COLUMBUS, Ohio – All week, No. 4 Ohio State was dealing with the noise – that it wasn’t getting a pass rush, that the offensive line was questionable after two left tackles and that the ball wasn’t running well, and that head coach Ryan Day couldn’t get a ranked simply cannot beat your opponent on the road. After Ohio State lost at Oregon earlier this season, it felt like everything was on the line with this opportunity.

On Saturday, Ohio State responded against No. 3 Penn State. And Ryan Day responded.

The Buckeyes suffered a few setbacks along the way in their 20-13 win, but when it mattered most, Ohio State answered the questions surrounding this team’s true potential and proved the doubters wrong. The game would certainly be significant regardless of the outcome, but Ohio State made sure to take the opportunity to establish the narrative and say: yes we are, and yes we can.

All three units stepped up to play Happy Valley and free football carried the Buckeyes. Not only did Ohio State pull off a tough, physical road win against a conference opponent, but it did it in a way that just felt different.

The defensive line has been the subject of criticism for failing to make its presence felt in big games. When it was needed most, Ohio State’s defense got stops: a goal line at the 1-yard line, an interception in the end zone and preventing Penn State from scoring on four consecutive plays inside the 5-yard line in the fourth. quarter.

Also, the secondary, in terms of physical man coverage, simply did not allow a Penn State wide receiver to get open. Penn State’s offense did not produce a touchdown.

Playing without its starting left tackle Josh Simmons and backup Zen Michalski, Ohio State had to shuffle its offensive line. The solution was for two players to make their first starts at their shifted positions — Carson Hinzman at left guard and Donovan Jackson moving to left tackle — in a loud, hostile environment and against a strong defensive front featuring NFL defensive back Abdul Carter.

But the Buckeye offensive line found an effective combination that could support the dynamic attack, along with the wizardry and creativity of play-caller Chip Kelly. When it came time to finish off the Nittany Lions, Ohio State drove down the field in storybook fashion from the 1-yard line, running the ball and controlling the clock, finishing the game with the ball in their hands.

Ohio State rushed for 176 yards. Quinshon Judkins contributed 95 yards, TreVeyon Henderson 54, and quarterback Will Howard added 24 of his own.

“I think it’s fair to say we were at a crossroads,” Day said after the win. “This was a big game for us. We didn’t really want to say that publicly, but we said that behind closed doors. This was a big game for us… for a lot of reasons.”

“To get a top five win like that on the road in a tough environment, having to get Donnie (Donovan Jackson) to tackle… We felt like going into this game, it was going to be a tough environment become. We knew we had to gain the rushing yards, the turnover battle would be big and x (explosive) plays. We really had to focus on those things. But in the end we had to find a way to make a stop and gain that extra lead or score. That’s what it’s going to come down to.”

“This is going to help us move forward. If our guys get this win it will go a long way. Guys came back to this team for a reason,” Day added.