Pace attended The Ohio State University, where he majored in business and played for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team from 1994 to 1996. He was only the second true freshman ever to start on opening day for the Buckeyes football team. He was a two-time consensus first-team All-American, and won the Outland Trophy in 1996 for the best college football interior lineman. He won the Lombardi Award for the best college lineman or linebacker in 1995 and 1996, becoming the only two-time winner of that award, and the most recent (through 2017) offensive lineman to be honored. He is one of only twelve players to have won both the Outland Trophy and the Lombardi Award. He and Dave Rimington are the only three-time winners in the Outland/Lombardi category. He was a finalist for the 1996 Heisman Trophy, finishing fourth in the voting, the highest finish for a lineman (offense or defense) since Hugh Green finished second in 1980. Pace also lined up at defensive tackle during some goal line situations during his junior year at Ohio State.