Alex Hickey: Ohio State shows there's no stopping the preordained collision with Michigan

Ohio State-Michigan.

It was inevitable the moment The Game ended last year. It was inevitable at Big Ten Media Days. And now Ohio State’s 44-31 win at Penn State erases any doubt the Buckeyes and Wolverines will again meet with the Big Ten East title and perhaps a whole lot more at stake. (Unless, of course, Michigan loses twice before then. But good luck finding the 2 losses.)

To think there was any other possible outcome was fun while it lasted. And Penn State deserves some credit for sowing doubt all the way into the fourth quarter against the Buckeyes. That certainly was not the case against Michigan 2 weeks ago.

In fact, it seemed destined to be Penn State’s day when Kaytron Allen scored to put the Nittany Lions ahead 21-16 with 9:26 remaining. His 1-yard score on fourth-and-goal capped off a wild sequence where everything went wrong for Ohio State.

Penn State kicker Jake Pinegar missed a chip shot field goal, but it didn’t count because of a false start. Pinegar then missed another attempt, but that also didn’t count because Ohio State lined up over the snapper.

James Franklin knew what to do at that point, keeping his offense on the field to pick up a first down. And it did. Two plays later, receiver Mitchell Tinsley fumbled at the 1. Penn State lucked out with tight end Brenton Strange being Johnny-on-the-spot for the recovery. Allen cashed in all the good fortune 2 plays later, on 4th down.

The drive was like an instruction manual on how the No. 2 team in the country loses a game.

It took Ohio State’s offense 3 plays and 35 seconds to make sure that sensation was temporary.

Limited to a single touchdown in the game’s first 51 minutes, the Buckeyes scored 4 of them in the final 9. The onslaught began with TreVeyon Henderson’s 41-yard run that probably erased the final second-half deficit Ohio State will see until Nov. 26. (Or perhaps even longer, Ohio State fans are hoping.)

The next drive was even shorter: 1 play, 24 yards, 9 seconds. Ohio State’s ruthless offensive efficiency can apparently be recalled on an as-needed basis.

But offense isn’t the only reason to be excited about the Buckeyes.

Big-play defense shines again

When Ohio State forced 6 turnovers against Iowa last week, the universal reaction was “Iowa! Your offense! WOOF!”

And that’s a completely fair reaction, because Iowa’s offense does look like Buzz’s girlfriend.

But now it seems Jim Knowles’ defense deserves a little bit more credit for adding fuel to that tire fire. This was no Iowa-induced fluke. The Buckeyes have a big-play defense.

Ohio State forced 4 Penn State turnovers, with defensive end JT Tuimoloau intercepting a pair of Sean Clifford passes. Tuimoloau improbably joined the company of safety Tanner McCalister, who picked off 2 passes against Iowa.

Tuimoloau also joined linebacker Tommy Eichenberg in returning an interception for an Ohio State touchdown for the second straight week. Last week, Eichenberg took a Spencer Petras pass 14 yards to the house. This week, Tuimoloau followed it with a 15-yard touchdown return.

The fact that players are getting these takeaways at all 3 levels of the defense is the most telling sign of Ohio State’s strength. The Buckeyes are very active getting their arms up for deflections. So even when the Bucks allow 482 yards, as they did Saturday, the defense is capable of making that handful of game-changing plays.

Bend, but don’t break? More like bend but break the other team’s will with another takeaway.

Bucks do have some work to do

If there’s anything you might characterize as a potential weakness for Ohio State, it is their struggle to run the ball consistently the past 2 weeks.

That might not matter against Northwestern, Indiana or Maryland. But it’s something that likely needs solving before hosting the Wolverines.

Ohio State had just 66 rushing yards against Iowa. And the universal reaction was “Well, that’s what happens when you face Iowa’s defense.”

Because it is what happens to just about anyone against Iowa’s defense. But not Penn State’s.

It took Henderson’s 41-yard touchdown to get the Buckeyes up to 98 rushing yards against the Nittany Lions. Outside of that play, Ohio State rushed for 57 yards on 25 carries. This comes against a defense that Michigan pulverized for 418 rushing yards.

And maybe that won’t even matter against Michigan. CJ Stroud and Ohio State’s passing game could still theoretically be enough to get the job done. But it is difficult to see the Buckeyes winning 2 games against College Football Playoff competition if they’re unable to establish the run.

That’s not a bad place to be with 4 games left in the season, however. Ryan Day is likely pleased that he has something tangible to work on so the Buckeyes don’t go into cruise control against a trio of teams they should beat with ease.

Penn State was a nice wakeup call for a team that hadn’t been tested since its first game. And the next 3 games will be dress rehearsals for the one that matters most.