SI

Ohio State, Penn State Trade Pair of Incredible Touchdown-Saving Plays at Goal Line

Two plays at the goal line. Two touchdowns overturned after review.

Tim Capurso

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard attempts to run into the end zone as Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley punches the ball out during the second quarter of Saturday's game at Beaver Stadium.
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard attempts to run into the end zone as Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley punches the ball out during the second quarter of Saturday's game at Beaver Stadium. / Screengrab Twitter @CFBONFOX
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Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley made a potential, momentum-changing play during the second quarter of Saturday's game against Ohio State at Beaver Stadium.

After a slow start to the game, the Buckeyes' offense rattled off back-to-back touchdown drives and were threatening to do so once again on a first-and-10 from the Nittany Lions' 13-yard line. Ohio State quarterback Will Howard ran to the left side and seemed poised to score easily.

But Wheatley, ranging all the way from his position in the defensive backfield, tackled Howard and punched the ball out—forcing a fumble just shy of the goal line. The play was initially ruled a touchdown, but overturned to a touchback after review.

Check out Wheatley's play, which looms large as one of the biggest of the game thus far.

College football rules state that any live ball that is fumbled into the field of play and into the opponent's end zone is ruled a touchback for the defense.

Punching the ball out was the only true game-changing play that Wheatley could have made there—and that's exactly what he did.

But it wasn't the only touchdown-saving play made in the game.

After trading punts, Penn State drove all the way to the Buckeyes' three-yard line. With 11 seconds left in the first half, Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar threw a pass into the back of the end zone for wide receiver Harrison Wallace III, who seemed to catch and bobble the ball as he got one foot down in the end zone.

The play was ruled a touchdown, but after review, it was ruled that Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun managed to gain possession of the ball and get his right foot down in the end zone. The touchdown was overturned and ruled a touchback after Igbinosun's interception.

Two surefire touchdowns at the goal line. Two game-changing defensive plays. Two touchdowns overturned. The Buckeyes took a 14-10 lead into the locker room at halftime.

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.

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