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Penn State Upsets Ohio State in Columbus

Nov. 7, 1964 - Penn State’s four‐time losers turned Ohio State’s juggernaut into a stumbling, fumbling giant today in Columbus and beat the highly favored Buckeyes, 27‐0, in what must go into the books as the season’s biggest college football upset.

The Nittany Lions, in gaining their fourth victory in four games with Ohio State, annihilated both the offense and the defense of Coach Woody Hayes’s Big Ten Conference leaders.

With Garry Wydman guiding the Lions at quarterback, and Tom Urbanik, the fullback, blasting the forward wall, Penn State scored in every quarter. The shutout, Ohio State’s first in 45 games, blasted any remaining hopes for a national championship. The Buckeyes had been ranked second nationally in the A.P. poll. Notre Dame, which defeated Pitt today, 17-15, is ranked No. 1.

The Nittany Lions went 65 yards in eight plays, 35 in five, 42 in seven, and 64 in 10 for their touchdowns. Ohio State failed to reach enemy territory until the final minute.

Ohio State’s last shutout was in 1959 in a scoreless tie with Indiana.

With a crowd of 84,279 watching, the Buckeyes appeared battered and bewildered. They were completely futile in the opening half as they failed to score a first down and wound up with a yardage total of minus 14.

It wasn’t much better in the second half. Ohio State’s initial first down came with 5:11 left in the third quarter, and it was on a penalty. The Bucks had only five first downs for the entire day, their lowest output in memory. Penn State, with 22 first downs, overwhelmed the home team in total offense, 349 yards to 63.

Don Kunit scored Penn State’s last two touchdowns on runs of 2 yards and 5 yards. Wydman scored on a 3‐yard option run, and Dirk Nye put over the opener when he recovered Urbanik’s fumble in the end zone.

The attendance lifted Ohio State’s five‐game gate to 415,530. It was “Dad’s Day,” and the fathers of most players were seated on the sideline for the humiliating defeat. The only thing Ohio State won was the opening toss.

“That was the soundest trouncing we ever have had,” sighed coach Woody Hayes of Ohio State afterward.

“We could not establish anything,” Hayes continued. “They made only one mistake — a fumble — and they fell on that one for a touchdown.

“I’ll tell you one thing — they haven’t been playing that kind of football or they wouldn’t have lost four games. They have a well-balanced attack, and they sure used it. They tied their pass patterns well into their offense.

“The impetus was all with them, and we never could get going. They were a great team today and were tremendous on defense. That Glenn Ressler [center] is a great lineman.”

Coach Rip Engle of Penn State commented: “We licked a great team and a great coach. In reference to Ohio State, I think they got a little out of character when we got ahead of them, 14-0. This is something that seldom happens to Woody’s teams.”



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