STATE COLLEGE — Penn State football showed the college football world Saturday what it’s like to recover and prepare for the College Football Playoff.
The No. 7 Nittany Lions (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten) subdued a steady, balanced Washington Huskies team that’s now lost as many games as its won.
The Lions accomplished this recovery from their deflating loss to Ohio State with their most complete, dominating effort against a Big Ten opponent. This 35-6 blitz of the Huskies (5-5, 3-4) showcased about everything necessary, starting with a fast start on both offense and defense.
It turned into yet another decisively triumphant White Out night in Beaver Stadium.
It featured a precise night of passing from Drew Allar (20-of-28, 220 yards, touchdown) and the best running night from Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen in more than a month (143 combined rushing yards). The missing-in-action wideouts made significant contributions.
And tight end Tyler Warren was an all-around star, yet again, with eight receptions and two rushing touchdowns.
The defense was suffocating throughout, limiting the Huskies to just 181 total yards and three field goal attempts.
Fitting that one of the game’s final plays was a 78-yard breakaway run from true freshman Corey Smith — on the third carry of his college career.
It was rollicking, superb start to their November drive for the expanded College Football Playoffs. The Lions must now win their final three games as decisive favorites to finish 11-1 and almost certainly lock up a home game in the opening round the weekend before Christmas.
Kaytron Allen closed in on the Lions’ first 100-yard rushing performance in more than a month.
Allen has carried 20 times for 98 yards (4.9 average), which included his 1-yard touchdown bullrush that gave the Lions a 35-6 lead with just under five minutes to play.
The Lions didn’t quite hit 200 rushing yards overall (179), but it was certainly the top effort since that last prime time game here against Illinois in late September.
The Penn State junior defensive end certainly is heating up over the past few weeks.
Abdul Carter put his best show tonight against the Huskies.
He was dominant from the start but did not let up. He totaled six tackles − four behind scrimmage − including two sacks. He also forced a fumble and recorded a quarterback hurry.
Penn State’s offense started to roll again to start the second half − until star tight end Tyler Warren uncharacteristically put the ball on the ground.
Linebacker extraordinaire Carson Bruener made a perfect hit on Warren’s arm as the tight end caught a Drew Allar pass and began turning up-field.
The Huskies recovered and drove into the red zone.
They converted a short, 24-yard field goal.
Lions still lead, 28-3.
The Nittany Lions have put on a bounce-back clinic in every facet tonight.
They played their most dominating first half against a Big Ten opponent in recent memory.
They scored four touchdowns on four possessions. Each drive went eight plays or more. They were a stunning 7-for-7 on third downs. They averaged 6.6 yards per play.
The defense gave up just 71 yards, 12 on the ground. Abdul Carter had two more tackles for loss. Jaylen Reed had another interception.
They lead 28-0.
Finally, Julian Fleming got his homecoming touchdown.
The Pennsylvania schoolboy star and Ohio State transfer scored his first Nittany Lion touchdown on an 8-yard slant pass from Drew Allar in the final 30 seconds of the first half.
It was the third straight touchdown the Lions scored on a third-down play tonight. Incredibly, the first time a Penn State wideout scored a touchdown in Big Ten play this season.
It was just Fleming’s 12th reception of his senior season. His first receiving touchdown since Ohio State’s 54-10 win over Iowa on Oct. 22, 2022.
Penn State leads 28-0 at halftime.
The best tight end in America is getting it done by creative means, once more.
The 6-foot-6 Warren scored his second “wildcat” touchdown of the night from the 2 yard line. This time, he took the direct snap on third down and instead of leaping over the middle of the pile he ran left and bulled over a defender at the goal line.
Warren now has three carries for seven yards and those two scores. He’s caught two passes for 32 yards.
The Penn State defense is starting to light up Washington quarterback Will Rogers and company.
Halfway through the second quarter, Rogers has been sacked twice. His offense has produced just 58 yards, no points.
And star safety Jaylen Reed just made him pay again. Reed picked off his third pass of the season easily on an overthrown Rogers pass.
Penn State is on the move again, up 14-0.
The Nittany Lions cashed in their second straight shot with a first down inside the 10 yard line.
Those failures last Saturday against Ohio State?
Well, more creativity tonight.
Backup QB Beau Pribula ran in Penn State’s first shot from the 8.
Then, just now, tight end Tyler Warren took the wildcat QB snap at the 2 yard line and leaped over tacklers and blockers, ball outstretched, in “Superman” mode.
He scored.
Penn State is crushing it on the ground. Lions lead 14-0, middle of the second quarter.
Nick Singleton and Beau Pribula and the Penn State running game made quite the opening statement tonight.
Singelton ran for more yards (31) on the opening drive, often plowing through tacklers, as he had during the entire loss to Ohio State (15).
Pribula capped the seven-play opening drive by entering the game once the Lions earned a first down on the Washington 8 yard line.
On the first play he kept the ball and sprinted around the left side and dove into the end zone for the early lead.
The Nittany Lions started the season strong on the ground behind junior tailback Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. They ran through West Virginia, Bowling Green, Kent State and Illinois.
Then came injuries (Singleton) and tougher Big Ten competition.
The Lions have gone from averaging about 250 rushing yards per game in the first half of the season to just over 120 yards in the second half, so far.
They haven’t had a 100-yard rusher since that Illinois game on Sept. 28. Allen had 102 yards and Singleton added 94.
Now, PSU must get back to winning against a Washington defense that’s been susceptible against the run. The Huskies rank 74th nationally, yielding 151 yards per game.
Sixth-year senior Hakeem Beamon is no longer part of the program, team officials confirmed today, though they declined to provide a reason.
The once-promising lineman and former starter saw his playing time gradually diminish this season. He produced just three tackles with 1.5 behind scrimmage and was running fifth in the defensive tackle rotation.
His Penn State career ends with 40 tackles, four pass breakups and 10.5 tackles for loss in 45 games (18 starts).
Penn State vs. Washington will be broadcast nationally on Peacock, NBC’s subscription streaming service. Paul Burmeister and Colt McCoy will call the game from the booth at Beaver Stadium, with Zora Stephenson reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include Peacock and FUBO, which offers free trials to new subscribers.
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Saturday, Nov. 9
Sunny afternoon skies with temperatures reaching the mid-50s. Temperatures will drop into the 40s during the game toward a low of 37. Winds light and variable.
Aug. 31 at West Virginia, W, 34-12Sept. 7 BOWLING GREEN, W, 34-27Sept. 14 OffSept. 21 KENT STATE, W, 56-0 Sept. 28 ILLINOIS, W, 21-7Oct. 5 UCLA, W, 27-11Oct. 12 at USC, W, 33-30 (OT)Oct. 19 OFFOct. 26 at Wisconsin, W, 28-13Nov. 2 OHIO STATE, L, 13-20Nov. 9 WASHINGTONNov. 16 at PurdueNov. 23 at MinnesotaNov. 30 MARYLANDDec. 7 Big Ten Championship (Indianapolis)
Aug. 31 WEBER STATE, W, 35-3Sept. 7 EASTERN MICHIGAN, W, 30-9Sept. 14 vs. Washington State, L, 19-24Sept. 21 NORTHWESTERN, W, 24-5Sept. 28 at Rutgers, L, 18-21Oct. 5 PURDUE, W, 52-6Oct. 12 at Iowa, L, 16-40Oct. 19 OFFOct. 26 at Indiana, L, 17-31Nov. 2 USC, W, 26-21Nov. 9 at Penn State, 8 p.m.Nov. 15 UCLA, 9 p.m.Nov. 22 OFFNov. 30 at Oregon
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
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