Penn State fans breathed a sigh of relief to see KJ Hamler back deep to receive the opening kickoff. He looked like his usual self, giving the Nittany Lions solid field position with a return to the 36. Penn State picked up a first down, but was forced to punt soon after.
The Buckeyes would then march straight down the field to pick up a 7-0 lead, powered by several Justin Fields runs to produce third down conversions. Each time Penn State put itself in decent position with a stop, the Buckeyes would have an answer.