Penn State fans can officially release their collective held breaths. Despite losing multiple starters including Drew Allar and Dani Dennis-Sutton, the Nittany Lions found a way to walk out of Camp Randall on Saturday night with a 28-13 win over Wisconsin.
Let's jump right into our instant reaction from one of the Nittany Lions' best wins in recent memory.
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This Penn State team continues to be different
Let's admit it, a majority of Penn State fans probably thought Saturday's game was over when Drew Allar wasn't taking the field in the second half. It was going to be another loss, another heartbreaking, mind numbing, disappointing loss for a top ranked Penn State team.
The first drive with Beau Pribula on the field wasn't a pretty one, the Nittany Lions moved the ball but there were some clear jitters from the redshirt sophomore and miscommunication with a new quarterback behind center.
But then, Jaylen Reed, perhaps Penn State's best defender all season, turned the tide. On a third and long, deep in Wisconsin territory, Reed picked off a Braedyn Locke pass and returned it 19-yards to give Penn State a 14-10 lead. The Badgers would immediately answer the pick-six, but when everything appeared to be going against Penn State for a majority of the first 30+ minutes of action, the pick-six reinvigorated the Nittany Lions sideline.
Penn State's offense which punted on five straight drives was among those reinvigorated by the pick-six and new lead. Beau Pribula settled in and was spectacular. The redshirt sophomore quarterback whose passing capabilities have been questioned at times was sharp, he completed 11-of-13 passing attempts for 98 yards. In the process, he led back-to-back 75+ yard scoring drives, icing the victory for the Nittany Lions in Madison.
It was a gutsy effort from the York, Pennsylvania native. If the same scenario presented itself in 2023, it seems unlikely Pribula would've been able to have such a performance. His performance on Saturday is a credit not just to his development but also to James Franklin, Andy Kotelinciki, and Danny O'Brien.
The same could be said about the Nittany Lions as a whole. In previous seasons, if the Nittany Lions had lost their starting quarterback especially in a hostile environment like Camp Randall, it was most likely going to result in a Nittany Lions loss. But as this Nittany Lions' team has shown previously this season including in their 33-30 win over USC, this is not the same Penn State team as in year's past. This Nittany Lions team is built differently than those teams. This is a Nittany Lions team that is ready to face adversity and attack it head on. No matter if it's a multi-score deficit or losing your star starting quarterback, this Nittany Lions team has so far, always found a way.
Spreading the ball around
A really impressive effort from Penn State's wide receiver and tight end room this evening. Seven different Nittany Lions recorded receptions, and six recorded at least two. Tyler Warren had a solid night with seven receptions for 46 yards. Harrison Wallace and Liam Clifford both made big catches in the second half and were strong in the winning effort. Wallace recorded five receptions for 67 yards, while Clifford added three receptions for 40 yards. It was a strong showing as a whole from the wide receivers as Penn State prepares for Ohio State.
Rushing attack moving in the right direction
It wasn’t a perfect night for Penn State’s rushing attack, but it’s definitely moving in the right direction. The Nittany Lions ran for 173 yards on 35 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Kaytron Allen was fantastic with 11 carries for 86 yards, while Nicholas Singleton contributed 49 yards on 12 carries, still seemingly working his way back to full strength. The rushing attack opened up even more in the second half once Beau Pribula entered the game, giving the Nittany Lions a legitimate dual-threat quarterback in the backfield. Pribula added six carries for 28 yards. For comparison, after averaging just 3.3 yards per carry in the first half, the Nittany Lions improved to an even six yards per carry in the second half.
Another great second half effort from the Penn State defense
It was another great second half effort from Tom Allen's unit. In the second half, Wisconsin had just 122 yards of total offense with over half of those yards coming on the Badgers' final drive of the game, hoping to cut Penn State's 28-13 lead to 28-20. Prior to that drive, the Nittany Lions forced two three-and-outs, and had a pick-six. Wisconsin had one scoring drive of 51 yards, resulting in a field goal. This season, the Nittany Lions defense has allowed just 27 points in the second half in seven games, an average of 3.85 points per game.
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