Sept. 1, 2012
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Postgame Quotes: Ohio Head Coach Frank Solich | Ohio University Players
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Video: Penn State Postgame Player Interviews | Ohio Bobcats Press Conference
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State football team fell to Ohio, 24-14, in the season opener for both teams in front of 97,186 fans at Beaver Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Nittany Lions controlled the game early, taking a 14-3 halftime lead, but the Bobcats scored 21 unanswered points with touchdowns on three of their five second-half possessions.
Senior quarterback Matt McGloin (Scranton) recorded his eighth career 200-yard passing game, completing 27-of-48 passes for 260 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Scranton, Pa., native attempted 26 passes in the first half, the most by a Nittany Lion in a half since Zack Mills had 28 attempts against Purdue in 2004. McGloin also set career highs in completions (27) and attempts (48).
Sophomore Allen Robinson (Southfield, Mich.), one of seven Nittany Lions with at least one catch, recorded a career-high nine receptions for 97 yards. Sophomore tailback Bill Belton (Sicklerville, N.J.), who rushed for 53 yards on 13 carries, and junior tight end Matt Lehman (Newport, Pa.) collected one touchdown reception each.
On defense, sophomore cornerback Adrian Amos (Baltimore, Md.) collected a career-best 10 tackles. Linebacker Gerald Hodges (Paulsboro, N.J.) recorded 11 stops for his fifth career game with at least 10 tackles, while linebacker Michael Mauti (Mandeville, La.) led all players with 12 tackles for his fourth career game registering double-digit stops.
In addition, true freshmen cornerback Da'Quan Davis (Baltimore, Md.), tight end Jesse James (Glassport), linebacker Nyeem Wartman (Philadelphia) and wide receiver Trevor Williams (Nottingham, Md.) made their Penn State debuts.
Ohio quarterback Tyler Tettleton completed 31-of-41 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns, while Beau Blankenship led the Bobcats with 72 yards on seven receptions. Donte Foster and Landon Smith corralled Tettleton's touchdown strikes.
With three seconds left in the first quarter, Belton recorded his first career touchdown for the first score in the Bill O'Brien era. McGloin orchestrated the 10-play, 80-yard drive, marching the Nittany Lions down the field before connecting with the running back for the six-yard catch and run. McGloin completed 5-of-6 passes on the drive, which included a 21-yard reception to Robinson and a 15-yard pass play to tight end Kyle Carter (Bear, Del.).
In the second quarter, Ohio capitalized on a special teams turnover to make it a 7-3 game. After recovering a muffed punt at Penn State's 13-yard line, the Bobcats' Matt Weller connected on a 22-yard field goal four plays later with 10:22 left in the stanza.
The Nittany Lions then extended their lead to 14-3 with 1:29 left in the half. After Wartman blocked Ohio's punt deep in its own territory, Penn State started its drive at the opposition's 18-yard line. Three plays later, McGloin threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Lehman, whose first career catch was good for six.
With 10:40 left in the third quarter, the Bobcats made it 14-10 after Smith's 43-yard touchdown reception. Tettleton sailed a pass down the middle of the field that was nearly intercepted, but the tipped ball fell into the hands of Smith, who completed the play for the score.
Ohio took its first lead of the game at 17-14 after Tettleton engineered an eight-play, 70- yard drive. The quarterback connected on strikes of 33 and 12 yards to Ryan Clark and Blankenship, respectively, before rushing the last yard himself for the touchdown. Weller made the ensuing extra point to give the Bobcats the three-point lead.
The Bobcats extended their lead to 24-14 with 2:55 left in the game. Tettleton capped off a 14-play, 93-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown completion to Foster.
Penn State will return to action Sat., Sept. 8 when it travels to Virginia. Opening kickoff on ABC is set at noon.