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STATE COLLEGE — They were supposed to go to the southeast corner of stadium, right in front of the student section. It’s where Penn State players and coaches had been gathering to sing the alma mater after games for the last five years.

Most of them couldn’t get there. The student section had already come to them.

Stuck toward the middle of the field as the crowd spilled out of the stands after the Nittany Lions’ monumental 24-21 win over No. 2 Ohio State, players simply grabbed the person closest to them and belted it out.

“I’ve worked in every major conference, as well as the NFL,” said emotional Lions coach James Franklin, whose brother-in-law had died on Tuesday. “I can’t imagine there’s a better environment than what that was out here tonight.

“I just couldn’t be more proud. This community’s been through so much the last five years. And this is a big step in the right direction in terms of healing.”

In the context of a horrific scandal, NCAA sanctions and loss after loss against Big Ten powerhouses, it was a night like never before in Happy Valley.

Penn State players had gotten a speech on Friday night from Michael Robinson, the former quarterback who had previously authored the Lions’ signature win over the Buckeyes back in 2005.

But that was a senior-laden Lions team, one that was on the way up and already ranked in the top 25. Robinson’s squad was a narrow 3.5-point underdog against a Buckeyes team that had already dropped a game.

No, these Lions were with 20-point dogs who had five seniors total in the starting lineup.

And these second-ranked and undefeated Buckeyes had never lost a road game in five years with Urban Meyer as coach. Had won 78 straight when holding a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter. Had their sights set on another national title run.

Simply put — Penn State’s biggest upset win in modern history.

“I felt so good,” junior safety Marcus Allen said. “So good. I wanted to cry.”

It was Allen who teamed up with fellow defensive back Grant Haley for one of the signature plays in school history.

With the Buckeyes lining up for a 45-yard field goal to push their lead to seven in the final five minutes, it was Allen who found a crease and leaped to swat down Tyler Durbin’s kick.

“(On a first-half field goal), I jumped over clean. But I missed it,” Allen said. “And I went back to the sideline and I was asking (special teams coach Charles Huff) where I was supposed to be to block the kick.

“I knew it was gonna come again. I did the same thing. I came clean. I went with the adjustment Coach Huff gave me and I blocked it.”

The Lions hadn’t had much luck on special teams up until this point. They had their own field goal try blocked. They fumbled away a punt return that led to three points for Ohio State. And earlier in the second half, a bad snap on a punt went into the end zone for a safety.

This time, the bounce went their way.

Haley scooped it up on the run. Sixty yards later — and nearly a tackle by holder Cameron Johnston at the 5 — Penn State had a 24-21 lead.

“Something I think every little kid dreams about,” Haley said. “I was stumbling toward the end, but I just looked over my shoulder and saw the kicker. I shimmied away from him a little bit. Just a sigh of relief.

“I just picked the ball up and ran. And the rest was history.”

Not quite yet. Ohio State still had Heisman hopeful J.T. Barrett and the Buckeyes were driving with time ticking down.

It wasn’t until the defense — fueled by the return of linebackers Brandon Bell (19 tackles) and Jason Cabinda (12 tackles) — got a third-down sack from Cabinda and a fourth-down sack from Kevin Givens and Evan Schwan that Happy Valley erupted like it hadn’t in years.

“I literally can’t put it into words,” tight end Mike Gesicki said. “I lost my voice. That’s why all of us came here.

“Everyone is saying we shocked the nation. We might have just shocked everyone outside of (the locker room), but we believed we were going to win this game.”

Penn State’s Grant Haley returns a blocked field goal for a touchdown against Ohio State in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016, in State College, Pa. Penn State won 24-21. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times via AP)

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_AP76483385909520161023233886.jpg.optimal.jpgPenn State’s Grant Haley returns a blocked field goal for a touchdown against Ohio State in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016, in State College, Pa. Penn State won 24-21. (Abby Drey/Centre Daily Times via AP)

By Derek Levarse

[email protected]

Reach Derek Levarse at 570-991-6396 or on Twitter @TLdlevarse

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