Penn State football players of the game versus Ohio State

Saturday afternoon’s loss to Ohio State was a crushing defeat for the Penn State football team.

There are demoralizing gut-wrenching losses, and then there is whatever the hell transpired in the final 10 minutes on Saturday afternoon in Ohio Stadium. Even though they had squandered away opportunities earlier in the quarter to put the game on ice, when Penn State kicked a field goal with 5:23 left in the game to make the score 38-27 they appeared to be on their way to victory.

Unfortunately, the Nittany Lion defense imploded down the stretch and the offense failed to get another first down leading to a heartbreaking 39-38 loss against the Buckeyes. With this loss, Penn State is now 7-1 on the season.

Here are Penn State’s players of the game against Ohio State.

Offense – Quarterback Trace McSorley

Things did not come easy for the Penn State offense on Saturday, especially after left tackle Ryan Bates exited the game due to injury. However, quarterback Trace McSorley had a strong game on Saturday.

The redshirt junior signal-caller finished the game 17-for-29 for 192 yards, two touchdowns, and zero turnovers. Sack yardage included, he finished the game with 49 yards rushing and a touchdown on 13 carries.

Honorable mention: TE Mike Gesicki, WR DeAndre Thompkins

Defense – Safety Troy Apke

Entering the season many Penn State fans, myself included, were worried about replacing safety Malik Golden. Well, senior Troy Apke has burst onto the scene after three years of poor play to replace Golden with ease. The Nittany Lions defense did not play well on Saturday afternoon, however, Apke had the best game of his college career.

The Pittsburgh native had eight tackles, a tackle for a loss, and a pass breakup in the Nittany Lion loss.

Apke’s pass breakup came with the Nittany Lions leading 14-3 and prevented Ohio State having first and goal inside the ten. His tackle for a loss blew up a bubble screen on a first down late in the first half, derailing the Buckeye drive. He also made a great open field tackle of electric Buckeye running back JK Dobbins on a fourth down play where Apke was the lone player between Dobbins and the first down.

As a whole, Penn State’s defense played poorly on Saturday. However, Troy Apke had a strong game.

Honorable mention: LB Koa Farmer, S Marcus Allen

Special teams – The kick return team

Saturday’s game started with a bang for the Nittany Lions. Heisman hopeful Saquon Barkley returned the game’s opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. This was the second time this season that Barkley returned the game’s opening kick for a touchdown.

Barkley’s return touchdown led to Urban Meyer and Ohio State changing their kickoff strategy for the rest of the game, and this benefitted the Nittany Lions greatly. In an effort to keep the ball away from Barkley the Buckeyes began to deploy short and squib kicks. Ohio State struggled immensely with this and it led to the Nittany Lions having good field position off of kickoffs all afternoon long.

Linebacker Koa Farmer also benefitted from this. He returned a pair of kickoffs as a result, one of which he took 59 yards setting Penn State up inside the Ohio State 25-yard line. The Buckeye squib strategy also led to Juwan Johnson falling on a kick at the Nittany Lions’ 40-yard line after Ohio State took a fourth quarter lead. Unfortunately, despite the good field position and only needing a field goal, the Nittany Lions failed to capitalize.

Honorable mention: K Tyler Davis, DB Nick Scott

Next: 4th quarter collapse leads to heartbreaking PSU loss

That will do it for this week. The Nittany Lions return to action next Saturday when they travel to East Lansing to play the 6-2 Michigan State Spartans who are coming off their own emotional loss. Kickoff is scheduled for noon kickoff on FOX.