Below blue skies at Beaver Stadium, Penn State overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Bowling Inexperienced 34-27 of their house opener.
The Falcons had the ball first after the Nittany Lions received the toss and deferred. Connor Bazelak accomplished his first go to Harold Fannin Jr. all the way down to the Nittany Lion 47, and transformed a 3rd down and 6 to the 35. Bazelek threw a pleasant back-shoulder throw down the suitable sideline, and on the following play, Bazelek rolled to the left, hitting Fannin Jr, who ran in for the six-yard landing. Simply two minutes and 21 seconds into the sport, Bowling Inexperienced led Penn State 7-0.
It was time for Drew Allar and firm to have their shot, ranging from their very own 25. Allar began the drive with a 12-yard dump-off to Tyler Warren, and Kaytron Allen took the handoff round the suitable aspect for 26 yards to the Falcon 37. Nicholas Singleton ripped off a 17-yard run, and Warren nabbed one other reception to the 5. Two performs later, Allar stored it himself and dashed across the left aspect of the road for the rating, tying the sport at 7 with 10:14 left within the first quarter.
Bowling Inexperienced’s subsequent drive began properly, as they picked up a primary down on a brief go, and two performs later, they had been again in Nittany Lion territory. Cam Miller dedicated go interference on third and quick to increase the Falcons’ drive, and on third and 6 from the 20, Penn State jumped offsides. Nonetheless, Bazelek was unable to seek out his man on a brief go, organising a 33-yard subject purpose to make the rating 10-7 Falcons with 4:50 left within the opening stanza.
After a brief run by Singleton and an overthrow by Allar (the primary goal for newcomer Julian Fleming), the sophomore discovered Trey Wallace on the suitable sideline for a acquire of 16. Sadly for the Nittany Lions, holding on Drew Shelton worn out the conversion. Allar’s throw on the following play was dropped by an open Omari Evans, forcing a punt. The Falcons continued to maneuver the ball, incomes two first downs and ending the primary quarter again in Penn State territory. On the primary play of the second quarter, Bazelek once more hit Fannin Jr, who scampered to the 11, and on third down, Bazelek hit Malcom Johnson Jr. in the long run zone to increase the Bowling Inexperienced result in 17-7.
Allar started the following Nittany Lion drive by hitting Warren down the seam for a acquire of twenty-two to the 47, and Singleton powered his means all the way down to the 29. On the following play, Omari Evans beat his man and caught the straightforward deep ball in the long run zone to make it 17-14 with 11:48 left within the half.
The Falcons picked up one other first down on their subsequent possession, however Jaison Patterson was stopped one yard in need of the marker on the following third down. On fourth down, Abdul Carter stormed into the backfield to smack away Bazelek’s throw, giving the ball again to the Nittany Lions. Allar and the offense took over on the Bowling Inexperienced 45, with Allen and Singleton bringing the ball contained in the 30. Nonetheless, the offense stalled on the 26, leading to a Sander Sahaydak 43-yard subject purpose to tie the sport at 17 with 5:28 left within the half.
The Falcons continued to maneuver the ball, getting it again on the Penn State aspect of the sphere in simply two performs, and two performs later, Jamal Johnson took the carry 41 yards for one more rating, making it 24-17. On Penn State’s subsequent drive, Allar hit Warren on third down, and the fifth-year tight finish took the go down the left sideline for a 30-yard acquire. Singleton picked up 15 on the following play, and after the two-minute warning, Allar stored it himself, selecting up 14 to the Falcon 12. After two runs by Singleton for a complete of three yards, Allar was introduced down within the backfield, organising one other Sahaydak subject purpose. The 28-yarder made the halftime rating 24-20 Bowling Inexperienced.
Penn State opened the second half with a Beau Pribula keeper for eight and an Allen run for 13, shifting the ball out to the 46. Two performs later, Allar averted a sack, and appeared to hit Allen in the course of the sphere, with the working again making a sliding seize to the Bowling Inexperienced 36. Nonetheless, the decision was reversed on replay, and Allar was sacked for a 23-yard loss on the following play, forcing a punt. Luckily for the Nittany Lions, the protection lastly stopped the Falcons, and Penn State obtained the ball again after a punt, narrowly avoiding a turnover when returner Kaden Saunder fumbled the ball and it was knocked out of bounds.
