Ohio State vs. Penn State: The 10 biggest blowouts in rivalry history

When it comes to blowouts in the Ohio State vs. Penn State football series, it’s a tale of 2 centuries.

Ohio State’s 6 biggest blowouts of Penn State have all occurred since 2000. The Nittany Lions’ 5 most lopsided wins all occurred last century. In fact, the Lions haven’t won by more than 7 since 1999 and have gone 5-17 in the series since then.

Those numbers are through 2021. The teams are set to meet on Oct. 29, 2022, and the Buckeyes will carry a 23-14 series edge into that game. Whether the meeting at Penn State’s Beaver Stadium produces another blowout or a barnburner remains to be seen.

Here are the ones that got away from the losing side in the past:

Ohio State 63, Penn State 14 (2013)

The Lions, coming off scholarship reductions and other sanctions post-Sandusky scandal, were no match for the No. 4 Buckeyes. Braxton Miller threw for 3 touchdowns and Carlos Hyde ran for 2 as Ohio State showed 2nd-year coach Bill O’Brien and his squad no mercy.

It was the 8th of what would be 12 straight wins for Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes before they dropped their final 2. Penn State dropped to 4-3 after its worst loss since 1899.

The game was so lopsided that a freshman back named Ezekiel Elliott even got a couple carries for the Buckeyes.

Penn State 63, Ohio State 14 (1994)

No. 1 Penn State, led by Kerry Collins (265 yards and 2 TDs passing), Ki-Jana Carter (137, 4 TDs rushing) and Bobby Engram (102, TD receiving) absolutely smoked No. 21 Ohio State. The Lions actually fell to No. 2 in the polls after dealing the Bucks their worst loss since 1946, because No. 2 Nebraska beat No. 3 Colorado the same day.

Penn State historian Lou Prato pointed out in a retrospective piece that 2 OSU beat writers were among those voting eventual national champion Nebraska No. 1 the following week. Penn State finished 12-0 and No. 2 after a Rose Bowl win over No. 12 Oregon.

Ohio State 45, Penn State 6 (2000)

No 14. Ohio State cruised, with Steve Bellisari throwing for a touchdown and 4 Buckeyes taking turns running for scores. OSU improved to 4-0, while Penn State — which had already lost by 18 to Toledo and been shut out by unranked Pitt — fell to 1-4 in the first of what would be 4 losing seasons in a 5-year span.

Ohio State 38, Penn State 10 (2015)

The defending national champions, who had gotten a double-OT scare from Penn State the previous year, trailed 3-0 into the 2nd quarter. But then JT Barrett, in relief of Cardale Jones, sparked the No. 1 Buckeyes with 2 rushing TDs in the 2nd quarter and 2 passing TDs in the 4th quarter.

Ohio State (7-0 after the win) ran for 315 yards, with Ezekiel Elliott leading the way with 153. Penn State, which entered 5-1 with a 5-game winning streak, got 194 rushing yards from Saquon Barkley but only 121 total yards from the rest of the team.

Penn State 27, Ohio State 0 (1964)

This was a monumental upset, as Penn State (3-4 entering the contest) took down No. 2 Ohio State (6-0), beating legendary coach Woody Hayes for a 2nd straight year.

Counting a 1956 meeting, it was the 3rd time in as many tries that Rip Engle and assistant Joe Paterno had taken down a top-10 Hayes-led squad. All those were played in Columbus, as Hayes and the Buckeyes didn’t grace State College with their presence until 1976.

“It was the soundest trouncing we ever had,” Hayes conceded. “We didn’t seem to be able to establish anything. They were a great team today.” For nostalgia fans, these recollections of a then PSU sophomore who listened to the game on the radio in his dorm room are worth your time.

No. 8 Ohio State 38, Penn State 14 (2010)

After trailing 14-3 at halftime, Ohio State’s defense produced 2 pick-6s against PSU QB Matt McGloin and Terrelle Pryor passed for 2 more TDs. The boos turned to cheers at Ohio Stadium as the Buckeyes improved to 9-1.

The NCAA vacated the Buckeyes’ 12 wins that season to punish players for receiving improper benefits, but historical cites and we here know all those games did in fact occur.

Ohio State 28, Penn State 6 (2006)

No. 24 Penn State led 3-0 at halftime, but No. 1 Ohio State took over after the break and iced the game with 2 pick-6s against Lions quarterback Anthony Morelli in the final 3 minutes.

The Buckeyes went on to reach the BCS Championship game undefeated before falling 41-14 to No. 2 Florida.

Ohio State 37, Penn State 17 (2007)

For a second straight year, No. 1 Ohio State won comfortably over No. 24 Penn State, this time in State College. Todd Boeckman threw for 253 yards and Chris Wells ran for 133 as the Buckeyes outgained the Lions by 190 yards.

The Buckeyes again made the BCS Championship game, this time losing to LSU to finish 11-2 and No. 5.

Ohio State 28, Penn State 9 (1998)

With touchdowns on a fumble recovery and a blocked punt, No. 1 Ohio State erased an early 3-0 deficit and cruised past No. 7 Penn State in a matchup of 3-0 teams.

John Cooper got his 4th win over Joe Paterno in 6 meetings, and the Buckeyes went on to an 11-2 season and No. 2 final ranking.

Penn State 19, Ohio State 0 (1978)

No. 5 Penn State intercepted freshman quarterback Art Schlichter 5 times, ruining the debut of OSU coach Woody Hayes’s new pass-oriented offense. The road victory over the No. 6 Buckeyes was Joe Paterno’s only victory over Hayes as a head coach.

It was the Nittany Lions’ second shutout victory in the series, which stood 5-2 in their favor after the win.

The Lions reached 11-0 and No. 1 in the AP poll before losing to No. 2 Alabama 14-7 in the Sugar Bowl.