Nobody expected much that night. Seriously. When No. 2 Ohio State rolled into Happy Valley in October 2016, Penn State was a 19.5-point underdog. Most experts figured Urban Meyer’s squad would just steamroll the Nittany Lions and move on. Instead, we got a game that basically redefined the trajectory of two massive programs.
It was loud. 107,280 people dressed in white, screaming until their lungs gave out. If you’ve never been to a White Out, it’s hard to describe the vibration in the aluminum bleachers. It's constant.
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Penn State vs Ohio State 2016 wasn't just a football game; it was the moment the James Franklin era actually started. Before this, fans were skeptical. They’d seen a blowout loss to Michigan earlier that season. They’d seen the program struggling to climb out from under the shadow of heavy sanctions. Then, everything changed in the fourth quarter.
The Play That Changed Everything
You know the one. Every Penn State fan can close their eyes and see Marcus Allen leaping.
Ohio State was up 21-17. They had the ball at the Penn State 28-yard line with just under five minutes left. Tyler Durbin, the Buckeyes' kicker who had been automatic all season, lined up for a 45-yard field goal. A make would have put the Buckeyes up by seven.
Then it happened.
Marcus Allen got a massive jump. He didn't just tip it; he swallowed the ball. It hit the turf, and for a split second, everyone froze. Everyone except Grant Haley. He scooped that ball up at the 40-yard line and just... ran.
"Grant Haley will score!" the announcers screamed. He did. 60 yards later, the stadium literally felt like it was going to collapse. Penn State took a 24-21 lead, their first of the game, and they never gave it back.
The Gritty Details
While the "Block Six" gets all the glory, the rest of the game was a total slugfest. Ohio State dominated the stat sheet in ways that usually result in a blowout. Look at the numbers:
- Total Yards: Ohio State 413, Penn State 276.
- Time of Possession: Ohio State had the ball for over 37 minutes.
- First Downs: 19 for OSU, 14 for PSU.
Basically, Penn State was getting outplayed for three quarters. J.T. Barrett was doing J.T. Barrett things, and Curtis Samuel ripped off a 74-yard touchdown run that felt like a dagger. But the Nittany Lion defense, led by Jason Cabinda and Brandon Bell, just refused to break. They sacked Barrett six times. Six.
Why the Scoreboard Lied for Three Quarters
If you only watched the third quarter, you’d have bet your house on the Buckeyes. Penn State’s offense was struggling. Trace McSorley was 8-of-23 passing. That’s not a typo. He completed less than 35% of his passes.
But McSorley had that "it" factor. He’d scramble for 10 yards when nothing was there. He’d throw a 20-yard strike to Chris Godwin in the corner of the end zone with nine seconds left in the half to give them life.
It was ugly football. It was beautiful football.
The turning point wasn't just the blocked field goal. It was the blocked punt earlier in the fourth quarter by freshman Cam Brown. That set up a field goal to cut the lead to four. You could feel the momentum shifting. It's like the crowd realized, Wait, we might actually win this thing.
The Fallout: Playoff Drama and Snubs
This is where things get controversial. Penn State went on to win the Big Ten Championship that year, beating Wisconsin in a comeback thriller. They beat Ohio State head-to-head. They had the same conference record.
But the College Football Playoff committee chose Ohio State.
Buckeye fans will tell you it was because they had fewer losses (one versus Penn State’s two). Nittany Lion fans will tell you it made the regular season meaningless. If you beat the guy and win the league, shouldn't you get the spot?
Ohio State went to the playoff and got shut out 31-0 by Clemson. Penn State went to the Rose Bowl and lost a 52-49 classic to USC. Even years later, this remains one of the biggest "what if" scenarios in the CFP era.
Impact on the Programs
For Penn State, this win was a resurrection. It proved they could compete with the elite. It helped James Franklin land recruits like Micah Parsons. It made Beaver Stadium the most feared road environment in the country again.
For Ohio State, it was a rare blemish on Urban Meyer’s incredible road record. It exposed some flaws in their offensive line that eventually caught up to them against Clemson.
Common Misconceptions About the Game
People forget how close Ohio State came to winning even after the blocked kick. They had one last drive. J.T. Barrett had over four minutes to work with.
But the Penn State pass rush was possessed. Jason Cabinda and Evan Schwan ended the game with back-to-back sacks. Barrett was left sitting on the turf, and the student section didn't even wait for the clock to hit zero before storming the field.
Another myth? That Saquon Barkley "carried" them that night. Saquon was great—he had 99 yards on just 12 carries—but he wasn't the focal point because Ohio State sold out to stop him. This was a win earned by the defense and special teams.
Moving Forward: Lessons from 2016
If you're looking back at Penn State vs Ohio State 2016, there are a few things that still apply to college football today:
- Special Teams Matter: You can outgain an opponent by 150 yards and still lose if you can't protect your kicker.
- The "White Out" is Real: It’s worth at least 7-10 points in momentum. The Buckeyes looked rattled in the fourth quarter.
- Pressure is the Great Equalizer: You don't need a high completion percentage if your defense is living in the opponent's backfield.
If you want to dive deeper into the history of this rivalry, go watch the full fourth-quarter highlights. Pay attention to the defensive line rotations. You’ll see exactly how Brent Pry (then the DC) used fresh legs to exhaust an elite Ohio State front.
To really understand the impact, check out the 2016 Big Ten standings compared to the final CFP rankings. It's the ultimate case study in "Eye Test vs. Resume."
For your next deep dive, look into the 2017 rematch in Columbus. It was just as insane, but with the roles completely reversed.