On the second play out of halftime, quarterback Julian Sayin connected on a 57-yard pass to receiver Carnell Tate, which eventually set up a touchdown run for CJ Donaldson. The play worked to perfection, with Tate beating a Penn State defensive back and finding open space down the field.

Penn State offensive lineman Vega Ioane made a thoughtful gesture after the game. Coaches and fans took notice.

Ohio State football hosts Penn State on Saturday and we provided live updates with reaction, score, highlights, and commentary.

Championship-level response by Ohio State. The Penn State defense just doesn’t have it so far today. Brutal pass interference penalty on AJ Harris on 3rd down. Ohio State has it 1st and goal at the 8. Meanwhile Ohio State can get 50 yards on us whenever they want with the deep ball. Infuriating. https://t.co/eyYfBvHbpw

Knowles falls flat, Smith and Tate dominate, and a new Heisman favorite. 5 things to know about Ohio State’s 38-14 win over Penn State.

While Penn State’s defense was on the field, Grunkemeyer sat at the edge of one of the benches, quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien on his right. He often spoke with receivers sitting on the bench to his left while Ohio State marched down the field, connecting with receivers easily.

The 2025 edition of the Ohio State–Penn State rivalry arrives with vastly different narratives for each program. The top-ranked Buckeyes are undefeated at 7-0 and look every bit the part of a national title contender,

Penn State’s average starting field position in the first half was its own 37-yard line, largely thanks to Dani Dennis-Sutton’s forced fumble in the second quarter that put the Lions on the OSU 13. Ohio State’s average first-half start was its own 21-yard line. The Lions trailed by just three heading into halftime.

Ohio State is a self-sustaining program that doesn't live or die by one coordinator. That's harder than it looks.

Ohio State needed a half to return from its bye week but the Buckeyes were able to pull away from the Penn State Nittany Lions after halftime. Julian Sayin threw more touchdowns than incomplete passes, and his receiving corps continues to practice surgery on opposing secondaries.