In a sport where it takes a full week-plus to prepare a game plan for an opponent, it was a play drawn up at halftime that proved to be the backbreaker in Ohio State’s win over Penn State last Saturday.
With Ohio State only up by three points at halftime, Ryan Day, Brian Hartline and the rest of the offensive coaching staff drew up a pass play based on what they noticed and the adjustments they needed to make against Jim Knowles' defense.
Two plays into the second half, the Buckeyes ran that play – one that they had never practiced before in that formation – and it led to a 57-yard reception by Carnell Tate in stride on a beautifully thrown ball by Julian Sayin.