Missed targeting call opens door for Caleb Downs to shut down Penn State's last chance

Penn State football's afternoon ended in typical Nittany Lion (3-5, 0-5 Big Ten) fashion with a game-sealing interception. No. 1 Ohio State's safety Caleb Downs picked off quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer late in the fourth quarter, but if a previous targeting call upheld, it would have never happened.

Grunkemeyer looked to connect with tight end Khalil Dinkins on first-and-10 at the Buckeyes (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) 34-yard-line. Down 38-14 with less than 10 minutes left of the fourth quarter, Penn State needed some glimmer of hope to latch onto if it wanted to have even a thought of a chance.

That chance could have looked a lot better, too, if Downs was ejected after a dirty hit on Dinkins.

Grunkemeyer's pass went well over Dinkins' reach. After the throw was far past him, Downs lowered his shoulder and went high up to hit the tight end. The safety's shoulder and helmet collided with a defenseless Dinkins in the head-neck area.

The hit was called for a personal foul penalty, but after the officials' review, Downs escaped ejection from the game. What looked like textbook targeting to the rest of the world was brushed over. The Nittany Lions lived to see another opportunity due to the personal foul call that sustained put them at the Ohio State 19-yard-line, but they still had Downs on the field to worry about.

Penn State's offense attempted capitalizing on the gifted yardage and made it within the 10-yard-line thanks to a nine-yard gain from running back Kaytron Allen on the next snap.

After a few inefficient plays, Grunkemeyer was soon in a fourth-and-seven scenario. The Nittany Lions had to leave it all out on the field, meaning a field goal attempt was erased from the picture entirely. Grunkemeyer passed to Dinkins again, who was in the corner of the end zone this time in double coverage. All three players jumped up as the ball came down towards them, but it was a Buckeye who got his hands on it.

It wasn't just any defender, either. It was Downs who picked off Grunkemeyer and sealed the deal for Penn State with 4:30 remaining in the game.

If the targeting call upheld and Downs was ejected from the game, it's not 100 percent that Grunkemeyer's pass on fourth down would have been completed for a touchdown. It's also not a guarantee that he wouldn't have been picked off. However, removing Downs from the equation makes those odds a bit better to beat.