In a Big Ten matchup in Los Angeles, Penn State beat USC 33-30 in overtime. This was not a game for fans of great defense, as the teams combined for 927 yards. While the scenery was different, there were a lot of similarities to prior games for Penn State. The game started slowly for the Nittany Lions, as they fell behind 17-3 in the first half. Then, adjustments were made, and the second half was a different story. That dichotomy set up the dramatics of overtime. USC started overtime with the ball and missed a field goal. Ryan Barker converted a Penn State field goal on its first and only overtime possession. While the Trojans put forth a solid effort at home, miscues and questionable clock management cost them late. After taking a 14-point lead into halftime, USC became the latest victim to Penn State’s second-half mastery.
Penn State traveled west to start a tough stretch of its schedule, and as expected this matchup was closer than previous games. The Nittany Lions move to 3-0 in the Big Ten and 6-0 overall. The offense gets more creative as they get used to a new offensive coordinator this season. There is also a budding superstar tight end on the roster. On the defensive side, key injuries are still having a lingering impact. However, the unit was able to make the necessary halftime adjustments again. After the game, head coach James Franklin simply stated, “We’ll take it. We found a way to get a tough win on the road.” The worry moving forward continues to be the continuous slow starts. The competition continues to ratchet up with a trip to Wisconsin next, who is off a 42-7 win over Rutgers.
Key Takeaways: Penn State Beats USC 33-30 in Overtime
Tyler Warren is Tough
Tight end / receiver / running back / quarterback extraordinaire Tyler Warren continues to do it all for Penn State. Without Warren’s heroics, Penn State would have been blown out in this game. Of quarterback Drew Allar’s 30 completions, 17 of them went to his favorite target. Warren had 17 catches, which is a Penn State record. His career-high 224 yards were 18 shy of Jahan Dotson’s record of 242 yards.
Penn State took a 3-0 lead in this game. While Warren caught a would-be touchdown pass to end that drive, it was called back because of an offensive pick. However, a Warren touchdown would have been the perfect ending to that drive. Nevertheless, it set the tone for his performance throughout the contest. On that first scoring drive for the Penn State offense, Warren caught five passes, ran for four yards, and lined up at quarterback. All on one drive.
Later in the game, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki showed that Warren is his favorite weapon. Kotelnicki is proving himself to be a mad scientist on the offensive side of the ball, and Warren is an obvious beneficiary. In addition to lining up all over the field on that first field goal drive, later in the game he caught a 32-yard touchdown. That by itself is impressive for a tight end. However, on that particular play, Warren lined up at tight end but actually snapped the ball to quarterback Beau Pribula. Pribula lateraled to Allar, who threw the pass to Warren for the touchdown. Warren’s continued development has been a storyline so far this season. Franklin, after the game, said “The guy is the best tight end in college football and could be one of the best players in college football.”
No Offense, but the Defense Struggled a Bit
On the defensive side of the ball, Penn State was able to clamp down through the second half. This enabled the offense to find its stride and erase the deficit by the end of regulation. If there is a downside to the defense’s second-half performance, it is that an opponent scored points in the third quarter for the first time this season. Penn State’s defense has now allowed three third-quarter points through the first six games of the season. However, it wasn’t all good for Tom Allen’s side of the ball.
There are quite a few teaching moments coming out of this game. First, the defense frequently over-pursued ball carriers, particularly in the first half. The Nittany Lions were not called for as many penalties as they had been in other games this season. Perhaps consequently, they did not produce as many sacks either. Abdul Carter produced the only Penn State sack of the game. USC had a lot of success in the running game, too. The Trojans ran for 189 yards, highlighted by a 75-yard touchdown by Quinten Joyner. However, they did come up with a turnover and big stops when it mattered most. In overtime, when USC had the ball first, Penn State did not allow a first down, and USC missed a field goal.
Football is a team sport. For the team to win, all three phases need to execute and do enough. The offense needed some time to get more points on the board. As Franklin said after the game, “When the offense needed the defense to have their back, they did.” One has to wonder how much the defense is missing the leadership of veteran leaders like KJ Winston. Winston continues to miss time with his long-term injury.
Walk-On Seals Walk-Off Win
Much has been made about Penn State’s kicking competition. For the second season in a row, it has stretched into the regular season. Sander Sahaydak, just like last year, had the first crack at regular-season kicking duties. Again, he kicked himself out of the job. Last year, Alex Felkins took the opportunity and ran with it. This season, it now appears that the job belongs to Ryan Barker.
Barker, the former walk-on, continues to impress. He converted all three of his extra point attempts, and all four of his field goal tries against USC. His longest of the game, a 36-yarder, came in overtime and won the game for Penn State. Thanks to that kick, Penn State beat USC 33-30 in overtime. After the game, Franklin said, “The story of the game in a lot of ways is Ryan Barker. I’m very proud of him.” At least for now, the kicking job belongs to Barker. Sahaydak and Tulsa transfer Chase Meyer will continue to provide depth if needed.
By the Numbers: Penn State Beats USC 33-30 in Overtime
Offense
Passing: Penn State threw for 400 yards, compared to 220 for USC. Allar completed 30 of 43 for 391 yards, with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Warren completed his only pass attempt, for nine yards. For USC, Miller Moss completed 20 of 34 for 220 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception.
Rushing: Penn State had 118 yards, compared to 189 yards for USC. Kaytron Allen led Penn State with 56 yards on 16 carries. Nick Singleton returned after missing the UCLA game due to injury. He carried 10 times for 26 yards. Allen scored a rushing touchdown. Woody Marks led all players with 111 yards on 20 carries for USC. Joyner’s 75-yard touchdown run was USC’s only rushing score.
Receiving: Warren led all players with 224 yards, on a school-record 17 catches. Singleton was second on the team, with four receptions. Warren and Singleton both had touchdown receptions. For USC, Makai Lemon led the team with six receptions for 73 yards. USC receiving touchdowns were scored by Joyner and Kyron Hudson.
Defense/Special Teams
Defense: Kobe King led Penn State defenders with seven tackles. Jaylen Reed had six tackles and an interception, while Carter had five tackles and a sack. Easton Mascarenas-Arnold led USC with 13 tackles and an interception, while Duce Robinson and Desman Stephens II had the other USC interceptions.
Special Teams: For Penn State, Barker converted on all four of his field goal tries, and all three extra point attempts. Riley Thompson had two punts, averaging 42.5 yards per punt. For USC, Michael Lantz made three of four of his field goal attempts, and all three extra points tries. Eddie Czaplicki punted four times, averaging 48.8 yards per punt.
