STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The cherry on top of J.T. Tuimoloau’s breakout performance in Ohio State’s 44-31 win over Penn State on Saturday came in the waning minutes.

As he lined up along the edge of the line of scrimmage, he shot out of his stance and shoved aside a block by Bryce Effner, the Nittany Lions’ right tackle.

With Effner laid out on the grass at Beaver Stadium, Tuimoloau leapt in the air to snatch a pass thrown by quarterback Sean Clifford, pulling the ball into his grasp and returning it 14 yards into the end zone for a touchdown.

“The sideline just went nuts,” coach Ryan Day said.

The Buckeyes had cracked the game open earlier in the fourth quarter, leaving the outcome no longer in serious doubt, but it was one of the more eye-popping athletic feats made by the sophomore defensive end over an afternoon oozing with them.

In the comeback victory that helped to preserve an unbeaten season, Tuimoloau totaled two interceptions, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

“You can see his talent,” Day said. “This is kind of his coming out party.”

Tuimoloau has been a disruptive presence along Ohio State’s defensive line for much of this fall, sniffing out running backs along the edge and swarming the pocket to realize much of the promise that made him one of the nation’s top prospects in his recruiting class when he signed last year, but he hadn’t stuffed the stat sheet until this weekend.

He had only recorded his first sack of the year in last Saturday’s rout of Iowa. His last interception dated back to when he was a sophomore in high school at Eastside Catholic in suburban Seattle in 2018.

“He’s been right there,” Day said. “He’s been getting better every week. He’s wanted it. He’ll probably tell you he’s pressed a little at times. He’s wanted to get there.”

Fellow defensive end Zach Harrison said he provided Tuimoloau with encouragement over the past few weeks.

“J.T.’s definitely a competitor,” Harrison said, “and when the stats don’t go your way, that’s something I’ve definitely experienced in my career as well. I just talked to him and said to keep playing, and I saw the result today.

Tuimoloau downplayed the significance of his individual production, preferring to speak about the collective contributions of a defense that helped the Buckeyes to remain unbeaten.

“Eleven of us all wanted to come out with this win,” Tuimoloau said. “We all wanted it real bad.”

He said his favorite play was the pass he tipped on Penn State’s opening drive that landed in the hands of Harrison for an interception.

But on the Nittany Lions’ following drive, it was Tuimoloau who registered the first of his two picks when he dropped into coverage on third down and jumped in front of a throw intended for running back Kaytron Allen.

Tuimoloau said he appreciated defensive coordinator Jim Knowles for putting him into the position to make the play.

“He’s allowed us to show that versatility, and he trusts me to do those things,” Tuimoloau said. “I got to thank him.”

That play did not come as a surprise to Harrison, who said he saw it coming in the days leading up to kickoff. According to Harrison, Tuimoloau picked off three passes during workouts this week.

“It happens in practice, it happens in games,” Harrison said. “Then he caught the second one and scored, and I’m like, ‘You got it, bro.’”

Tuimoloau also said there was a carryover.

“It starts in practice,” he said. “Perfect practice makes a perfect play. The guys hold me accountable, and that’s where it started.”

Among the four turnovers forced by the Buckeyes at Penn State, Tuimoloau had a hand in all of them from the two interceptions to the strip sack and the pass breakup leading to Harrison’s pick.

“He’s been working,” Day said. “Nobody wants it more than he does, so in this stage, for him to pay the way he did, it means a lot to him.”

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Contact him at jkaufman@dispatch.com or on Twitter @joeyrkaufman

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football J.T. Tuimoloau breaks out in win at Penn State