Allar and crew arrange store 85 yards from the lead, and once more, Tyler Warren got here up massive, selecting up good points of 10 and 29 on consecutive throws. After Allar was sacked again to midfield, he hit Warren once more down the center for 23 yards to the Bowling Inexperienced 27. Singleton gained 5 up the center, and Pribula stored it round the suitable aspect for one more first all the way down to the 17. Following a brief acquire on a go to Fleming, Allar hit Singleton over the center to take their first lead with 6:13 left within the third.
The Falcons’ first drive of the second half began at their 32 after a Tyler Eldson hands-to-the-face name on the kickoff. Bazelak’s first down go was emphatically batted down by Elliot Washington, and a false begin penalty set the guests again. Bazelak scrambled for 2 yards on second down, and fired in need of his receiver on third down, leading to one other punt. Saunders took the ball to the turf on the 36, giving Penn State respectable subject place.
Allen started the drive by selecting up eight on a rush, and on third down, Allar hit Khalil Dinkins for the primary all the way down to the Falcon 48. Two performs later, he hit Evans in the long run zone, however he was referred to as for offensive go interference, wiping away the rating. The penalty pushed the Nittany Lions again to their aspect of the ball, and Allar was solely in a position to scramble again to a fourth down and 5 from the customer 43. The Medina, OH native hit Evans on a drag route, and the speedy wideout evaded the Falcons defender for the primary down. Allen rumbled for 26 on the following play, however Allar threw into double protection in the long run zone, and Bowling Inexperienced took over after the turnover to finish the third quarter at 27-24 Nittany Lions.
The 2 groups began the fourth quarter by buying and selling punts. The Falcons started 97 yards from the top zone after Jacorey Benjamin’s questionable determination to carry out Allar’s interception. After gaining 5 yards on their first two performs, Bazelak hit Fannin on a swing, selecting up 9 and a brand new set of downs. A holding name set Bowling Inexperienced again, and Bazelak’s third down throw sailed out of bounds to power one other punt. The Nittany Lions started their ensuing possession at their very own 40, and after a two-yard run by Singleton, a holding name negated one other Allar-Warren connection, and Trey Wallace couldn’t haul within the Allar deep ball.
Bazelak started the following possession by throwing an incompletion and Patterson gained one yard, organising a important third and 9 from the 20. Nonetheless, Amin Vanover jumped offsides, and Bazelak hit Malcom Johnson, Jr. to maneuver the chains on the 33.
Simply when it appeared just like the Falcons had been driving for a tying or go-ahead rating, linebacker Tony Rojas dove in entrance of Bazelak’s go and snared the ball earlier than hitting the turf to snuff out the drive. Penn State took over at their very own 38, and gained simply 4 yards, forcing Riley Thompson to punt the ball again to Bowling Inexperienced. The turnover did lead to a giant swing of subject place, with the guests beginning their subsequent drive at their very own 15.
After a Bazelak incompletion and a Patterson rush for adverse yardage, Zakee Wheatley dove to seize Bazelak’s wounded duck of a throw, giving the Nittany Lions the ball on the Bowling Inexperienced 41. Nicholas Singleton stated, “That’s sufficient.” 41 yards later, Penn State had a 34-24 lead with 4:09 left (Yeah, yeah…). The Falcons drove the ball deep into Penn State territory, however Bazelak’s third down go from the 24 was too excessive, organising a 42-yard subject purpose try to make it 34-27 with 47 seconds left. Penn State recovered the onside kick to seal the victory.
Drew Allar accomplished 65% of his passes, going 13 of 20 for 204 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Nicholas Singleton had 13 carries for 119 yards speeding and one landing, whereas Kaytron Allen had 14 carries for 101 yards. Tyler Warren led all receivers with eight catches for 146 yards, and each Singleton and Omari Evans every had a receiving landing. Defensively, Jaylen Reed led the Nittany Lions with 9 tackles, and each Tony Rojas and Zakee Wheatley collected important interceptions.
It wasn’t fairly by an extended shot, however Penn State improves to 2-0 and can take pleasure in a bye week earlier than returning to Beaver Stadium to face Kent State on September twenty first.