Saturday's 44-31 loss to Ohio State was a disappointing result, but there were still plenty of positives to take away from the game, including some great individual performances.
Here are Penn State's players of the game against the Buckeyes:
Offense: WR Parker Washington
Wide receiver Parker Washington has had a knack for big plays in big games throughout his young Penn State career. The sophomore continued this trend, playing a career game against the No. 2 team in the country.
Washington set career highs in receptions and receiving yards, hauling in 11 passes for 179 yards. — the most receiving yards for a Nittany Lion since Jahan Dotson's 242-yard explosion against Maryland last year.
The Sugar Land, Texas, native made some of the biggest plays of the game. In the second quarter, Washington created separation on a curl route before making two defenders miss on his way to a 58-yard touchdown.
Washington also made a pair of fantastic grabs to extend Penn State drives. The first was a full-stretch dive on third-and-long in the second quarter. His best catch of the day came on a wheel route up the sideline, as he snatched the ball out of the air while going to the ground. Both big catches led to touchdowns, and without them, the blue and white might not have kept the game close.
Defense: LB Abdul Carter
Penn State's run defense is leaps and bounds better than it was against Michigan two weeks ago, and freshman linebacker Abdul Carter is a big reason why.
Carter finished with four total tackles, one sack and a quarterback hit. Even when he didn't get to the ballcarrier, his speed and athleticism to fill gaps is a huge boost for the Nittany Lion defense.
The blue and white held strong Buckeye ground attack to 122 yards on 26 runs, inflated by a 41-yard touchdown from TreVyon Henderson. Defensive coordinator Manny Diaz packed plenty of blitzes, which allowed Penn State to get into the backfield quickly and disrupt plays.
Special teams: K Jake Pinegar
Kicker Jake Pinegar didn't have his number called much this weekend, but he did come through when needed.
The redshirt senior drilled a 44-yard field goal late in the game to bring Penn State within six points. He was also a perfect 4-for-4 on extra point attempts.
On kickoff duty, Pinegar booted five kicks for a total of 324 yards and three touchbacks.
The Nittany Lions played aggressive, as it left the offense on the field in fourth-and-short situations rather than take field goal tries. Despite this, Penn State should have strong trust in Pinegar, as he has been solid all year.
