Defense Silences Penn State In 28-6 Victory – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/23/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 23, 2006
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -Troy Smith put No. 1 Ohio State ahead with a sensational touchdown pass, and the Buckeyes defense took over from there.
Smith threw a 37-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter, then Malcolm Jenkins and Antonio Smith returned interceptions for touchdowns as Ohio State beat No. 24 Penn State 28-6 on Saturday in a game that saw Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno spend time in the locker room because he was feeling ill.
Paterno, the Nittany Lions’ 79-year-old coach, jogged 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 the Buckeyes (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) expand a 7-3 lead on Smith’s athletic scramble that led to Brian Robiskie’s 37-yard touchdown catch.
With the Nittany Lions (2-2, 0-1) seeking a touchdown and 2-point conversion that would tie it, Jenkins picked off an Anthony Morelli pass and raced down the left sideline 61 yards for a score to make it 21-6 with 2:31 left.
The play was reviewed by officials. Some replay angles appeared to show Jenkins spiking the ball to the ground before he got into the end zone. He also came close to stepping out of bounds near the Penn State 35.
Moments later, Antonio Smith stepped in front of a pass by Morelli meant for Deon Butler and sped along the same route as Jenkins for a 55-yard score. There was no dispute about the validity of his return.
The victory extended Ohio State’s winning streak to 11 in a row, dating to last year’s 17-10 loss at Penn State. The teams ended up tied for the Big Ten title after the Nittany Lions lost on the final play against Michigan.
