WATCH: Everything Penn State football said after its walk-off win at USC
Moments after the ball went through the uprights, check out everything James Franklin and key members of the Penn State football team had to say about Saturday’s OT win at USC.
Oct 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) is congratulated by head coach James Franklin after defeating the USC Trojans in overtime at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
For most first half against USC on Saturday, it felt like another game where Penn State football would not be able to find a way to win. Following the game, James Franklin and his players discussed what it took Drew Allar and the Nittany Lions to walk away with a 33-30 overtime win.
Following the biggest win of the season for the Penn State football team, James Franklin discussed his thoughts on the performance Drew Allar and his teammates put on against USC.
“It didn’t go perfect for him today and he just grinded through it and pushed through it,” Franklin said. “And he flushed the bad plays and moved on. That’s what you have to do in college football. It’s not going to go perfectly. They’ve got talented guys, they’ve got scholarship guys, they have a ton of NIL. Our guys just battled through it. I think Drew is a great example of that…”
You can watch James Franklin’s entire postgame press conference, as well as interviews with Drew Allar, Tyler Warren, Julian Fleming, and Ryan Barker on the Basic Blues Nation YouTube Channel.
Penn State football players address overtime win at USC
Drew Allar
Drew Allar ended the game with 391 passing yards in 30 completions. He accounted for 2 touchdown passes but also had a career-high three interceptions. While Allar committed more turnovers than normal he did play well when it mattered.
In the 2nd half, Allar went 16 for 22 passing for 258 yards and two touchdowns.
Tyler Warren
Tyler Warren yet again made his case as the most dominant tight end in college football. Warren tied the FBS record for receptions by a tight end with 17 and set a new Big Ten record for receiving yards by a tight end with 224. Both stats are now new Penn State football records as well.
Julian Fleming
Julian Fleming displayed his resiliency as one of the veteran leaders in the locker room, battling back from several missed opportunities early in the contest to make a pair of critical fourth-down receptions on the Nittany Lions’ game-tying drive in the fourth quarter.
Ryan Barker
Now dubbed “Ryan ‘Cold-as-Ice’ Barker” by James Franklin, Barker came up clutch in his second start for the Nittany Lions. Barker hit four field goals on the afternoon, including a walk-off 36-yarder to five Penn State football the win in overtime.
Penn State football will have a bye week this week before another road trip on October 26 to Wisconsin.
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Former Editor-In-Chief at Victory Bell Rings, Morgan is the current Site Manager for Basic Blues Nation, host of the Basic Blues Podcast, and co-host of the weekly Penn State Roar Room spaces. Morgan lives in upstate New York with his wife and cats.