Blue White Illustrated

PLAYER OF THE GAME More than any- thing, Ohio State quarterback J.T. Bar- rett was poised Saturday afternoon at the Horseshoe. His Buckeyes trailed by as many as 18 points in the second quarter, but the veteran signal-caller kept his composure and put together a comeback performance that will ce- ment his legacy further at Ohio State. Completing 33 of 39 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns to go along with his 17 carries for 95 yards on the ground, Barrett was outstanding. PLAY OF THE GAMEOhio State blocked a punt against Penn State early in the fourth quarter, and it changed the mo- mentum and course of the game. Exe- cuting the punt block perfectly with four Buckeyes blanketing Penn State's Blake Gillikin, the Buckeyes needed only two plays to put the ball in the end zone. Barrett connected with Johnnie Dixon for a 38-yard score, bringing Ohio Stadium back to life and trimming Penn State's lead to 35-27. BEST PASSWith Ohio State threaten- ing a first-and-goal stand against the Nittany Lions, quarterback Trace Mc- Sorley targeted DaeSean Hamilton to no avail on second down. Undaunted, Mc- Sorley stepped back on third-and-goal and floated one in Hamilton's direction again. Blanketed by Damon Arnette, Hamilton reached up and snagged the ball, turning out toward the sideline and finishing the play. BEST RUNHeld without the ball throughout the first quarter, Saquon Barkley found positive yards on the ground at the start of the second. He hit a hole for what looked to be an 8-yard carry, but split to his left, shedding Buckeye hands along the way, to rip off a 36-yard touchdown carry. BEST CATCHIt might have been the best catch of the game, regardless of which team was awarded possession. At first called an interception by Derrick Ward in the end zone, the play was re- viewed, after which Penn State's DeAn- dre Thompkins was awarded possession, turning over the Ohio State touchback call into a Penn State touchdown. The swing was dramatic, turning momentum back to the Nittany Lions following 10 consecutive Ohio State points. WORST DROPOhio State tight end Marcus Ball found himself wide open behind Penn State's secondary on sec- ond-and-long, in perfect position to JUDGMENT CALLS O c T O B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . c O M 4 N A T E B A U E R | N B A U E R @ B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . c O M The best and the rest from Penn State's narrow loss to the Buckeyes

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