▁began ▁the ▁year ▁with ▁six ▁straight ▁vict ories , ▁including ▁on ▁the ▁road ▁against ▁then - No . ▁ 1 4 ▁Oklahoma ▁and ▁in ▁double ▁over time ▁against ▁then - No . ▁ 8 ▁Wisconsin , ▁and ▁rose ▁to ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁AP ▁Pol l . ▁However , ▁the ▁next ▁week ▁they ▁suffered ▁their ▁first ▁loss ▁at ▁P enn ▁State ▁in ▁a ▁White ▁Out ▁game ▁at ▁Be aver ▁Stadium . ▁The ▁team ▁won ▁its ▁remaining ▁regular ▁season ▁games , ▁and ▁finished ▁conference ▁play ▁with ▁an ▁over time ▁victory ▁against ▁third - rank ed ▁Michigan . ▁P enn ▁State ▁and ▁Ohio ▁State ▁both ▁finished ▁with ▁conference ▁records ▁of ▁ 8 – 1 , ▁and ▁P enn ▁State ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁Big ▁Ten ▁Football ▁Championship ▁Game ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁head - to - head ▁victory . ▁Despite ▁this , ▁and ▁P enn ▁State ' s ▁victory ▁over ▁Wisconsin ▁in ▁that ▁game , ▁Ohio ▁State ▁was ▁ranked ▁ahead ▁of ▁P enn ▁State ▁at ▁third ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁College ▁Football ▁Play off ▁rank ings , ▁ear ning ▁them ▁a ▁spot ▁in ▁the ▁national ▁semi - final ▁F i esta ▁Bowl ▁against ▁second - rank ed ▁C lem son . ▁The ▁Buck ey es ▁were ▁shut out ▁in ▁that ▁game ▁ 3 1 – 0 ▁and ▁ended ▁the ▁year ▁at ▁ 1 1 – 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁Buck ey es ▁were ▁led ▁on ▁off ense ▁by ▁quarter back ▁J . T . ▁Bar rett , ▁who ▁finished ▁with ▁ 2 , 5