FOOTBALL

Penn State football: Best wins over 2023 opponents – Rutgers

It may have been a welcoming party to the Big Ten for Rutgers, but Penn State football certainly spoiled the occasion.

Published

2 months ago

July 17, 2023

Penn State football and Rutgers have a long history on the gridiron, one heavily titled in the Nittany Lions’ favor. The Penn State victories have mostly been in blowout fashion too. The Nittany Lions own a 31-2 all-time record against their neighbors in New Jersey. The Scarlet Knights’ lone victories came 35 years ago, during 5-6 seasons for both teams, and 70 years before that back in 1918.

Perhaps the most memorable moment in this series happened at the end of the 1995 matchup when then Rutgers head coach Doug Graber and Joe Paterno got into a shouting match. Graber had accused Paterno of running up the score, and some choice words were picked up by ESPN’s cameras. Due to the sheer amount of lopsided affairs in the series, picking Penn State’s win was quite easy. No doubt it was a close call during the 2014 season.

Welcome to the Big Ten, Rutgers

After the 1995 contest and the end-of-game controversy, the two teams would not meet again until the 2014 season. Before Rutgers joined the Big Ten, the two schools did have a home and home series scheduled as non-conference games for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. When it was later announced Rutgers would join the conference, the games would then be conference matchups.

The game in Piscataway was set for a primetime matchup on Big Ten Network. Some Rutgers fans rudely welcomed Penn State, acts the Rutgers AD would apologize for after the game. The sellout crowd was certainly juiced for this game. The attendance record set still stands today as the largest crowd in Rutgers history.

Nittany Lions spoil the Scarlet Knight party

This matchup was also the first Big Ten contest for James Franklin. The Nittany Lions had won Franklin’s debut in a classic game against UCF in Ireland, followed by a victory over Akron. Rutgers also entered the contest 2-0, with a cross-country victory over Washington in Seattle and a win over Howard.

As for the game itself, there was a feeling-out period in the first quarter, as the game was scoreless after one frame. The teams traded several punts, Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova threw his first two interceptions of the night, and Sam Ficken had a 34-yard field goal attempt blocked.

The scoring started early in the second quarter as Rutgers put together a solid 10-play 80-yard drive, capped by a 14-yard touchdown scamper by Nova. After more punts, Rutgers would add a field goal near the end of the first half to go into the break up 10-0.

The second half kicked off with more of the same, trading punts. Christian Hackenberg made his lone big mistake of the night, throwing an interception — no harm, no foul, as Nova threw his third pick on the very next play. The Nittany Lions then finally put together a decent drive, ending in a Ficken 32-yard field goal. After another three-and-out by Rutgers, the Nittany Lions cut into the Rutgers lead again with another field goal early in the fourth quarter.

Penn State’s defense comes up big

More punts and Nova’s fourth interception of the night followed. Still down 10-6 with about three minutes to play, the Lions were running out of time. Starting a drive at their own 20, Hackenberg threw high to Geno Lewis, who made a great catch and then broke off tacklers to scamper 53 yards.

The Lions were now in business inside the Rutgers 30-yard line. A few plays later, Penn State thought it had a go-ahead score when Hackenberg found tight end Jesse James in the end zone, but a holding call negated it. Facing a 3rd and 13, Hackenberg found Lewis again for 23 yards to the Rutgers six. Finally, two plays later, Bill Belton ran 5 yards untouched into the end zone. Rutgers had one more shot at it. But Nova’s fifth interception of the night four plays later ended Rutgers chances. Penn State survived and escaped the hostile environment with the victory.

The Scarlet Knights would have a slightly better season than Penn State football in 2014. Rutgers finished 8-5 with a victory in the Quick Lane Bowl. Penn State would finish 7-6 and a win in the Pinstripe Bowl, having bowl eligibility for the first time since 2011 with the NCAA sanctions lifted two years early. Since this night in Piscataway, the series has continued to be dominated by Penn State. The Lions have trended up, whereas Rutgers has mostly been at the bottom of the conference.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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BREAKING: Penn State football lands top 10 prospect in PA

Brady O’Hara a top 10 prospect in PA commits to Penn State.

Published

1 hour ago

September 26, 2023

Morgan Chapman

Penn State Football, top 10 prospect in Pennsylvania, Brady O'Hara

Oct 19, 2019; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Pat Freiermuth (87) reacts to a touchdown run by quarterback Sean Clifford (14) against the Michigan Wolverines during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY S

The Penn State football team has now gone three straight days a landing a commitment. Brady O’Hara has made his commitment to the Nittany Lions. He is a top 10 prospect in Pennsylvania. The 2025 class has added DJ McClary and Tiqwai Hayes in the past two days. Both players are part of Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class. The impact of the whiteout continues to prove its value on the recruiting trail.

Penn State football lands top 10 prospect in PA

Brady O’Hara is a four-star recruit in the 2025 class and he plays his high school football at North Catholic High School located in Pittsburgh, PA. He held offers from Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, UConn, and Penn State. Then, on Tuesday morning he announced his commitment to Penn State on his social media channels.

O’Hara is currently ranked as the No. 8 prospect in Pennsylvania.

Brady O’Hara plays both sides of the ball

O’Hara is listed as an athlete on 247sports because he plays both tight end and defensive end. It will be interesting to see what position he will choose to play when he gets on campus. But after watching Tyler Warren and Chop Robinson on Saturday night either position would fit him well.

Either way, he has shown that he can be successful regardless of where he lines up on the field. He can be a great red zone target or a dominant defensive end. Both positions at Penn State have developed well over the years which helped their case land this top 10 prospect in Pennsylvania.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

FOOTBALL

Penn State football players were seeking revenge against Iowa

Revenge was on the mind of several Penn State football players against Iowa on Saturday night.

