STATE COLLEGE, Penn. – About 150 miles from here, through the Allegheny Mountains and along Interstate 76, lies a small town about an hour west of Philadelphia.
You’ve probably never heard of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, and if you have heard of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, it’s probably because of Auntie Anne’s, the pretzel shop franchise founded there.
There’s something else from Downingtown, someone else even.
Will Howard, the Ohio State Buckeyes’ starting quarterback, grew up there, a kid who dreamed of playing for Penn State, who never got a college offer, who went to Kansas State and then returned for the first time on Saturday to a bustling, white-decked Beaver Stadium in a Big Ten showdown between the nation’s No. 3 and No. 4 teams.
They make movies about this kind of thing, usually about revenge and redemption.
Well, on a sunny Saturday in Happy Valley, Howard got the last laugh on this feature. He got his redemption, his revenge. He earned his victory, 20-13, over the school that never offered him a scholarship.
“There’s no such feeling, man,” he said afterward.
Howard’s QB keepers on the final drive — three for 14 yards — milked the clock dry, securing the win and sending him into an emotional on-field celebration that projected a very clear message: This wasn’t just any game.
“We did it, dude!” he yelled at teammates before getting into a long hug with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Among the celebrating Ohio State players — maybe it was Howard, maybe not — someone shouted, “F*** them!”
No, this wasn’t just a game.
Even their coach, Ryan Day, acknowledged the magnitude of it afterward. “We haven’t said it publicly,” he told reporters. “We said that behind closed doors (this week). It’s a big game for us.”
Several Buckeyes delivered during the win. Their quarterback got revenge in his home state (recovering a pick-6 and a fumble in the end zone); their coach pulled off a thrilling victory to quiet the doubters (there are plenty of them); their maligned offensive line pushed around the Penn Staters (176 yards rushing); and their defense, on display at times this season, played their most complete game of the year (Penn State did not score an offensive touchdown).
A fourth-quarter goal-line stand from coordinator Jim Knowles’ group sealed the deal. Penn State had four snaps inside the 4-yard line. They got two meters.
“We held our ground,” Ohio State defenseman JT Tuimoloau said.
As he spoke to reporters, Tuimoloau clutched a book, “Total Release Performance: A New Concept in Winning.”.” It’s a short, 32-page book from author Wes Neal that “shows a new perspective on winning and losing,” according to a description.
“I read it before the game,” Tuimoloau said with a smile.
For Penn State, the perspectives were all the same. Under coach James Franklin, the Nittany Lions lost an eighth straight game to Ohio State and an 11th straight game to AP top-five teams. Their offense didn’t eclipse the 300-yard mark, converted just three third downs and had two plays for 20 yards through the first three quarters.
They tried everything, it seemed. For example, five different Penn State players took snaps (two quarterbacks, two running backs and a tight end). They tried a handful of neat tricks that went nowhere, and when they got to the goal line with a first down at the 3, they ran up the middle three times.
“We didn’t succeed,” Franklin said afterward.
As he entered the tunnel, Franklin screamed with two fans. Boos rained down on him. “Fire Franklin!” was shouted.
“I understand the frustration (of fans),” he said at the post-match press conference. “Guys in the locker room are just as frustrated, if not more so, but college football has changed.”
That is indeed true. Money has never been more important. Resources are of the utmost importance. Patience is in short supply.
Franklin is 1-10 against Ohio State. In eleven seasons, he is 6-21 in games against those with plenty of resources (the Buckeyes, Michigan and SEC teams). Penn State feels like it is close to its competitors in off-the-field investments for the first time in years, AD Pat Kraft said earlier this week.
But on Saturday it was more of the same on the field. Few explosive assault weapons. Late game miscues. Silly clock management.
Get this: Penn State’s first completion to a wide receiver came 29 minutes into the game.
Meanwhile, on the other side was a boy from Pennsylvania with a lot of guns at his disposal. Howard hit eight different receivers and escaped some critical sacks.
But his most impressive trait? Resilience, after a few huge miscues.
He threw a pick-6 to put the Buckeyes in a 10-0 hole early. He then fumbled in the side of the end zone while going in for a score in the second quarter. He also missed a pair of wide-open touchdown passes.
He owned it afterward, describing it as “probably the worst” game of his season.
And yet he “wanted” the victory to happen, Day said.
The guy from Downtown did it.
“He had a look in his eye all week that he wasn’t going to lose this game,” Day said. “He wanted to be a Nittany Lion. He refused to lose.”
