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STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania (Ticker) -- After this performance, Penn State players might be off limits to the media for the rest of the season. The second-ranked Nittany Lions thoroughly dominated Big Ten Conference rival and No. 17 Ohio State, posting a 23-10 victory to extend the nation's second-longest winning streak to nine games on a milestone afternoon for coach Joe Paterno. Eric McCoo rushed for 211 yards, matching the 11th-best total in school history, as the Nittany Lions (3-0 Big Ten) improved to 7-0 for the second time in three seasons and avenged last season's 28-9 loss in Columbus. Although the score was relatively close -- Nittany Lions kicker Travis Forney had two field goal attempts blocked -- Penn State never appeared in serious danger of losing. Ohio State's only touchdown came late in the first half when safety Gary Berry recovered a fumble in the end zone. "They played really well defensively," Paterno said of his team. "Overall I thought we played hard with a lot of enthusiasm. It was a good football game." The Buckeyes (4-3, 1-2) were held to a meager 143 total yards. They did move to the Penn State 33-yard line with just over seven minutes to play but Steve Bellisari threw two incompletions before being brought down by linebacker Ron Graham for Penn State's seventh sack of the day. "We kept them out of the end zone and that was one of our goals," said Graham. "But our main goal is to try and shut them out." Paterno, who shielded his players from the media during the week, tied Amos Alonzo Stagg for third on the career wins list among major college coaches. He is 314-80-3. Next on the list is Pop Warner at 319 and all-time leader Paul "Bear" Bryant with 323. "I wasn't thinking about that (the record)," Paterno added. "I can't say I missed the media attention, but it was interesting to prepare for a big game without hearing any of the hype," said Penn State star linebacker LaVar Arrington. Penn State's second play of the game typified the afternoon as McCoo burst over left end and rumbled 53 yards to the Ohio State 6. Two players later Kevin Thompson hit fullback Mike Cerimele for a six-yard touchdown. McCoo also caught four passes for 47 yards, while Eddie Drummond totaled 59 yards on four receptions for Penn State, which had 422 yards of offense. "My first priority is to get the first down. Anything I get after that is just a bonus," said McCoo. "It was a very physical game. We expected this. This was a dog fight in our back yard, and we don't let anybody beat us in our back yard." Dan Stultz got Ohio State on the board with a 47-yard field goal midway through the first quarter before Forney connected from 38 yards later in the period. Forney was good from 39 yards midway through the second to give Penn State a 13-3 lead. Momentum turned to the Buckeyes with less than three minutes left in the first half, when Thompson was stripped at the goal line by linebacker Na'il Diggs and Berry recovered to bring the Buckeyes within a field goal. Thompson, who completed 6-of-10 passes for 67 yards and was picked off once, suffered an injured right shoulder on the play and did not return, leaving the team to platoon-mate Rashard Casey in the second half. "I hate to see someone go down. We don't know how serious it is," said Casey. "I just had to keep doing what I was doing. I knew I had to get in there and not make too many mistakes." Casey led the Nittany Lions to a touchdown on their first possession of the third quarter, capping an eight-play, 62-yard march with a five-yard scoring run. He was 11-of-15 for 109 yards. Although Penn State managed just three points the rest of the way -- Forney's 28-yard field goal 93 seconds into the fourth quarter -- Ohio State's offense never got untracked. The Buckeyes went three-and-out on their first three possessions of the second half and Penn State safety James Boyd ended Ohio State's fourth drive by intercepting Bellisari. Only a pass interference penalty allowed Ohio State to begin the fourth-quarter drive that ended with Bellisari being sacked by Graham. "I saw I had help deep so I just rolled underneath the receiver and I don't think the quarterback ever saw me," Boyd said of his interception. Bellisari was rattled from the outset. He completed just 7-of-21 passes for 78 yards and was sacked eight times, although he did manage 38 yards rushing on 20 carries because of a 44-yard first-quarter scamper. Michael Wiley was held to 18 yards on 10 attempts for the Buckeyes, who received 45 yards on three catches from Reggie Germany.
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