Published

6 hours ago

September 26, 2023

Morgan Chapman

Penn State football, Dani Dennis-Sutton, KeAndre Lambert-Smith,James Franklin

Penn State wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith (1) runs after a catch during the first half of a White Out game at Beaver Stadium Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in State College, Pa.

It was the elephant in the room of last week for the Penn State football team. Would revenge be on the minds of players during the Iowa game? Of course, this was produced from the 2021 matchup between Penn State and Iowa. When several Nittany Lions went down with injuries during the game, Iowa fans and members of their coaching staff mocked Penn State. The Hawkeyes special teams coach LeVar Woods even flopped on the ground at one point making fun of the injured players. After the game, we learned that revenge was certainly on the Dani Dennis-Sutton, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, and other’s minds Saturday night. James Franklin reminded the team what message they needed to send Saturday night.

Penn State football players were seeking revenge against Iowa

One of the best parts of college football is what goes around comes around. One year you might beat a team by 30 points and the next you lose to them by 30. But how you act during those wins usually stands out. In Iowa City in 2021, James Franklin and his coaching staff took note of how they were treated. They got their sweet revenge on Saturday night defeating Iowa 31-0.

Audrey Synder of The Athletic recently wrote a piece Penn State football wanted revenge on Iowa. It got that and much more in Whiteout shutout. In this story, Synder included a quote from sophomore defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton following the Iowa game.

Sutton said, “[Franklin] showed us some of the same things they did in 2021 with the special teams coordinator on the sideline flopping and stuff like that. Their head coach was saying stuff that they smelled a rat or something when some of our guys went down.”

It’s amazing that even a player like Dani Dennis-Sutton who wasn’t on the team in 2021 could find motivation from this. This shows how meaningful the brotherhood of being a Penn State football player truly is.

KeAndre Lambert-Smith also remembered 2021

One of the players who was part of that game in 2021 was WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith. He remembered that game very well. Following the Nittany Lions’ victory on Saturday night, Lambert-Smith spoke about the mindset James Franklin instilled heading into the whiteout game.

Lambert-Smith said, “I would just say we know what was at stake. We knew what happened a few years ago. We just locked in. We put a great week of preparation together.”

FOOTBALL

Penn State QB Drew Allar grades offense’s play through 4 games

QB Drew Allar broke down the good and the bad that he’s seen from the Penn State offense through 4 games this season.

Published

16 hours ago

September 25, 2023

Matt Thomas

Penn State Football, Drew Allar, Penn State QB

Sep 23, 2023; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) gestures from the line of scrimmage during the first quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

And just like that, we’re through a third of the college football season. It’s hard to argue that Penn State football isn’t one of the most dominant teams in the sport through four games. A major piece of the success so far in 2023 has been new starting QB Drew Allar. The sophomore has been a rock for Penn State this year, and has led the Nittany Lions’ offense to be one of the most successful in the nation. But what has led to Penn State’s offensive success this season? After the Iowa game, we asked the Penn State QB to break down what he’s seen from his unit so far.

Hope springs eternal for the Nittany Lions’ offense

There’s plenty of optimism around the Penn State offense after four games this year. Most recently, we watched the Nittany Lions dismantle the No. 24 Iowa Hawkeyes 31-0 in the White Out Saturday evening. So far, we’ve seen Penn State pick apart secondaries and roll over opponents with the ground game.

Penn State currently leads the Big Ten in scoring and is second to Maryland in total yards. The Nittany Lions have scored at least 30 points in 11 straight games, the longest streak in the nation. Even when it hasn’t looked sharp, the offense has still been able to put up points in bunches. And that is perhaps the most impressive thing about the Penn State offense this year – there’s a wide belief that we haven’t seen the unit peak yet.

Drew Allar leads the way

The catalyst for the offense so far is undoubtedly QB Drew Allar. The 19-year-old has looked like a seasoned veteran despite only making his fourth start Saturday night. He looks in command on the field, and it shows. Allar, who today was named to the Davey O’Brien Award watch list for the nation’s top QB, has 903 yards and 8 touchdowns on a 67% completion rate this year.

That guy Drew! 🎯#WeAre | @AllarDrew pic.twitter.com/M05rr9I69Y

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) September 25, 2023

Allar’s most impressive stat line, however, is the lack of one. The Penn State QB has yet to turn the ball over this season, something that young first-time starters with rockets for arms are apt to do. Even when he hasn’t been on his A game, Allar has not put the football in harm’s way.

As a result, the rest of the team has followed suit. Penn State football is the only team in the nation that has yet to turn the ball over. This is a stat that will most certainly end at some point, but it speaks to the poise and maturity that Drew Allar has already brought to the field.

Penn State QB grades offense’s play through four games

The Penn State offense has at times looked equal parts lethal and methodical. But most of all, the offense has looked clean and efficient. The Nittany Lions have kept Allar clean (only two sacks allowed) and have avoided the big mistakes. According to Drew Allar, this has been the winning formula thus far.

“I think we’re doing a really good job right now of being efficient and staying on track,” Allar told us after the Iowa game. “We do get into situations where we kind of hurt ourselves with penalties. And I think we’ll continue to learn and grow from those mistakes that we make. But I think we’re doing a really good job right now just taking what the defense has given us, taking care of the ball, which is the biggest thing for the offense, and controlling the ball. So, I think we’re just doing a really good job of being very efficient.”

But now, the tape on the Nittany Lion offense grows by the game. If Penn State football is to continue riding the wave and reach its goals for this season, the offense must continue to evolve. After all, the slate won’t get any easier, and the biggest challenges still lie ahead.