Big Ten Battle: Ohio State vs. Penn State recent history

2008

Penn State 13, Ohio State 6: Pat Devlin came off the bench for injured starting quarterback Daryll Clark in the fourth quarter, leading two scoring drives and sneaking in for the go-ahead touchdown to give No. 3 Penn State the victory. The win put the Nittany Lions in command in the Big Ten and severely crimped the chances of the Buckeyes grabbing an unprecedented third consecutive outright league title and a piece of their fourth conference championship in a row. Penn State solidified its position as a national championship contender and also erased the ugly memories of an 0-7 mark in Columbus since joining the Big Ten in 1993. Ohio State had the ball and a three-point lead when Terrelle Pryor fumbled, defensive back Mark Rubin using his left hand to knock the ball away as the freshman quarterback carried on a third-and-1 early in the fourth quarter. Game Recap

2007

Ohio State 37, Penn State 17: Most of the fans inside Beaver Stadium headed for the exits quickly at game's end except for a sliver of red-clad diehards in the corner of the end zone. With gleeful Ohio State players leading the way, the crowd threw up their arms to spell out each letter in "Ohio." Todd Boeckman threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns and Chris Wells ran for 133 yards to lead Ohio State to another easy win in its toughest test of the season so far. The Buckeyes' vaunted defense didn't need to be at its best with Boeckman on a roll and Ohio State's massive offensive line dominating. Penn State was only the second ranked team Ohio State has faced. Game Recap | Parrish: Ohio State is model of consistency

2006

Ohio State 28, Penn State 6: In about the time it took 79-year-old Joe Paterno to jog to the locker room, Troy Smith and No. 1 Ohio State's defense turned a close game into a rout. Smith threw an acrobatic 37-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter, then Malcolm Jenkins and Antonio Smith returned interceptions for touchdowns as the Buckeyes beat No. 24 Penn State. Paterno, the Nittany Lions coach for the last 41 years, ambled to the locker room midway through the second quarter and didn't return until the start of the fourth because he was suffering from the flu. He got back just in time to see Smith turn a possible sack into a critical score as the Buckeyes (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) expanded a 7-3 lead on Brian Robiskie's 37-yard touchdown catch. The victory extended Ohio State's winning streak to 11 in a row, dating to last year's 17-10 loss at Penn State. Game Recap | Doyel: Game was hard to stomach

2005

Penn State 17, Ohio State 10: Go ahead and say it: Penn State is back. Back on top of the Big Ten and back in the hunt for a national title. Michael Robinson and Derrick Williams ran for touchdowns less than three minutes apart in the second quarter, and Paul Posluszny and the Nittany Lions defense did the rest in a 17-10 victory over No. 6 Ohio State. Win No. 349 for Joe Paterno was the type of victory some thought was only in the past for the 78-year-old coach. The 16th-ranked Nittany Lions hadn't beaten a team so highly ranked since knocking off No. 4 Arizona to start the 1999 season. The Nittany Lions did more than just hold their own against the Buckeyes and their vaunted defense, led by linebacker A.J. Hawk. Game Recap

2004

Ohio State 21, Penn State 10: Ted Ginn returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown and Tyler Everett ran back an interception for another score to lead Ohio State over Penn State. Two offenses ranked among the worst in the Big Ten struggled all day, combining for four turnovers. Neither team could pass in the gusting winds, with Penn State going to the air for just 69 yards despite trailing all day and Ohio State settling for 59 yards with a keepaway attack for the final three quarters. Ginn's return and Everett's TD in the first quarter gave the Buckeyes an almost insurmountable lead against an Penn State offense that was last in the conference in scoring and turnover margin. Penn State lost its fifth game in a row. The Nittany Lions lost six consecutive games just last season. Ohio State ran a total of six plays and netted just 12 yards in the first quarter but led 14-0. Game Recap

2003

Ohio State 21, Penn State 20: Off-balance and falling backward in the corner of the end zone, Michael Jenkins caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Scott McMullen with 1:35 left to lift Ohio State to a 21-20 win. With another close victory, No. 8 Ohio State kept alive its league title hopes as well as a berth in a Bowl Championship Series game. The loss gave the Nittany Lions their first five-game losing streak since Joe Paterno came to Penn State as an assistant coach in 1950; he's in his 38th season as head coach. Penn State had a chance to win, but David Kimball's 60-yard field goal try on the final play was just short and wide right. The Nittany Lions held off Ohio State for most of the game, with Buckeyes QB Craig Krenzel leaving in the second quarter. Game Recap

2002

Ohio State 13, Penn State 7: Chris Gamble began the game as Ohio State's first two-way starter in 39 years. He left with the record crowd chanting his name. On a day when freshman running back Maurice Clarett missed most of the game with a shoulder injury, Gamble's performance was something to shout about. The wide receiver made a stellar debut as a starting defensive back by returning an interception for a touchdown and preventing a score with a tackle in Ohio State's 13-7 victory. The victory helped the Buckeyes stay on course for the Big Ten title. Clarett, who missed a game earlier this season with a knee injury, hurt his left shoulder six plays into the game and did not return. He'd been averaging 140 yards a game and was off to another fast start Saturday, gaining 39 yards on four carries to give him 1,019 yards in just over seven games. Game Recap