We have to start this off with a little history lesson before we jump into the rankings. I was born in the state of Ohio to two Ohio State alumni. Early in my childhood, we moved to central Pennsylvania, where I would stay until graduating high school. Every fall, I was the kid who talked trash to all of my classmates. I made so many bets on Ohio State vs. Penn State that when Penn State won, I would spend half the week wearing Penn State gear. I have also been to my fair share of games. My very first game was the 2004 Penn State vs. Ohio State game in Columbus. I also attended games in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2023. I have watched my fair share of celebrations for both teams, which makes me feel qualified to rank the top moments from these games, even if I may be a little biased. I went ahead and ranked my top five moments in the rivalry since 2000. If there were bigger moments prior to 2000, feel free to let me know!
5: Chris Gamble’s Pick Six – This is a play many people may not remember, or some may not have even been alive for it. Jim Tressel’s second season was full of excitement. The Buckeyes were undefeated and contenders for the National Title. Ohio State rarely blew out anyone back in 2002, which makes their National Championship even more surprising. Both Penn State and Ohio State had dominant defenses that combined to allow only 432 yards. Craig Krenzel and Zack Mills had atrocious games, combining for five interceptions. One of the interceptions was Ohio State’s only touchdown. Ohio State was trailing 7-3 early in the third quarter when Chris Gamble stepped in front of a deep pass and weaved his way 39 yards to the end zone, giving Ohio State a 10-7 lead. Maybe Ohio State would have found a way to win without the interception. Perhaps the Buckeyes would have won 9-7 or a similar score. Without Chris Gamble returning the interception for a touchdown, the Buckeyes likely do not play Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, and Jim Tressel does not win a national championship.
4: Joey Bosa’s Walk-Off Sack – Back in 2014, Ohio State was working to salvage their season after an early loss to Virginia Tech. The Buckeyes had lost their star quarterback, Braxton Miller, in fall camp due to a shoulder injury. J.T. Barrett took over and did an all right job, but something was missing from the team. Many Penn State fans will remember this game due to some controversial officiating. With the butterfly effect, we have no idea how it might have played out. Ohio State led 17-0 at halftime and seemed on the verge of a blowout. However, two interceptions and a missed field goal allowed Penn State to claw back into the game, eventually hitting a game-tying field goal to send it into overtime. Both teams scored in the first overtime. Ohio State started with the ball in the second overtime and took just three plays to score. Penn State gained only five yards on their first three plays. Needing a touchdown to send the game to a third overtime, Christian Hackenberg dropped back and was sacked by Joey Bosa, ending the game. Without Bosa’s sack, Ohio State does not go on the championship run. Urban Meyer does not win a championship at Ohio State, and suddenly this team is viewed as the “What could have been” team instead of the “What they accomplished” team.
3: JT Barrett Leads an 18 Point Comeback – The 2017 matchup was one of the greatest games I have ever watched. If you want to talk about a roller coaster of emotions, this game had it all. Saquon Barkley returned the opening kickoff, starting the game with a spark. Ohio State would fumble in their own end zone, giving Penn State a 14-0 lead less than four minutes into the game. But Penn State’s offense wasn’t done; they scored 14 more points before halftime, leading by as much as 18 points. The Nittany Lions led 28-17 at halftime. An Ohio State field goal would cut the lead to just eight. Trace McSorley threw a long pass to DeAndre Thompkins in the end zone, which was initially called an interception by Denzel Ward. However, replay overturned the call, giving Penn State a touchdown and extending their lead to 35-20.
Heading into the fourth quarter is where this game gets juicy. A fumble by Ohio State at their own 44 appeared to seal the game. However, the Buckeyes were able to force Penn State to punt, and Ward managed to block the punt, giving Ohio State the ball at the Penn State 41-yard line. Ohio State needed just two plays to score, making the score 35-27. Penn State then drove down the field, eating up clock, before settling for a field goal with less than six minutes left to play. J.T. Barrett marched down the field in only five plays and scored in less than 90 seconds. Ohio State forced a quick punt, and sure enough, five plays later, Barrett had Ohio State in the end zone once again, taking the lead at 39-38. The thrill of this game puts it near the top, but the implications drop it to three. Ohio State and Penn State both lost the following week, giving each program two losses on the season, which eliminated Penn State from contention and put Ohio State’s chances on life support.
2: Penn State’s Blocked Kick – Rewind to 2016. Ohio State was traveling as the number two ranked team in the country to face an unranked Penn State team. Penn State was sitting at 4-2 with losses to Pitt and Michigan, along with narrow victories over Minnesota and Temple. James Franklin was on the hot seat, holding an 18-14 record through two and a half seasons and not having won more than seven games. Penn State fans were preparing for the worst as a powerful Ohio State team, which had already defeated Oklahoma on the road earlier that season, came to town. The Buckeyes were 19.5-point favorites, but the game played out very differently. Ohio State led 21-7 heading into the fourth quarter and looked to be putting the game away.
With a little more than four minutes left in the game and Ohio State leading 21-17, Urban Meyer rushed his kicker, Tyler Durbin, onto the field. Instead of calling a timeout to allow his kicker to get set, Durbin rushed his attempt and was blocked by Penn State’s defense. Grant Haley returned the blocked kick 60 yards, giving Penn State the lead at 24-21 and sealing the victory. The Whiteout was in full effect. Penn State fans stormed the field, and this win brought life back to a program that had spent the previous seasons in the dark ages following sanctions and scandals. This win did more than help the football team; it helped the entire university. Without this victory, Franklin likely does not survive the season, Penn State looks for a new coach, and they do not win the 2016 Big Ten Championship.
1: Tamba Hali’s Strip Sack – Back in the early 2000s, Penn State was not a winning program. The Nittany Lions went to just one bowl game between 2000 and 2004. From 2003 to 2004, Penn State won only seven games. Heading into 2005, expectations were low for the Nittany Lions. Meanwhile, Ohio State was one of the top teams in the country. Led by Troy Smith, they had gone toe-to-toe with Texas earlier that season. Penn State was 5-0, coming off a big victory over a ranked Minnesota team. Still, many were unsure what to expect from Penn State, as the program had been near rock bottom the previous two seasons. Fans were ready for Joe Paterno to retire. Then, the Whiteout became one of the greatest traditions in college football.
If you think back to old-school Big Ten matchups, the 2005 game hit the nail on the head. Ohio State managed just 230 yards, while Penn State finished with 195 total yards. Penn State led 14-10 at halftime, and we would see only three more points scored in the game. Ohio State was heavily impacted by the noise, with Penn State’s student section committed to the Whiteout and making the game as loud as possible. Because of the crowd’s jumping throughout the game, Beaver Stadium actually suffered structural damage that had to be repaired.
With less than two minutes left in the game and Ohio State trailing by seven, Troy Smith helped the Buckeyes cross midfield. The future Heisman winner dropped back on second down, looking to stretch the field, but was sacked by future NFL star Tamba Hali. While being sacked, Smith dropped the ball, which was recovered by Penn State, sealing the victory. Penn State would finish the season with just one loss and win the Big Ten, restoring the program back to national prominence.
We have partnered with Underdog to help give you our Underdog picks for each weekend! Make sure to use promo code WALKON for your Special Pick + Deposit offer up to $1,000! Sign up HERE.
