What We Learned as Buckeyes claimed wire-to-wire win at Penn State

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Ohio State was never threatened by the team that was projected to be its closest competition in the Big Ten.

Just imagine what the Buckeyes might look like when they finally tap into their potential for a full game.

Ohio State was dominant on offense, but it didn’t finish off a few drives the way it wanted. The Silver Bullets were flying around during a stingy first half, though they might kick themselves for giving up a few plays down the stretch. And while special teams didn’t wind up being all that relevant in a matchup against Penn State that was never really in doubt, that’s another area that will have Ohio State’s attention heading into November.

But it all still came in a 38-25 road win over the talented Nittany Lions. And once again, the Buckeyes are never going to apologize for the way they win.

“I would say it’s a big step forward,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said. “To win this game on the road is a huge step for us. But there’s a lot to be done. Absolutely, there’s a lot to be done. We’ll just keep going back to work.

“I think that’s really encouraging that there’s a lot of work to be done and you still play like this and win like this.”

The Buckeyes now have a pair of double-digit victories to their credit in as many tries to start the season. Here’s what Lettermen Row learned about Ohio State on Saturday night at Beaver Stadium.

Buckeyes bring more pressure up front

There never should have been much concern about a defensive line that is loaded with talent and coached by a legend in Larry Johnson. But if there was one defensive area where the Buckeyes wanted to see more coming out of the opener, the relative lack of pressure from the Rushmen stood out as somewhere with room to grow.

The Buckeyes clearly embraced the challenge, and with Jonathon Cooper setting the tone with tireless effort, they racked up five sacks and constantly harassed Penn State all game long. Tommy Togiai is becoming a beast on the interior. Zach Harrison added a highlight-reel tackle for loss by taking down both the quarterback and tailback at the same time. Javontae Jean-Baptiste cleaned up a sack that will go down as one of the biggest plays of his young career so far. Collectively, the Buckeyes left no doubt that they’re going to be ready to live up to the program’s lofty standards up front.

Ohio State facing questions in kicking game

The Buckeyes haven’t played a Big Ten game decided by a single-digit margin for nearly two calendar years, so the kicking game might not seem like the greatest concern for the program. And after racing out to a lead against Penn State, it didn’t really make any difference for Ohio State in the comfortable win.

After Blake Haubeil felt discomfort in his groin before the game, the Buckeyes lightened his load by taking him off the kickoff team. There were no problems there, but a missed chip-shot field goal prompted a change in place-kicking duties as well — and while walk-on Dominic DiMaccio made one kick, he also missed a short one that would have effectively iced the victory. Ohio State will be a heavy favorite in every regular-season game, but that’s a unit that could make a difference in the College Football Playoffs and will have to be monitored.

Justin Fields is playing at Heisman Trophy level

Eventually Justin Fields might run out of ways to drop jaws, but that hasn’t happened yet. And after earning a trip to New York City last year as a Heisman Trophy finalist, somehow he’s actually elevated his game to an even higher level — and is playing like a quarterback who deserves to win that trophy.

It’s almost a surprise when Fields throws an incompletion at this point, and even when he does, they still tend to be catchable footballs. On Saturday night, Day pointed to the way Fields absorbed the punishment of a huge hit in the fourth quarter without fumbling, so even the little details are still impressing his teammates and the coaching staff. Clearly the junior poured everything he had into the effort just to play this season, and it would have been an absolute shame for the world not to see his gifts on the field this season.

Ohio State secondary isn’t completely settled yet

The reloading of the Ohio State secondary hit a bit of a snag with Penn State generating a touch of momentum through the air in the second half, and Cameron Brown’s injury will be a notable setback to the depth of the unit. The cornerback will undergo more medical tests on Sunday, but the early indications suggested Brown could be out for an extended period of time with a leg injury — which will put more pressure on Sevyn Banks and Shaun Wade.

Wade, in particular, won’t have fond memories of his trips to Happy Valley during his career, and Kerry Coombs will no doubt be focusing on a handful of downfield completions he gave up to the Nittany Lions. The projected first-round draft pick appeared to be interfered with on one of those big plays, though he didn’t get the benefit of a call. Either way, he’s under a microscope from NFL scouts, and the Buckeyes will expect more from him down the stretch.

Buckeyes make clutch connections at tight end

Whatever the Buckeyes need from their tight ends, that veteran unit is always ready to help. And while their primary responsibilities are still focused on their blocking, they proved to be dangerous weapons in the passing game and helped bury the Nittany Lions thanks to a pair of touchdowns from Jeremy Ruckert.

All told, the Buckeyes completed six passes to the tight ends. And while that’s probably not the kind of workload Ruckert, Luke Farrell and Jake Hausmann can expect on a weekly basis, they all offered a reminder of how they can supplement the attack when they get the chance.