Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Watch: Ohio State QB costs team with brutal mistake against Penn State

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Nov 2, 2024 2:36 PM ET

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard cost the Buckeyes in Saturday’s big game against Penn State with a pretty brutal turnover in the first half.

Howard made the crucial mistake of losing control of the ball while trying to get to the goal line during the second quarter of Saturday’s game at Beaver Stadium. As the Ohio State quarterback leaned toward the goal line, he lost control of the football.

Howard was then hit by some brutally bad luck. Though he fumbled at about the 2-yard line, the ball hit Howard’s leg and went toward the end zone. Had the ball gone out of bounds at the spot of the fumble, Ohio State would have retained possession. After a lengthy review, it was determined that the ball did go out of the end zone, making it Penn State’s ball on a touchback.

A closer look at the Will Howard fumble just before the goal line

Where do you think it went out? pic.twitter.com/4oxDE3yzWX

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 2, 2024

Had Howard scored, the Buckeyes would have been poised to go up 21-10. Instead, Ohio State wound up with a 14-10 advantage at halftime. It was also Howard’s second turnover of the game, as he had thrown a pick-six earlier in the first half.

Howard is certainly skilled, but mistakes like this will continue to feed into the narrative that he is prone to ugly mistakes at bad times. That will hold the Buckeyes back if it does not change.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: