Ohio State capitalized on the second chance as Howard found Brandon Inniss for a 21-yard touchdown.

On the next drive, the Buckeyes nearly took a two-score lead when Will Howard ran into the end zone. Officials initially said it was a 13-yard touchdown run, but replay showed safety Zakee Wheatley forced a fumble. The ball floated over the post, meaning a touchback and Penn State’s ball.

Penn State made a valiant effort to take the lead on its final drive before halftime, reaching the Ohio State three-yard line with 13 seconds left. But Davison Igbinosun made the play, sniping quarterback Drew Allar’s pass to Harrison Wallace III for an interception.

Both teams traded field goals and then punts to start the second half. Ohio State’s Jayden Fielding then kicked another field goal to put OSU up 20-13, though not before a boundary call that was ruled an incomplete pass instead of a fumble recovered by Penn State.

PSU then drove down the field, catapulted by Tyler Warren’s 33-yard run. That led to the goal line stand and Ohio State’s successful efforts to run out the clock starting in the shadow of its own end zone.

From a one-game perspective, this was brutal for Penn State, who had the win there for the taking.

The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, whether warranted or not, prolonged a drive that resulted in seven points. Igbinosun’s interception killed a drive that could have led to seven points. The fumble that didn’t lead to an OSU field goal instead of Penn State potentially going down for more points. Ohio State’s goal line stand prevented seven more points. And for those scoring at home, Penn State had first-and-goal from the three-yard line twice and scored zero points.

More broadly, it’s more of the same under Franklin.

It’s hard to overcome the mistakes, untimely decisions and bad execution that often against the team no. 4 in the nation. But Franklin’s teams, while they have the talent to win, continue to come up short in the program’s biggest moments. It was the difference between competing for a College Football Playoff berth and landing in a luxury consolation game every year.

This year, Penn State has the safety net of a 12-team CFP as opposed to a four-team one, and chances are the Nittany Lions will find themselves there as long as they win against four Big Ten teams, they’ll be favored. against.

But fans understandably have little to no faith in Franklin to rise to the occasion, especially after a brutal home loss against an Ohio State team that hasn’t been as strong as some in the program’s past.

Fans and analysts pointed to the disappointment afterward, noting the coach’s struggles in big moments and specifically questioning the play-calling on Penn State’s final goal-to-go.

Penn State will stay at home this week and host Washington in Happy Valley on Saturday, November 9th. The team then closes out the regular season with road games against Purdue and Minnesota before hosting Maryland.