HIGHLIGHTS: LBU shines as Penn State routs SMU in CFP, punches ticket to Fiesta Bowl

The season was on the line for Penn State football Saturday, and the No. 4/6-seed Nittany Lions rose to the occasion and then some with a 38-10 win over No. 10/11 SMU in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Led by the position group that gives the school its famous “Linebacker U” moniker, the Penn State defense shut down one of the top offenses in the country with perhaps its most impressive performance of the season.

With the win, Penn State football advances to the second round of the College Football Playoff, where the Nittany Lions will face No. 9/3 Boise State in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve.

Linebackers lead the way for the Lions

© Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It may be the Nittany Lions who are used to the central Pennsylvania cold, but it was the Mustangs who got off to a hot start. After forcing a Penn State three-and-out, SMU used its tempo and the benefit of a defensive pass interference call to march 49 yards down the field in seven plays.

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Facing 4th-and-1 on the Penn State 19, Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings threw behind tight end Matthew Hibner, who was wide open at the goal line. A Zakee Wheatley hit broke up the walk-in touchdown and kept the game scoreless.

While the offense still struggled to get warm, the Penn State defense landed the first punch of the afternoon. On the Mustangs’ second possession of the game, linebacker Dom DeLuca intercepted an errant Jennings pass and took it 23 yards for a touchdown.

DOM DELUCA PICK SIX!!!! TOUCHDOWN PENN STATE
pic.twitter.com/Fu1dGEAeXh

— LandonTengwall (@landon_tengwall) December 21, 2024

And if some is good, more is better for Tom Allen and the Nittany Lions linebackers. After trading scoreless possessions, Tony Rojas got in on the action with a pick-six of his own. On 3rd-and-16 from the Penn State 47, the sophomore linebacker intercepted Jennings and avoided tacklers on his way to a 59-yard touchdown return.

A SECOND PENN STATE PICK SIX!!! pic.twitter.com/JeE7RKiIp5

— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) December 21, 2024

Meanwhile, the Penn State offense continued to falter, stalling out its next drive at its own 19-yard line. After an unsuccessful attempt to go for it on fourth down, the prime SMU scoring opportunity was negated again by DeLuca. The redshirt junior came up with his second interception of the game to keep the Mustangs off the scoreboard.

Then finally, the Nittany Lions offense came to life. With five minutes remaining in the first half, Kaytron Allen slashed through the No. 4 rushing defense in the country for a 25-yard score to make it a 21-0 ballgame.

After forcing another SMU turnover on downs, the Penn State rushing attack continued to pick up downhill momentum. The Nittany Lions chewed up over two minutes of game time with a seven-play, 38-yard drive, capped off with Nicholas Singleton touchdown rush. The score gave Penn State football a 28-0 lead heading into the locker room.

The Nittany Lions defense stifled the SMU offense, which came into the game ranked No. 6 in scoring and No. 20 in yards, throughout the first two quarters of play. The Mustangs totaled just 130 yards – 3.3 yards per play – in the first half. Penn State football also returned two interceptions for scores in a single game for the first time since November 1998 against Michigan State.

Penn State football coasts to first playoff win in program history

© Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images

SMU was able to get on the scoreboard with its opening half possession, kicking a 28-yard field goal to cut the Nittany Lions’ lead to 25. Penn State football responded in kind, with Ryan Barker knocking it through from 40 yards to make the score 31-3.

A day dominated by the ground game on offense, Penn State put an exclamation point on the game in the fourth quarter. The Nittany Lions went up 38-3 with a nine-play, 75-yard drive to kick off the quarter, capped with Kaytron Allen’s second rushing touchdown of the day.

© Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images

After rotating in true freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, whose first pass of his college career ended in an interception, SMU finally found the end zone when Jennings connected with Roderick Daniels Jr. for a 28-yard touchdown.

Final Stats

Penn State:

• Total yards – 325
• Rushing yards – 189
• Passing yards – 136
• Average yards per play – 5

Individual leaders:

• Passing – Drew Allar: 13-22, 127 yards
• Rushing – Nicholas Singleton: 14 carries, 90 yards, 1 touchdown; Kaytron Allen: 11 carries, 70 yards, 2 touchdowns
• Receiving – Harrison Wallace III: 4 receptions, 48 yards
• Tackles – Kobe King: 8 tackles (6 solo); Dom DeLuca: 5 tackles, 2 interceptions

SMU:

• Total yards – 253
• Rushing yards – 58
• Passing yards – 195
• Average yards per play – 3.5

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