Ohio State was the runner-up in the Big Ten Conference after losing to Michigan which dropped them from fifth to eleventh in the AP Poll.
[6] Halfback Curt Warner started the scoring with a 64-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage, giving the Nittany Lions the early lead.
Not to be deterred, Art Schlichter threw a touchdown pass to Doug Donley, but the Vlade Janakievski kick missed.
Sophomore quarterback Todd Blackledge, despite throwing 8 for 22 for only 117 yards the whole game, scored early in the third quarter on a three-yard run to narrow the lead to 19–17.
They returned the following year to defeat the USC Trojans, then won the national championship in January 1987, in prime time over the top-ranked Miami Hurricanes.