Barrett’s legs lead Buckeyes to win

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Quarterback J.T. Barrett scored twice in overtime to help No. 13 Ohio State escape with a 3124 double-overtime victory over Penn State on Saturday night.

The Buckeyes (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) built a 17-0 lead and were cruising when Penn State’s Anthony Zettel intercepted Barrett’s pass and returned it 40 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Christian Hackenberg threw a 24yard touchdown pass to Saeed Blacknall early in the fourth, and Penn State (4-3, 1-3) tied it on Sam Ficken’s 31-yard field goal with nine seconds left in regulation.

“It comes down to execution,” Hackenberg said. “Consistently, we executed better in the second half. There’s still a little bit of inconsistency there. I think we picked that up and that allowed us to get things going,” he said.

In the first overtime, Penn State tailback Bill Belton took a direct snap from the wildcat formation and scored on a 10-yard run.

The Buckeyes countered when Barrett carried two consecutive times — the first for17 yards and the second for 5 yards and a touchdown.

Penn State was called for a personal foul on the touchdown, giving Ohio State the ball at the12 to start the second over- time. With a third and 2 from the 4, Barrett powered through the middle of Penn State’s defense for a touchdown. Joey Bosa sacked Penn State’s Hackenberg on a fourth-and-5 play to end the game.

All that mattered to Nittany Lions coach James Franklin was the final score: Ohio State 31, Penn State 24.

“There are no moral victories at Penn State,” Franklin said. “There never will be.”

Ezekiel Elliott ran for 109 yards on 26 carries for Ohio State. Barrett added 75 yards on 20 attempts. The Buckeyes have won five consecutive games and19 in a row in the conference.