Highs and Lows: Auburn

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - In front of a record crowd at a raucous Beaver Stadium Saturday night, the Penn State football program put together its best performance of the young 2021 season.

A physically bruising battle, the No. 10 Nittany Lions pushed past No. 22-ranked Auburn, 28-20, that lived up completely to the game's buildup. Entertaining in every respect, Penn State's effort improved the program to 3-0 on the season with its final non conference game of the year set for next Saturday against Villanova (noon, BTN) back at Beaver Stadium.

Reflecting on the biggest and brightest moments of an unforgettable night:

PLAYER OF THE GAME Under the brightest lights of the national college football world, Sean Clifford played arguably the best game of his career. In all, the Nittany Lions’ senior signal-caller completed 28 of 32 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns with just one inconsequential interception. Time and again, Clifford both made the plays and the right decisions in an effort to improve Penn State to 3-0 on the season.

PLAY OF THE GAME Auburn came out of the second half ready to take it to the Nittany Lions with a double-fake trick play. Instead, Auburn receiver Kobe Hudson found no target available downfield and simply dropped the ball in the backfield as Penn State defensive tackle Derrick Tangelo fell on it. The turnover opened the door to the Nittany Lions’ touchdown just four plays and 20 yards later on Tyler Warren’s direct-snap dive to build a 21-10 lead.

BEST PASS It might not have been a game-breaker, but Clifford’s 12-yard completion to Parker Washington along the sideline, having extended the play with his legs, was an example of the quarterback’s poise and patience finding his targets all night. The play picked up a first down and kept the Nittany Lions moving into Auburn territory on the possession.

BEST RUN The rule is that hurdles automatically earn the ‘best run’ distinction, and Jarquez Hunter’s 24-yard carry late in the game is no exception. Taking the pitch from Nix and cutting the corner early, Hunter turned upfield and jumped right over the tackle attempt of Joey Porter Jr. down to the Penn State 10-yard line on a critical possession that would come up empty for the Tigers.

BEST CATCH Jahan Dotson wasn’t the first option on Clifford’s first touchdown pass of the night. Running parallel to his QB through the back of the end zone, though, the safety valve again demonstrated his remarkable athleticism with a leaping, two-handed grab for the score. The connection gave Penn State a 7-3 lead. Dotson would do it again before the end of the first half, coming down with an acrobatic one-handed reception for a first down.

WORST DROP This isn’t an indictment on Brandon Smith as much as it is an acknowledgment of just how close he came to breaking the game apart and smashing it completely. Jumping in front of a Bo Nix second down pass late in the first half, the Nittany Lion linebacker bobbled the ball no fewer than six times, while running, before the ball eventually fell to the turf. Penn State would hang on to force a punt, but the opportunity to unleash the loudest Beaver Stadium can get was missed barely.

BEST HIT John Lovett’s introduction to Penn State football was particularly unpleasant. Met by Auburn’s Derick Hall at the 20-yard line, Lovett’s kickoff return was pretty much the equivalent of running into a brick wall. Ji’Ayir Brown’s pass breakup on a fourth-quarter pass to Demetris Robertson also deserves a nod here, upending the receiver to force the incompletion.

BEST EFFORT Clifford clearly played hurt Saturday night after taking a wicked shot late in the first half and again to open the second, at one point early in the third quarter needing a trip to the medical tent on the sideline before returning to finish out the game.

BEST KICK Jordan Stout’s first punt of the evening was an absolute bomb, rocketing from Penn State’s 15 yards to where it was received at the Auburn 23 for a 58-yard net gain. Again Saturday night, he continued his excellent senior season with a 50-yards per punt average.

BEST RETURN Dotson’s first punt return of the night proved to be a critical one. With Auburn punter Oscar Chapman pinning the Nittany Lions deep, Dotson’s nifty return upfield moved his offense from the 13 out to the Penn State 29 with 9:11 left to play in the game.

BEST DECISION Making Auburn the White Out game probably wasn’t an easy decision for Penn State’s administration and football program, but it proved to absolutely be the correct call over that of Michigan later in November. In an atmosphere that can only be described as electric, the Nittany Lions and Tigers put on a performance every bit living up to the game’s buildup.

WORST DECISION James Carter, the official for the night’s game, inexplicably forced Penn State into a fourth-and-11 punting situation early in the second quarter. The problem? The Nittany Lions were actually on third down. The error wasn’t rectified on a night when the SEC crew struggled repeatedly.

MOST TELLING MOMENT If Penn State football and its fans love anything, forcing a fourth-and-goal in front of a White Out crowd has to count among its most beloved moments. Defying all reason, though, Auburn decided to let Nix throw a fade to the back of the end zone with no chance of a reception or interference call. The result was a turnover on downs and possession for the Nittany Lions with an opportunity to close out the game.

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