COLUMBUS, Ohio -- An imperfect start for Ohio State was followed by a perfect ending by quarterback J.T. Barrett when No. 6 Ohio State rallied from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun No. 2 Penn State 39-38 at Ohio Stadium on Saturday.

Barrett was 33 of 39 for 328 yards with four touchdowns and put himself back in the Heisman Trophy picture.

He was at his best in the fourth quarter when he was 13 for 13 for 170 yards and three touchdown passes, the final a 16-yarder to Marcus Baugh with 1:48 left.

Barrett said he was following coach Urban Meyer's advice to go with what he knows.

"We've been in those situations whether it's spring ball, fall camp," Barrett said. "Coach Meyer said 'Go win the game.' He says it all the time."

Ohio State gained 529 yards, its sixth straight game with more than 500 total yards, against a defense that was No. 1 in the nation in points allowed per game (9.6).

Barrett set a school record with 423 total yards, including 95 rushing.

"He's a veteran quarterback who is protected very well and they have a lot of skillful players," Penn State coach James Franklin said. "We are usually able to get to quarterbacks just through pass rush or blitz but we weren't able to do that tonight."

Trailing 35-20, Ohio State (7-1, 5-0 Big Ten) went 76 yards in 1:17, capped by Barrett's 10-yard TD pass to Johnnie Dixon but the two-point run by Dixon failed and the Buckeyes trailed 38-33 with 4:20 left.

Then Barrett led the Buckeyes 58 yards in 1:19 for the go-ahead score. After the pass to Baugh, Barrett was stopped on a run for the two-point conversion.

Penn State (7-1, 4-1) ran four plays and turned the ball over as the crowd of 109,302 roared.

"Wow. What the heck just happened?" Meyer said to open his postgame press conference.

Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley accounted for three scores and running back Saquon Barkley scored twice, including a kickoff return to start the game to boost Penn State, which led 28-17 at the half.

Barkley, a Heisman contender, rushed for only 44 yards on 21 carries. McSorley was 17 for 29 for 192 yards and also ran for 49 yards on 13 carries.

Penn State shocked the Buckeyes with a 14-0 lead 3:24 into the game on a 97-yard return of the opening kickoff by Barkley, and after an Ohio State fumble, a third-down TD pass from McSorley to DaeSean Hamilton of 13 yards.

Barkley later scored on a 36-yard run with 11:40 left in the second quarter to complete a seven-play, 81-yard drive to make it 21-3. His scoring run came after Sean Nuernberger kicked a 38-yard field with 4:38 left in the first quarter.

The Buckeyes pulled to within 21-10 with 9:32 left in the second quarter when Barrett passed 14 yards to Terry McLaurin. After a 59-yard kickoff return by Koa Farmer and a pass interference call on Ohio State, McSorley rushed in from 6 yards to put Penn State ahead 28-10. Mike Weber had a 2-yard TD run for the Buckeyes to make it 28-17 at the half.

Nuernberger added a 36-yard field goal early in the third for a 28-20 score.

McSorley then tossed a 37-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Thompkins to make it 35-20 with 7:25 left in the third.

Ohio State pulled to within 35-27 after Denzel Ward blocked Blake Gillikin's punt and Dante Booker recovered at the Penn State 41. Two plays later, Barrett hit Dixon on a 38-yard TD with 11:05 to play.

McSorley then drove the Nittany Lions with a 23-yard run and a 22-yard pass to Mike Gesicki. The result was a 24-yard field goal by Tyler Davis for a 38-27 lead with 5:42 left.

Farmer, a linebacker, said the Nittany Lions couldn't handle the late shifts in momentum.

"They just made more plays. Their concepts were pretty good," he said. "Their game plan against us was really well done."

NOTES: Saturday marked the highest ranked Big Ten opponent Penn State had faced since 1997 when the No. 2 Nittany Lions hosted No. 4 Michigan. ... Ohio State is 11-7 in Ohio Stadium versus the Nittany Lions. ... Penn State QB Trace McSorley has thrown a TD pass in 23 straight games. ... Ohio State wore all-gray alternate uniforms with scarlet shoes.