback Julian Sayin turned in another gem. The redshirt freshman finished with four touchdown passes and no interceptions while completing 20 of 23 passes for 316 yards.

The win pushed Ohio State one step closer to reserving a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game for the first time since 2020. With games against Purdue, UCLA and Rutgers next before the season finale at Michigan, the Buckeyes are poised to continue extending their nation-best winning streak, which now stands at 12.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 2:50 pm ET · David Cobb]

Early 4Q: Ohio State 38, Penn State 14

Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith just added an incredible highlight to his Heisman reel. He one-handed a batted ball for an 11-yard touchdown catch. That was his second of the day. The Buckeyes have broken the dam and are piling it on a Penn State team that has been playing with a broken spirit for weeks. Bo Jackson set up the score with a 51-yard run, which will go a long way toward making Ohio State's running stats look a lot better. 

[Nov 1, 2025 at 2:33 pm ET · David Cobb]

End 3Q: Ohio State 31, Penn State 14

Ohio State's Arvell Reese just got in on the fun with a sack of Ethan Grunkemeyer that forced another Penn State punt. That was the second time in the third quarter that the Buckeyes have produced a huge sack on third down to get off the field. Penn State is averaging a meager 3.5 yards per play and hasn't done much outside of its one 75-yard scoring drive in the first half.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 2:19 pm ET · David Cobb]

Ohio State's aerial attack is continuing to shine, as Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith are both one 100 yards receiving. The most recent home run play was a 57-yard bomb from Sayin to Smith, who beat the coverage over the top. Sayin threw another perfect ball right into his arms. The Buckeyes are not a perfect team — their running game has been pedestrian again — but the passion game is just lethal. Sayin finished off the drive with a strike to Bennett Christian to put Ohio State ahead 31-14.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 2:10 pm ET · David Cobb]

Ohio State finally produced its first sack of the game. On a third-and-6, Ethan Grunkemeyer was loitering in the pocket, waiting for a receiver to come open. It never happened, and Kenyatta Jackson brought him down to force a punt. You couldn't have scripted a better start to the half for the Buckeyes after they lost momentum to close the first half.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 2:01 pm ET · David Cobb]

Early 3Q: Ohio State 24, Penn State 14

Ohio State's deep passing attack remains a lethal weapon. The Buckeyes came out firing, as Julian Sayin hit Carnell Tate for a 57-yard completion over the top to set up a 1-yard CJ Donaldson touchdown run. Tate is up to 125 yards receiving on four receptions as Sayin continues to be deadly accurate down the field. Sayin is 13 of 16 on the day.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 1:58 pm ET · David Cobb]

Nick Singleton is now alone in second on the Penn State all-time rushing touchdowns list with 39 after the first half. He only trails Saquon Barkley (43) and will have a shot at the record over the final month of the season. Singleton got into the action as both a runner and receiver in the first half, although it was Kaytron Allen who led the way with 16 carries.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 1:33 pm ET · David Cobb]

HALF: Ohio State 17, Penn State 14

Ohio State had the football up 17-7 with about 2 minutes left in the first half and two timeouts remaining. Considering the Buckeyes also get the football to start the third quarter, it was a dire situation for Penn State, which could ill-afford to give up points. Accordingly, the Nittany Lions' defense came up with a massive turnover as Dani Dennis-Sutton forced a CJ Donaldson fumble that Chaz Coleman recovered. Though it appeared Donaldson's forward progress had stopped, the whistle never blew and the Nittany Lions got the football at the Buckeyes' 14. Penn State finished it off to make this game far more interesting heading into halftime.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 1:17 pm ET · David Cobb]

Ohio State's offensive line got torched on a third-and-5 play, but Julian Sayin evaded a pair of would-be tacklers and scramble for a first down to avoid a three-and-out. Three plays later, he hit Carnell Tate over the top for a 45-yard touchdown strike to make it 17-7 Buckeyes. Brutal sequence for the Nittany Lions, who were on the brink of getting off the field after scoring a big touchdown. 

[Nov 1, 2025 at 1:06 pm ET · David Cobb]

6:18 2Q: Ohio State 10, Penn State 7

Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki hasn't lost his creative touch. The Nittany Lions dug out of an early third-and-9 to put together an impressive drive highlighted by a couple of quick hits to Nick Singleton. In the end, it was Singleton who punched it in from three yards out on a toss play. That was a physical 15-play response from the Penn State offense, and Ethan Grunkemeyer did his part as well. The Nittany Lions have officially scored more points than what Ohio State's defense was allowing per game.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 12:50 pm ET · David Cobb]

Early 2Q: Ohio State 10, Penn State 0

Penn State's defense came up with a big red-zone stand to force a 22-yard field goal from Ohio State's Jayden Fielding. Ohio State went 71 yards on 11 plays during that possession before Dominic DeLuca broke up a Julian Sayin pass on third-and-goal from the 4. That was a big sequence for the Nittany Lions' morale and for its hopes of staying in this game. But unless Penn State can find some rhythm in it passing game, this will be a slog for the Nittany Lions.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 12:43 pm ET · David Cobb]

End 1Q: Ohio State 7, Penn State 0

After forcing a quick Penn State three-and-out, Ohio State took over and promptly began marching down the field again. The Buckeyes were aided by a roughing the passer penalty — not that they needed the help — and are on the cusp of going ahead by two possessions as the second quarter arrives. Penn State's offense has been predictably sluggish to start the game, outside of one big run from Kaytron Allen on the Nittany Lions' first play from scrimmage. Julian Sayin hit 8 of 9 passes for 107 yards for Ohio State in the first quarter, but the Buckeyes also got some positive contributions from their run game in the first quarter, as Bo Jackson, Isaiah West and CJ Donaldson each logged 3+ carries.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 12:24 pm ET · David Cobb]

