PISCATAWAY, Nj. — Penn State’s defense and special teams units scored a combined three touchdowns to mitigate a sluggish start from the Nittany Lions’ offense for a 55-10 win at Rutgers’ SHI Stadium on Saturday night.
The Scarlet Knights got on the board first, striking with a 42-yard field goal by kicker Jude McAtamney. Rutgers’ lead didn’t last for long, though, as Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. It was the Nittany Lions’ first touchdown on a kickoff return since 2020, when Lamont Wade did so in 2020.
The Scarlet Knights’ Aron Cruickshank responded with a long kickoff return of his own, bringing the ball out to Penn State’s 21-yard line. Four plays later, Rutgers went back on top 10-7 when quarterback Gavin Wimsatt connected with wide receiver Shameen Jones from four yards out.
The Nittany Lions used another non-offensive touchdown to retake the lead in the second quarter. Wimsatt threw a short pass in the flat to his tight end Johnny Langan, who was immediately hit by Penn State’s Marquis Wilson and Dominic DeLuca, the latter of whom forced a Langan fumble.
The loose ball was scooped up by middle linebacker Kobe King, who rumbled into the end zone to give Penn State a 14-10 lead. The Nittany Lions got their first offensive touchdown later in the second quarter after a Wimsatt interception.
On third-and-1, quarterback Sean Clifford found tight end Tyler Warren out of the t-formation for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Just before halftime, Clifford called his own number and scampered into the end zone from 14 yards out to make it a 28-10 game at the break.
After halftime, Penn State’s defense continued to do its best impression of Iowa’s defense by putting points on the board. Linebacker Curtis Jacobs strip-sacked Wimsatt and safety Ji’Ayir Brown recovered his fumble, taking it to the house for a 70-yard touchdown.
Jake Pinegar added a chip shot 22-yard field goal midway through the third quarter to further advance Penn State’s lead. Running back Kaytron Allen had a long rush and touchdown run on the Nittany Lions’ next drive to make it 45-10.
Redshirt freshman kicker Sander Sahaydak also converted his first career field goal, a 24-yarder. Drew Allar similarly had a first of his career, scoring a rushing touchdown that put an end to the Nittany Lions’ scoring at 55 points.
No offense, but…
When Penn State’s offense was struggling in the first half, the Nittany Lions’ defense took matters into their own hands when King returned a fumble for a touchdown. The fumble return for a score by King was Penn State’s first in a game since 2016, when defensive end Torrence Brown did so versus Indiana.
Brown’s touchdown sealed the deal on a come-from-behind victory against the Hoosiers during Penn State’s Big Ten championship-winning season. King’s defensive touchdown, meanwhile, gave the Nittany Lions a lead they would not relinquish in their latest triumph against the Scarlet Knights in what initially looked like it could be a competitive game.
Up next
Penn State returns home for Senior Day next Saturday in the Nittany Lions’ last game of the regular season. It will also mark the last home game of Clifford’s career after six years in University Park.
Penn State will host a Michigan State team that is looking to become bowl eligible. Unlike last year’s Spartans team that won a New Year’s Six bowl against Pitt, this year’s version of Michigan State has struggled mightily.
In Mel Tucker’s third year leading the program, Michigan State is 5-6 and fresh off an overtime loss on its home field to Indiana by a count of 39-31. Penn State will look to exact revenge on Michigan State for last season’s 30-27 win by the Spartans on a snowy Saturday in East Lansing, Mi.
The last time these two teams squared off at Beaver Stadium came during the COVID-19 impacted 2020 campaign and Penn State earned a 39-24 win. Michigan State currently leads the all-time series 18-17-1.
