Ohio State beat Penn State with the worst call of the season

Penn State running back Miles Sanders had just 45 yards rushing on 15 carries before the final game of the Ohio state-Penn State thriller on Saturday. But with the Nittany Lions in front of a fourth and five, just 27 to 26 with just over a minute to play, PSU coach James Franklin made the disconcerting decision to hand him the ball.

The result, at least for an underdog, seemed to be one of the worst games of high leverage since the Super Bowl XLIX, as at least two Penn State offensive linemen failed to block. all Buckeyes and Sanders were dropped for a loss of two meters. The latter pathetic burst ended a game in which Penn State maintained a 12-point lead at home seven minutes from time, preserving the undefeated record of the state of Ohio.

After the match, Franklin explained that he thought he had spotted something about the Ohio State's defensive settings, which would lead to a crease in the center. He was wrong like hell:

"They changed the look [on defense]so we called a break and discussed, "said Franklin, who called two saves before the unfortunate game in the fourth and fifth match was smothered by Ohio State Chase Young, on the 45-yard line. Buckeyes yards.

"Obviously, we have not made the right call in this situation, and it's for me, no one else. We did not make the right call, and obviously it did not work. We called something similar like that in other situations, and it broke for a big game. But it's on me.

Obviously, a conversion to this location would not even have guaranteed that Jake Pinegar – whose biggest goal on the field of his young career is only 39 yards – would have won. And focusing on this specific piece allows Penn State's defense not to worry about failing to face Binjimen Victor in his 47-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that made the match. -21, or to have been destroyed by a pass for the winner. . Quarterback Trace McSorley won the team 10 yards at a time with almost all of his runs in the second half, and Franklin's choice to give the ball to a guy who had been decidedly ineffective all night, with the match in play, stands out as too smart for his own good.