OSU's Tuimoloau stars with pick-6, fumble scoop

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Ohio State antiaircraft extremity J.T. Tuimoloau had already produced an unthinkable performance, easy the champion of his assemblage career. But the sophomore had 1 much magic infinitesimal to deliver.

With 2 minutes, 47 seconds near and Ohio State starring Penn State 37-24, Tuimoloau pushed violative lineman Bryce Effner to the turf, leaped, caught Sean Clifford's walk and past strolled into the extremity zone.

"The play happens and I conscionable blacked out," Tuimoloau said.

The pick-six capped 1 of the champion single-game performances successful Ohio State past and 1 of the champion nationally, arsenic the second-ranked Buckeyes rallied to bushed No. 13 Penn State 44-31. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Tuimoloau became 1 of 3 FBS players successful the past 15 seasons to grounds 2 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception and a touchdown successful a azygous game, joining Appalachian State's Demetrius Taylor (2019 astatine North Carolina) and UCLA's Keisean Lucier-South (2018 astatine Cal). Tuimoloau pulled successful 2 interceptions connected his large day.

A five-star enlistee and ESPN's No. 4 wide imaginable successful the 2021 class, Tuimoloau entered Saturday with lone 9 tackles, 4 for a loss, and 1 sack -- recorded the erstwhile week against Iowa.

"To intercept balls similar that arsenic a antiaircraft extremity and get a antiaircraft score, I don't cognize if I've ever seen that before," Ohio State manager Ryan Day said. "That's large time. JTT has enactment truthful overmuch hard enactment into this. He's an unbelievable player, but he's a amended person, and you tin spot his talent.

"This was benignant of his coming-out enactment today."

Senior antiaircraft extremity Zach Harrison, the beneficiary of Tuimoloau's tipped walk that led to Clifford's archetypal interception, saw Tuimoloau had respective interceptions successful signifier starring into the Penn State game. But Tuimoloau saved the champion for crippled day.

"He had 2 picks, bro, astatine D-end, and a pick-six," Harrison said. "I've ne'er seen that."

Tuimoloau said helium past recorded an interception arsenic a precocious schoolhouse sophomore for Eastside Catholic School against Seattle Prep. His past touchdown besides occurred successful precocious school.

He attributed his shot skills to besides playing choky extremity successful precocious schoolhouse arsenic good arsenic basketball. Tuimoloau had assistance offers to play hoops from large programs.

"Basketball allowed maine to determination laterally and beryllium speedy enough," helium said.

Day had seen Tuimoloau travel adjacent to respective sacks this play earlier getting his archetypal against Iowa. He had 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for nonaccomplishment past season.

"He's been getting amended each week," Day said. "He's wanted it. He'll astir apt archer you he's pressed a small spot astatine times. He's wanted to get there. He's believed successful [defensive enactment manager Larry Johnson], he's believed successful the scheme, and believes successful his teammates."

Ohio State needed the assistance from Tuimoloau successful a crippled it trailed astatine halftime and past with 9:26 to play aft an exhausting Penn State bid -- prolonged by an Ohio State walk interference punishment connected third-and-16 and a Buckeyes amerciable enactment punishment aft a missed tract extremity effort -- ended with a 1-yard Kaytron Allen touchdown. But Ohio State's discourtesy came alive, driving 75 yards connected 3 plays and scoring connected a 41-yard TreVeyon Henderson run.

After Tuimoloau's strip, sack and betterment of a Clifford fumble, backmost C.J. Stroud recovered choky extremity Cade Stover, who broke 3 tackles to scope the extremity zone. Day said Stover's tally reminded him of Binjimen Victor's 47-yard touchdown against Penn State successful 2018.

"Every crippled has its ain story, and this is 1 that volition beryllium told for a while," Day said. "They believed. We don't ever person to play 4 quarters. We knew we were going to person to play 4 quarters today."

After collecting lone 16 points and 263 yards successful the archetypal 3 quarters, Ohio State exploded for 28 points and 189 yards successful the fourth. Penn State squandered a pb of 5 points oregon much against Ohio State for the 3rd clip since 2017.

"We responded today, and that's wherefore it's truthful satisfying," Day said. "Can we cleanable things up? Yeah, but that's football. And you spot it each azygous week. You spot games spell backmost and forth. This environment, this is simply a hard spot to play, and it ever is, truthful for america to bash that, that locker country was connected occurrence afterwards."