Penn State might be on a five-game losing streak, but the first four losses of that stretch came by one score. For the first time this season, a team dominated the Nittany Lions this past Saturday. That team was, of course, Ohio State.
The Buckeyes more than doubled up Penn State in total yardage, 480-200, during a 38-14 victory in the Shoe. It was the Nittany Lions’ lowest offensive output of the season by 66 yards, and their 55 rushing yards were their lowest by 80 yards. Ohio State slung the rock for 316 passing yards against PSU’s secondary, which entered as the No. 5 passing defense in college football. That was the most allowed by Penn State this season by 68 yards.
No. 1 Ohio State keeps rolling and staying focused despite whatever its opponent’s record might be heading into a given game. The season now feels like a somersault toward the Michigan game, likely the Big Ten Championship game and very likely the College Football Playoff. Stocks keep soaring, but there are still a few areas for the Buckeyes to patch up as the famously pivotal month of November rolls along.
Stock Up
Julian Sayin’s Heisman Campaign
Sayin went 20-of-23 for 316 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions against Penn State. That’s more touchdowns than incomplete passes. His completion percentage this year (80.7%) leads the nation’s quarterbacks by 7.6%. The gap between he and second-place Demond Williams Jr. (73.1%) is the same as the gap between Williams and the 36th-ranked QB in the country. Unreal. He’s now topping the sportsbooks in Heisman Trophy odds, and Ohio State has launched a website in support, alongside one for wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate
There have been many, many incredible combinations of quarterbacks and wide receivers in the Ryan Day and Brian Hartline era of Ohio State football. But the collective of Sayin, Smith and Tate might be the best yet. Smith and Tate have a case as the best top receiver duos in Day’s career, in conversation there with the combinations of Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson (2020 and 2021), Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka (2022 and 2023) and Smith and Egbuka (2024). Both Smith and Tate had over 120 receiving yards against Penn State, each making a spectacular touchdown grab. Smith finished with two scores to Tate’s one.
Ive scarcely seen a WR as good as Carnell Tate is at these two things:
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) November 1, 2025
- Stemming DBs on the vertical plane
- Converting on under-thrown balls that re-enter DB range
His reliability can be quantified as elite. Such a savvy, sound player.
pic.twitter.com/SWNk8gLOct
JEREMIAH SMITH ARE YOU SERIOUS?!
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 1, 2025
He snags an unreal TD catch for @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/yBTdM0xfTW
Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
Jackson had his best game yet as a Buckeye against Penn State, sacking Nittany Lion quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer twice to go with four total tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. He had seven total pressures in pass rush per Pro Football Focus, more than doubling up any other Buckeye defender.
Arvell Reese
By my count, Ohio State players are the favorite to win six major awards at the end of the season: Sayin for the Heisman and the Davey O’Brien Award (best quarterback), Smith for the Biletnikoff Award (best wide receiver), Caleb Downs for the Thorpe Award (best defensive back) and Arvell Reese for the Butkus Award (best linebacker) and Lombardi Award (best among the nation’s offensive linemen, defensive linemen and linebackers).
Of all those trophies, I’m most confident that Reese will win the Butkus. There’s just no other linebacker that comes close. He had another special outing against Penn State, racking up 12 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and a sack. He’s up to a team-high 54 tackles, nine TFLs and 6.5 sacks.
This week's "Arvell Reese is really freaking good" tweet.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) November 1, 2025
Speed. Burst. Violence. What a weapon. pic.twitter.com/fnQ1moA83a
Gifts From Replay Officials
It’s shocking that Caleb Downs isn’t sitting out the first half against Purdue after a hit that looked like textbook targeting, but a kind, unnamed replay official decided it would be left as unnecessary roughness instead. Said official was probably wrong, but ejecting/suspending players for a mistake made in a game filled with split-second violence is dumb in the first place.
“God gave me one right there,” Downs said after the game.
Terry Smith on Caleb Downs hit on Khalil Dinkins:
— Joel Haas (@Joel_Haas1) November 3, 2025
It looked like the definition of targeting.
pic.twitter.com/8dtXSZ220Y
Utah
More critical games between borderline CFP contenders are rolling in by the week, and Utah kept its playoff hopes alive by obliterating then-No. 17 Cincinnati 45-10, jumping up seven spots to take the Bearcats’ ranking in the AP Poll.
Stock Down
Perimeter Defense
Just once, just once, something has to trend down for this generationally good defense. Something. Am I taking crazy pills? I don’t know. Penn State found a bit of success in the first two and a half quarters, sending about nine blockers to the left or right and tossing the ball to a running back behind them. Nick Singleton had a chunk gain on a jet sweep for the Nittany Lions. There were a few quick passes on bubbles, quicks and the like to wide receivers that produced some yards. It was those types of plays that fueled PSU’s 75-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter.
Did Ohio State adjust midway through the third quarter and completely shut down all the things Penn State was doing to the perimeter? Yes. Did the Nittany Lions rush for a pathetic 1.8 yards per carry and a still-terrible 3.5 yards per carry when the Buckeyes’ four sacks are removed? Also yes. Do I think perimeter defense will be an issue long-term, or even short-term? No.
But, again, like, just once, I need to say something critical about the defense. For balance. To break the constant cycle of praise.
Offensive Line Play
Sayin was never sacked thanks to his incredible footwork and pocket presence, but he came under pressure on 41.7% of his dropbacks against Penn State, per PFF. Ohio State’s rushing numbers got a major boost with Bo Jackson’s 51-yard run in the fourth quarter, but other than that the Buckeyes picked up just 113 yards on 31 carries running the ball, a poor average of 3.6 yards per carry.
Beyond the issues on the right side of the line that have frequently plagued Ohio State this season, there were uncharacteristic lapses from left tackle Austin Siereveld and center Carson Hinzman in pass protection. The Buckeyes were much better up front in the second half, but there’s still clearly work to do on the unit entering the home stretch of the regular season.
Miami
Another year where the Hurricanes waste a talented roster by losing to teams they shouldn’t. Their playoff hopes are on life support after a 26-20 loss to SMU this weekend. Ohio State really did break the U (be sure to cop our shirt to remind everybody).
Georgia Tech
Maybe the entire ACC should be in the Stock Down section this week. The conference’s last remaining unbeaten fell 48-36 at NC State this past Saturday and plummeted to No. 16 in the AP Poll. There are now no teams in the conference ranked in the top 10. It could be heading in the direction of a one-bid league.
The Cincinnati Bungles
They are only the Bungles today. ONLY the Bungles today. Not the Bengals. Imagine scoring 80 points combined in two NFL games and losing both, as they’ve done the last two weeks. Imagine scoring 15 points in the final two minutes of a game, recovering an onside kick along the way, to go ahead by one point and your defense, the worst in NFL history (no data here, just my embittered feelings), shows all the tackling effort of a toddler with a twisted ankle and lets Colston Loveland prance into the end zone for a game-winning 58-yard touchdown.
The end of the Bears and Bengals game was wild!
— JayOnSC (@JayOnSC) November 3, 2025
(: @NFL) pic.twitter.com/X0auf2PcgA
Why did I ever become a fan of this poverty franchise? I blame my dad. (Yes, I will be wearing my Joe Burrow jersey and watching again next game, thank you for asking.)