Julian Sayin marched Ohio State straight down the field on its first possession by completing 6 of 6 passes capped by a 14-yard touchdown strike to Jeremiah Smith on a third-and-3. It was an 89-yard touchdown drive that came after Penn State opened the game with a 26-yard run from Kaytron Allen. The Nittany Lions stalled out at Ohio State's 42-yard line, however, when Penn State opted to punt on fourth-and-3.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 12:03 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

Clearest path: Whatever Ryan Day's telling his team this season, it's working. They've blistered every squad they've played, and defensively, there's not an elite in the country performing at a more dominant clip. Win out and the Buckeyes are a guaranteed top four seed in the playoff and will be wearing scarlet at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Chaos scenario: The Buckeyes' most competitive Big Ten games this season came on the road against Washington and Illinois, a pair of 18-point victories. They've dominated in conference play and will be multi-touchdown favorites against Penn State, UCLA, Purdue and Rutgers next month before the potential fly in the ointment -- Michigan.

Tiebreaker talk: If unbeaten and top-ranked Ohio State loses to the Wolverines on Nov. 29, that could create a multi-team tie for second place in the conference standings and may send Oregon to the league title game against Indiana based on record against the three tied teams' common opponents.

Ohio State, Indiana and everyone else: Sifting through 2025 Big Ten Championship Game scenarios for contenders

Brad Crawford

[Nov 1, 2025 at 11:50 am ET · David Cobb]

Penn State's last victory over Ohio State came in 2016, when the Nittany Lions were unranked and the Buckeyes were No. 2. That outcome offers some historical precedent for a potential upset. But the circumstances then were very different: Penn State was a rising program under third-year coach James Franklin, and that win marked a major breakthrough. Now, the Nittany Lions are searching for Franklin's successor and trying to end a four-game losing streak.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 11:30 am ET · David Cobb]

Just over a month ago, Penn State went toe-to-toe with Oregon Ducks before falling in overtime. Since then, the Nittany Lions have found new ways to lose, but their four defeats have come by a combined 13 points. Coming off a bye week and with nothing to lose, Penn State is a talented underdog with something to prove. Expect the interim coaching staff to pull out all the stops to make life uncomfortable for an Ohio State team that hasn't been tested much since Week 1. Pick: Penn State -20.5

[Nov 1, 2025 at 11:26 am ET · David Cobb]

Penn State is already without starting QB Drew Allar, who is out for the season due to injury. But the Nittany Lions' depth situation is now particularly perilous behind Ethan Grunkemeyer. Jaxon Smolik, who has been No. 2 on the depth chart since Allar's injury is out. The means true freshman Bekkem Kritza is the backup at Ohio State. The only problem there is that Kritza was out for the team's first seven games with an injury and has only recently been cleared.  Subsequently, receiver Liam Clifford — the younger brother of former Penn State QB Sean Clifford — has been taking snaps under center in warmups. Also, walk-on Jack Lambert traveled and is available. Penn State is fortunate to have four scholarship QBs on its roster, and yet its depth at the position is still in a tough place.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 11:00 am ET · David Cobb]

Ohio State's dynamic duo of Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate has accounted for 1,189 of the Buckeyes' 1,958 passing yards. Smith has 49 catches to Tate's 34, but they are nearly even in yardage (602 for Smith, 587 for Tate) and touchdown receptions (7 for Smith, 6 for Tate). Their production makes Ohio State difficult to defend for any secondary. With arguably the nation's top receiver duo at his disposal, it's no surprise that redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Sayin leads the country in completion percentage at 80%.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 10:30 am ET · David Cobb]

It's hard to fault Ohio State too much, given that the Buckeyes have won six straight games by 16 points or more. Still, they have struggled to run the football consistently against Big Ten opponents. Their 3.8 yards per carry in conference play ranks 10th of 18 teams, and their 121.5 rushing yards per game against Big Ten foes ranks 11th. As a result, Ohio State threw the ball 42 times in its last game, despite building a 34-0 lead over Wisconsin Badgers. Achieving more balance and efficiency on the ground in the final month of the season will be key.

[Nov 1, 2025 at 10:00 am ET · David Cobb]

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Penn State Nittany Lions was expected to be a marquee matchup between Big Ten and national title contenders -- the biggest game on the Week 10 slate. The reality is far different as the No. 1 Buckeyes prepare to host the Nittany Lions on Saturday.

A stunning collapse of the James Franklin era at Penn State has left Ohio State a three-touchdown favorite. The Nittany Lions opened the season ranked No. 2 in the AP poll but have dropped four straight and will be playing their second game under interim coach Terry Smith following Franklin's firing.

Given that backdrop, it would be surprising if Penn State snaps an eight-game series losing streak on the road against the reigning national champions. Still, this season has shown that Big Ten teams led by interim coaches can produce unexpected results. UCLA Bruins, for example, rattled off a three-game October winning streak under interim coach Tim Skipper, including a victory over then-No. 7 Penn State.

The Buckeyes will need to stay alert against a Penn State squad playing with nothing to lose. While the Nittany Lions' championship hopes are gone, they have a prime opportunity to play spoiler. After facing Ohio State, Penn State returns home to take on No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers.