Curtis Samuel torches Penn State with 74-yard TD run (Video)

On his first carry of the game, Curtis Samuel gave Ohio State a 12-point lead by gashing Penn State’s defense on a 74-yard touchdown run.

With Ohio State losing so many weapons on offense, Curtis Samuel’s role can’t be overstated. It’s extremely rare to have someone as an effective running back and receiver, and so far, he’s been J.T. Barrett’s go-to weapon.

But against Penn State, he only had one touch in the first half, a caught shovel pass. Perhaps that’s why they didn’t have their way on offense, and once the second half started, they switched things up. They used Samuel out of the backfield, and that decision paid off when he scored a 74-yard touchdown run:

You could say that he looked just like Ezekiel Elliott on that play. But don’t take it from me, take it from the man himself:

With Penn State cutting the lead to five at the end of the half, they were starting to gain momentum. Beaver Stadium is one of the toughest atmospheres in all of college football, and it’s even harder during their White Out. But a play like this puts Ohio State back in the driver’s seat.

Three of Penn State’s last five White Outs have come against Ohio State, but no meeting was more memorable than their 2014 one, in which the Buckeyes prevailed in double overtime. That was J.T. Barrett’s first year as a starter, and on a team that eventually went on to become national champions, that game was a turning point in their season.

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The way Ohio State have controlled the play means the drama from that game won’t be repeated. And if the Buckeyes want to pad their lead, they should give it to Curtis Samuel more often.