STATE COLLEGE, Pa. —
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Senior defensive end Zach Harrison, the beneficiary of Tuimoloau’s tipped pass that led to Clifford’s first interception, saw Tuimoloau had several interceptions in practice leading into the Penn State game. But Tuimoloau saved the best for game day.
“He had two picks, bro, at D-end, and a pick-six,” Harrison said. “I’ve never seen that.”
Tuimoloau said he last recorded an interception as a high school sophomore for Eastside Catholic School against Seattle Prep. His last touchdown also occurred in high school.
He attributed his ball skills to also playing tight end in high school as well as basketball. Tuimoloau had scholarship offers to play basketball from major programs.
“Basketball allowed me to move laterally and be quick enough,” he said.
Day had seen Tuimoloau come close to several sacks this season before getting his first against Iowa. He had 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss last season.
“He’s been getting better every week,” Day said. “He’s wanted it. He’ll probably tell you he’s pressed a little bit at times. He’s wanted to get there. He’s believed in [defensive line coach Larry Johnson], he’s believed in the scheme, and believes in his teammates.”
Ohio State needed the lift from Tuimoloau in a game it trailed at halftime and then with 9:26 to play after an exhausting Penn State series — prolonged by an Ohio State pass interference penalty on third-and-16 and a Buckeyes illegal formation penalty after a missed field goal attempt — ended with a 1-yard Kaytron Allen touchdown. But Ohio State’s offense came alive, driving 75 yards on three plays and scoring on a 41-yard TreVeyon Henderson run.
After Tuimoloau’s strip, sack and recovery of a Clifford fumble, quarterback C.J. Stroud found tight end Cade Stover, who broke three tackles to reach the end zone. Day said Stover’s run reminded him of Binjimen Victor’s 47-yard touchdown against Penn State in 2018.
“Every game has its own story, and this is one that will be told for a while,” Day said. “They believed. We don’t always have to play four quarters. We knew we were going to have to play four quarters today.”
After collecting only 16 points and 263 yards in the first three quarters, Ohio State exploded for 28 points and 189 yards in the fourth. Penn State squandered a lead of five points or more against Ohio State for the third time since 2017.
“We responded today, and that’s why it’s so satisfying,” Day said. “Can we clean things up? Yeah, but that’s football. And you see it every single week. You see games go back and forth. This environment, this is a hard place to play, and it always is, so for us to do that, that locker room was on fire afterwards.”
