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It wasn’t the prettiest win for Ohio State, but it still got the job done against rival Penn State.
The Buckeyes overcame a slow start (including trailing 7-3 at the end of the 1st quarter) but turned it on the rest of the way, especially in the 2nd half. They outscored the Nittany Lions 16-14 to win, 33-24.
TreVeyon Henderson came out of his slumber in the 2nd half to finish with 152 yards rushing and 1 touchdown on 28 carries. The Buckeyes defense also had a couple of splash plays (including a scoop-and-score touchdown from Jerron Cage) to change the momentum, especially in the 2nd quarter.
Here’s what head coach Ryan Day said to the media after this ginormous victory.
Ryan Day at the podium now. “I'm proud of our guys of working through a gritty game like this. It's not untypical of a Penn State game.”
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) October 31, 2021
Day on Stroud saying Penn State was calling out certain Ohio State plays during the game: "That happens in just about every game." Day says teams pick up on other teams' tendencies.
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) October 31, 2021
Day says the Buckeyes weren't trying to get "style points" against Penn State. "That's not how this works."
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) October 31, 2021
Ryan Day: “I want to thank Buckeye Nation … half an hour before the game it was a packed house. The student section was rocking … That was a great atmosphere.”
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) October 31, 2021
Day says Jerron Cage was "carrying the ball like a loaf of bread" on his 57-yard fumble return TD.
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) October 31, 2021
Ryan Day: "When you look at college football right now, it's about surviving and moving on. Especially with some of the teams we're playing."
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) October 31, 2021
Day on the Buckeyes' struggles against Penn State: "We kind of expected some of this. What we didn't expect was some of those penalties and lack of execution."
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) October 31, 2021
Ryan Day is focused on winning the next four games, not Tuesday's College Football Playoff rankings. “I think our body of work will speak for itself.”
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) October 31, 2021