SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 27, 2012
Ohio State 35, Penn State 23: Braxton Miller passed for 143 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 134 and a pair of scores as the visiting Buckeyes remained undefeated.
Carlos Hyde added a rushing score and Jake Stoneburner caught the lone touchdown pass for Ohio State (9-0, 5-0 Big Ten), which became the first FBS team to reach nine wins.
Miller took over late in the third quarter, pulling back a designed running back draw and taking it in himself through the right side to give the Buckeyes a 21-10 edge with 3:30 left in the period. The defense forced a three-and-out on the ensuing possession and Miller guided Ohio State 85 yards in eight plays, bursting through for another 1-yard score with 40 seconds left in the third.
The Nittany Lions (5-3, 3-1) took an early lead on a blocked punt in the end zone but did not score on offense until the fourth quarter, when Matthew McGloin threw a pair of touchdown passes. Miller sandwiched McGloin’s two scores with one of his own, matching his longest career pass play with a 72-yard connection to Stoneburner.
McGloin finished 27-of-45 for 327 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for Penn State, which was held to 32 yards on 28 rushing attempts in dropping its first conference game of 2012.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The schools were technically playing for first place in the Leaders Division, though neither is eligible for postseason play because of NCAA sanctions. … Ryan Shazier gave Ohio State its first lead 14-7 with a 17-yard interception return for a touchdown. … The Buckeyes finished with 234 yards rushing and have gone over 100 in each of their nine games.