Carolyn Kaster / AP

Ohio State's Jake Ballard catches a touchdown pass in the end zone as Penn State's Lydell Sargeant defends during the Buckeyes 37-17 win over the Nittany Lions.

A 15-play, 91-yard drive that ate up 6:26 of clock in the first half exemplified the Buckeyes’ success.

After three straight runs by Wells of at least 6 yards, Boeckman rolled right from the Penn State 31 and threw a perfect pass through coverage to Brian Robiskie for a 19-yard gain.

Three plays later, a holding call negated Wells’ touchdown from the 4 and pushed the Buckeyes back to a third-and-14 from the 16.

No matter.

With Penn State playing back in a zone, Boeckman hit Brian Hartline for a short pass left. Left tackle Alex Boone threw an open-field block on cornerback Lydell Sargeant, and Hartline eluded safety Anthony Scirrotto’s tackle to get into the end zone for a 17-7 lead.

A 13-play, 87-yard drive in the third quarter proved to be decisive, when Boeckman hit tight end Jake Ballard in the end zone — on third down, of course — for a 21-yard touchdown to put the Buckeyes ahead 24-7.

“It’s very nice to go up here in a hostile environment and get a ’W,”’ Boeckman said.

Buckeyes cornerback Malcolm Jenkins intercepted a wobbly pass by quarterback Anthony Morelli and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown to increase the lead to 34-10 with 9:36 left in the game.

Morelli was 12-for-21 for 111 yards and sacked twice.

A.J. Wallace’s 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter provided one of the few bright spots for the Nittany Lions.

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