Penn State lost 38-14 to No. 1 Ohio State on November 1, 2025 at Ohio Stadium. This article has been updated as of May 13, 2026 so it reads as a completed game review, not a next-week setup.
Final Score And Game Shape
ESPN’s box score, Eleven Warriors’ recap, and Onward State’s recap all list the same final: Ohio State 38, Penn State 14. The game was closer at halftime than the final score suggests. Ohio State led 17-14 after two quarters, then shut out Penn State 21-0 in the second half.
The result dropped Penn State to 3-5 overall and 0-5 in Big Ten play at the time. Ohio State improved to 8-0 and 5-0 in the Big Ten.
Penn State’s First-Half Answer
Penn State’s offense found two rushing touchdowns before halftime. Nicholas Singleton scored on a 3-yard run in the second quarter, and Kaytron Allen added a 1-yard touchdown with 20 seconds left before the break.
Those scores mattered because Penn State had been trying to stabilize under interim head coach Terry Smith and redshirt freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer. The first half showed that the Nittany Lions could still build drives and take advantage of short-yardage chances even against the nation’s top-ranked team.
Ohio State’s Passing Edge
The second half belonged to Ohio State. Julian Sayin completed 20 of 23 passes for 316 yards and four touchdowns. Jeremiah Smith caught six passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns, while Carnell Tate caught five passes for 124 yards and one touchdown.
ESPN and Eleven Warriors both highlighted the same matchup problem: Ohio State’s receivers repeatedly created explosive plays, and Penn State could not answer after halftime. The Buckeyes scored on three of their first four second-half possessions and controlled the game from there.
Quarterback And Offensive Context
Grunkemeyer completed 19 of 28 passes for 145 yards and one interception, according to ESPN’s box score. The number is slightly different from some early summaries that listed 148 yards, so this updated page uses ESPN’s final box-score line.
Penn State finished with 287 total yards and no second-half points. The issue was not only quarterback play. The Nittany Lions were operating without Drew Allar, under an interim head coach, and against an Ohio State defense that adjusted after halftime.
2025 Season Meaning
In real time, the Ohio State loss looked like another step in Penn State’s collapse. In hindsight, it became one part of a wider arc. Penn State lost to Indiana on November 8, then closed the season with wins over Michigan State, Nebraska, Rutgers, and Clemson to finish 7-6.
That context matters for site accuracy. The Ohio State game should be treated as a completed loss in the middle of the 2025 transition, not as a live setup for the next opponent.
Sources and update notes
This update was checked against ESPN’s November 1, 2025 box score and recap, Eleven Warriors’ game recap, Onward State’s recap, and Associated Press material carried by ESPN.
Later edits should keep this page focused on the verified game record, not renewed rivalry predictions.