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 Spedito - 31/08/2022 : 02:49:16
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| COLUMBUS, Ohio James Franklin tried to keep the door open.No. 2 Penn State let an 11-point lead disappear in the fourth quarter in a 39-38 lo s to No. 6 Ohio State on Saturday, a mi sed opportunity that shifts the balance of power in the Big Ten East heading into November. The Nittany Lions (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) now have the same overall record as the Buckeyes (7-1, 5-0);but they don't have the head-to-head tie-breaker in the division that leads to the Big Ten championship game this time.Penn State won't get the benefit of the doubt either, and that's what will cause the most angst later.MORE: "Obviously very disappointed for the guys in the locker room," Franklin said. "We still got a lot of football ahead of us. As we saw how everybody played out https://www.clippersedges.com/Blake-Griffin-Jersey last year, this is a crazy game with a lot of storylines."The storyline of last year's College Football Playoff hasn't been forgotten. Penn State won the Big Ten championship with an 11-2 record and beat Ohio State head-to-head, but the Buckeyes went to the College Football Playoff without going to Indianapolis on the strength of victories against Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Michigan. Even if Ohio State loses again and the roles are reversed, don't be surprised if the Buckeyes get the benefit of the doubt again.Penn State's lo s hurts a lot now. It's probably going to hurt a lot more in late November, and when the College https://www.clippersedges.com/Patrick-Beverley-Jersey Football Playoff rankings are finalized on Dec. 3.The Nittany Lions do have a lot of football left, but this was supposed to be their week after dismantling Michigan 42-13 in State College. It looked like an instant replay early after Penn State jumped out to a 14-0 lead behind Saquon Barkley's 97-yard kickoff return and a 13-yard touchdownpa s from Trace McSorley to DaeSean Hamilton. That lead ballooned to 28-10 with 8:06 left in the second quarter. Penn State even had an interception reversed into a touchdown in the third quarter for a 37-yard touchdown by DeAndre Thompkins.Every break seemingly went the Nittany Lions' way, but Franklin spotted the reason why they couldn't the Buckeyes away." https://www.clippersedges.com/Tobias-Harris-Jersey We weren't able to protect or consistently run the ball down the stretch," Franklin said.McSorley (13 carries, 49 yards) and Barkley (21 carries, 44 yards) combined for 34 carries for 93yards. Fifty-nine of those yards came on two plays. Ohio State shut the Nittany Lions' running game down, and that allowed for J.T. Barrett's fourth-quarter heroics over two drives between a three-and-out."It's very similar to what we've been seeing all year," Franklin said. "They were doing it with extremely good athletes."Barrett didn't mi s a pa s in the fourth quarter. He finished 13 of 13 for 170 yards and three touchdowns in bringing the Buckeyes back from that deficit for a thrilling victory."The margin for error in these games is very small," Franklin said.MORE: Penn State had every opportunity to finish, but they met the same le s-controversial fate that No. 3 Michigan did in a 30-27 double-overtime lo s in Columbus last season. The Nittany Lions likely will also mi s out on Indianapolis this time, unle s the Buckeyes somehow lose two games in November.Is the playoff door closed? No, but Penn State has major hurdles. The Buckeyes have the Big Ten East blocked off. Alabama and Georgia have the "two teams from one conference" argument. Oklahoma, Clemson and Notre https://www.clippersedges.com/Landry-Shamet-Jersey Dame are among the one-lo s teams the Nittany Lions have to size themselves up against now, and the Sooners and Tigers have https://www.clippersedges.com/Jerome-Robinson-Jersey the benefit of that conference championship. Penn State isn't out, but It's a long path to the playoff, and it's even longer after letting an 11-point lead slip away with 5:42 remaining.Those last six minutes will be lamented for a long time in Happy Valley, especially if it creates a role reversal with the Buckeyes that produces the same result.Penn State could mi s the playoff at Ohio State's expense. That's the narrative now. That's the le son Franklin must teach those players in the locker room heading into the final month.Franklin is right. This is a crazy game. But crazy happened at the worst time for the Nittany Lions."The reality is we didn't win the game against a really good opponent on the road," Franklin said. "We've got to learn and get better." |
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Penn States loss to Ohio State hurts now and will
