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BOX SCORE
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Joe Paterno was expected to pile up a few
coaching milestones this season, but not like this.
|  | | He is a living legend in college football, but Joe Paterno appears ready to throw in the towel after Penn State's shocking 1-4 start. |
Six players scored touchdowns as Ohio State (No. 12 ESPN/USA Today, No. 14 AP) beat Penn
State 45-6 on Sunday, handing Paterno his most lopsided loss and
his worst start ever.
"We can't go out and buy a bottle of medicine that will make
everybody better," Paterno said. "We have to work at it."
Stuck on 318 career victories, Paterno remains five victories
shy of tying Bear Bryant for the most wins by a major college
coach.
The loss gave Penn State its first 1-4 start under Paterno,
matching the school's worst record through five games since 1964
when Rip Engle was head coach.
The margin eclipsed a 49-11 loss to UCLA in 1966 -- Paterno's
first season as the head coach of the Nittany Lions -- and a 44-6
loss to Nebraska in the 1983 Kickoff Classic.
"I don't know what to do except for the way I've always done
it," Paterno said.
Asked what his next move was, he said, "I don't know. Really,
I've got to sit back and take a look at it. If I felt strongly
about something, I'd tell you."
Ohio State moved to 4-0 for the seventh time in the last 10
years. Coach John Cooper wasn't surprised by the outcome in the Big
Ten opener for both team, but was by the margin.
"Never did I dream we would beat Penn State as badly as we
did," he said.
Steve Bellisari was 10-of-17 for 203 yards, including a fluky
18-yard touchdown pass to Darnell Sanders. Derek Combs rushed for
86 yards on 23 carries and had a 1-yard TD run, and noseguard Mike
Collins returned a fumble 11 yards for another score.
The Nittany Lions trailed 17-6 early in the third quarter after
McCoo skirted right end on a 2-yard run. But Ryan Primanti missed
the extra-point kick.
"I can't even begin to tell you what's wrong with this team,"
McCoo said. "We don't know how to correct things. We think we've
got it corrected and it doesn't work. I just don't know. It's
frustrating. We have to sit down as a team and try to figure out
what's going on."
The Buckeyes put the game out of reach with three rapid-fire
touchdowns.
First Combs capped an 11-play, 5-minute march with a 1-yard dive
to make it 24-6.
On the next play, Rashard Casey's pass intercepted by Nate
Clements, who returned it 12 yards to the Penn State 40. A 19-yard
pass to Drew Carter helped set up Jerry Westbrooks' 3-yard TD run.
Westbrooks carried cornerback Bryan Scott along for the final 5
yards on the sweep around left end.
Casey, who has been replaced in every game so far, was pulled in
favor of backup Matt Senneca. On his second play, Senneca was hit
by defensive end Brent Johnson while setting up to pass and
fumbled, with Collins picking up the ball and rumbling into the end
zone for a 38-6 lead.
"It feels good to beat a team like that," Johnson said. "They
really didn't do much at all."
Ohio State forced three turnovers and limited Penn State to 93
yards rushing and 120 yards passing.
After winning its first coin toss of the year, the Nittany Lions
kicked off to the Buckeyes and were behind 7-0 almost immediately
and trailed 17-0 at the half.
Combs gained 12, 8 and 10 yards on the first three plays, and
Bellisari rolled left and hit a wide-open Chad Cacchio for 35
yards. Jamar Martin capped the 10-play drive by burrowing in from
the 1.
On the next series, Ohio State got the kind of break that Penn
State hasn't gotten all season.
Bellisari's pass to Rambo at the goal line hung in the air, with
Bruce Branch cutting inside Rambo to go for the interception. The
pass bounced off his hands and into those of teammate James Boyd,
who tipped the ball into the air. Sanders reached out and pulled in
the loose ball for the 18-yard scoring play.
"Last time I checked, they all count," Cooper said with a
grin.
Freshman Sammy Maldonado scored a touchdown in the final minute
to close the scoring.
Casey finished 7-of-18 for 94 yards with one interception.
McCoo, who gained 211 yards on 22 carries a year ago in Penn
State's 23-10 win over Ohio State, led the Nittany Lions with 34
yards on 13 attempts.
"It's one of those years," Paterno said.
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Penn State Clubhouse
Ohio State Clubhouse
Penn St. freshman injures spine during Ohio St. game
AUDIO/VIDEO
 The Buckeyes' Darnell Sanders hauls in a TD pass from Steve Bellisari after it bounces off of Ken-Yon Rambo.
avi: 765 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Matt Wilhelm and the Buckeye defense stop Eric McCoo on 4th and 1.
avi: 848 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Chad Cacchio lays out for the 27-yard pass from Steve Bellisari.
avi: 1146 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Eric McCoo rumbles in for the lone Penn State TD.
avi: 770 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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