It was a good half at least, folks.

Penn State held its own against No. 1-ranked Ohio State on Saturday in Columbus. The Nittany Lions scored twice and forced a critical turnover in the final minutes of the second quarter.

Despite scoring more points than the Buckeyes have let up in a half this year, the Nittany Lions ran into a buzzsaw in the second half. Ohio State’s coaching staff made adjustments and ran away with the contest, scoring 21 unanswered and forcing Penn State to a 3-5 record.

Although Penn State has lost nine consecutive matchups with the Buckeyes, it was a treat to visit Columbus. Our staff was in and around Ohio Stadium for the last matchup between the two teams until 2028.

Black Out Boycott Was Unsuccessful

The Ohio State football program announced that the Penn State game would be its annual Black Out game. There was frustration among Buckeye fans about how the event should be saved for a night game, and with the home team wearing black jerseys.

Despite some calling for a boycott, Ohio State fans showed out in all-black outfits. It looked great until the sun came out and everyone took their jackets off, revealing red undershirts and jerseys. I’d have to agree that the effect would’ve been much greater for a later kickoff time, though.

Tailgates Were Popping Early

After the late start to tailgates we experienced in Iowa, we were pleasantly surprised with the early action in Columbus.

Roads were blocked off, and tailgates were well on their way when we got to the stadium around 9:30 a.m. We unfortunately could not fully enjoy the environment, but it seemed like everyone was having a great time.

Ohio State’s In-Game Fan Engagement Was Awesome

From Knockerball relay races to a 6/7 cam, Ohio State fans always had a blast on the big screen. There were various filters on the Jumbotron, such as a turnover cam, which put crying emojis on Penn State fans.

Another highlight was the Jim Knowles and Matt Patricia camera flip near the end of the game. Penn State’s new defensive coordinator visited his former team for the first time, and without fail, the Ohio State stadium crew knew it had to give the fans a glimpse at their former coach. The camera would flip between Knowles and Patricia (Ohio State’s new defensive coordinator), where the fans would boo Knowles and then cheer for Patricia. I found this hilarious because there is no way Penn State would do something like this.

The Ohio State Marching Band Goes Crazy

I can see why the nickname for the group is “The Best Damn Band in the Land.” Although nothing could beat Penn State’s Blue Band, Ohio State’s marching band did a great opening show. We appreciated the band spelling out “PSU” before doing their signature script “Ohio” drill. Despite the rivalry between schools, I’m a sucker for a great band performance, and from what I saw on Saturday, Ohio State’s is fantastic.

Penn State Fans Showed Out

We were impressed with the Penn State fan turnout. It was easy to see the Nittany Lion fans who wore white amongst Ohio State’s Black Out. The Penn State faithful filled out a section near the bottom of the end zone, and of course, the designated away team section in the upper bowl. Not only was there a decent turnout for the football game, but there were reports that some Penn State fans made an impact in the hockey game against the Buckeyes the nights before in Columbus.