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UNIVERSITY PARK — Ohio State showed everybody Saturday the true definition of elite.
The Buckeyes turned a close game with the Nittany Lions into a 44-31 final score Saturday before 108,433 at Beaver Stadium.
OSU, which came in ranked No. 2, improved to 8-0. Penn State fell to 6-2.
Penn State led 21-16 with 9:26 remaining before Ohio State scored four touchdowns in the last 8:51.
The game's key play came with 8:26 left.
Buckeye defensive end J.T. Tuimaoloau sacked Sean Clifford, forcing a fumble that Tiumoloau recovered at the Nittany Lions' 24.
On the next play, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud hit Cade Stover, who weaved through the Lions' defense for a 24-yard score and a 30-21 Buckeye lead.
PSU cut the lead to 30-24 on Jake Pinegar's 44-yard field goal with 5:49 remaining.
But needing the ball back, Penn State couldn't stop the Buckeyes' offense, particularly their passing game as Stroud carved up their secondary.
Stroud completed three passes on the drive, and his 42-yard tear-drop to Emeka Egbuka set the Buckeyes up at the Lions' 2.
TreVeyon Henderson did the rest with a 7-yard touchdown run, and Tuimaoloau capped the day by intercepting Clifford at the line and returning it 14 yards for a touchdown and a 44-24 lead.
For the game, Stroud completed 26 of 33 for 354 yards.
Clifford was 32 of 47 for 371 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.
PSU punched in a late TD with 1:12 remaining.
The game was close deep into the fourth quarter.
Trailing 16-14 late in the third quarter, the Lions drove the field and capitalized on a dramatic sequence.
On fourth-and-6 from the Ohio State 18, Jake Pinegar missed a 35-yard field goal, but the Buckeyes were flagged 5 yards for an illegal formation.
Now facing fourth-and-1 from the 13, the Lions went for it and Clifford hit tight end Tyler Warren for a quick 4 yards to the OSU 9.
On second-and-goal from the Ohio State 8, Mitchell Tinsley caught a pass from Clifford and fumbled while going into the end zone, but Brenton Strange recovered at the Buckeyes' 1.
Clifford's quarterback sneak was short on third down, and freshman tailback Kaytron Allen used a second effort to score, giving the Nits a 21-16 lead with 9:26 remaining.
Ohio State immediately responded, going 75 yards in three plays, including Henderson's 41-yard touchdown run that pushed the Buckeyes back up 23-21 with 8:52 to play.
Clifford got off a rocky start, throwing interceptions on the Lions' first two possessions, and the Buckeyes took a 10-0 lead.
The Lions answered with a 58-yard touchdown from Clifford to Parker Washington, who shed two Buckeye tacklers to get Penn State back in the game.
PSU continued to swing momentum and took a 14-10 lead when Clifford found Theo Johnson for 42 yards and followed that with a 23-yard touchdown strike to KeAndre Lambert-Smith with 6:50 left in the first half.
Ohio State cut it to 14-13 on a 37-yard Noah Ruggles field goal and was bidding for more in the closing seconds of the first half, but on second-and-goal from the PSU 8, Johnny Dixon's sack of Stroud ended the half and cost the Buckeyes a field goal attempt.
The Lions visit Indiana next week (kickoff and TV to be announced Sunday) while Ohio State goes to Northwestern for a noon start.