The top-ranked, 3-0 Ohio State Buckeyes with coach Jim Tressel welcomed to Columbus the 24^th ranked, 2-1 Penn State Nittany Lions coached by Joe Paterno.  On a rainy day in Ohio Stadium, both offenses struggled with their passing games but it was the Buckeyes who finally were able to sustain two long scoring drives in the 2^nd half & the defense returned 2 interceptions from Penn State's QB Anthony Morelli for touchdowns to secure the 28-6 win.  Neither team managed much offense in the 1^st half as the teams combined for 7 punts & 2 missed field goal attempts.  Ohio State's first possession resulted in Heisman Trophy winning, All-American QB Troy Smith's first interception in more than 150 passing attempts but Morelli first interception of the game came on the next play.  Late in the 2^nd quarter, Penn State put together an 11-play, 67-yard drive but as time expired in the half, Nittany Lions' PK Kevin Kelly missed a 24-yard field goal attempt.  Ohio State was called for a roughing-the-kicker penalty & Kelly converted the 21-yard field goal giving Penn State a 3-0 halftime lead.  The most exciting thing of the half may have been Paterno running off the field midway through the 2^nd quarter; he was struggling with flu-like symptoms not his team's offensive futility.  The Nittany Lions had a chance to take control of the game when LB Dan Connor intercepted Smith's first pass of the 2^nd half.  The Buckeyes escaped trouble when Kelly missed a 42-yard field goal attempt.  Taking over at their own 25-yard line, Smith & the Buckeyes took 9 plays to get the lead with RB Antonio Pittman carrying the final 12 yards for the touchdown.  Early in the 4^th quarter, Smith came up with his biggest play of the game to finish a 7-play, 62-yard drive.  As he started to scramble to his right, two Penn State defenders surrounded him.  Smith reversed his field & threw the ball 37 yards to WR Brian Robiskie who had found his way into the Nittany Lions end zone.  That touchdown seemed to put the Buckeyes in total control but Penn State's RB Tony Hunt had other ideas.  Starting for their own 20-yard line, Penn State drove to the Ohio State 1-yard line using Hunt to account for all 69 yards including a 34-yard run to the Buckeyes' 5-yard line.  The Ohio State defense held firm & when Penn State was called for an illegal procedure penalty, they settled for a 23-yard field goal from Kelly.  The Nittany Lions got the ball back but with 2:31 left, Morelli's pass was intercepted by Ohio State's All-Big Ten CB Malcolm Jenkins who returned it 61 yards for a touchdown.  The final points came when Ohio State's All-Big Ten S Antonio Smith returned a Morelli interception 55 yards for another touchdown.  Smith finished with 115 yards passing with a touchdown but 2 interceptions while Pittman added 110 yards rushing to his score.  Morelli threw for 106 yards with 3 interceptions & Hunt had 135 yards rushing in the loss.  The Nittany Lions finished the season 9-4, ranked 24^th while the Buckeyes finished 12-1, Big Ten Champions & ranked 2^nd nationally.  Penn State would play for The Belt again in 2006.