Penn State 20, Rutgers 7: What we saw and wondered
Follow along as Centre Daily Times writers Josh Moyer and Johnny McGonigal critique the Penn State vs. Rutgers game. Stay with us all day and check back after the game for more from the players and coaches.
Penn State wins a yawner over Rutgers, 20-7.
James Franklin walks into his postgame press conference ... and pulls up a chair to watch the end of Ohio State-Maryland pic.twitter.com/X8cFwNl84J
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
Trace McSorley made history — again — with today’s win over Rutgershttps://t.co/WVoanOQPO8
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
and Miles Sanders did the same pic.twitter.com/j2ewqAZgWK
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
FINAL: Penn State 20, Rutgers 7
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
Micah Parsons — who finished with 7 tackles, 2 for loss — offers up his game gloves to a young fan pic.twitter.com/Z8tTxAAeFI
Rutgers QBs today:
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
5-of-14 for 46 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs
Penn State's running game hasn't had a single run over 9 yards, but it's been pretty consistent. Still averaging more than 4 yards a carry.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
31 carries, 129 yards. Miles Sanders has 23 attempts for 84 yards.
Rutgers' touchdown-less streak vs. Penn State ends at 272 minutes, 9 seconds with Raheem Blackshear's 2-yard run.
— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) November 17, 2018
Penn State 20, Rutgers 7.
Touchdown, Rutgers
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
No, seriously
Penn State leads 20-7 with 9:23 to go in regulation
Courtesy of the BTN telecast, McSorley started off 4/15 for 43 yards and no TDs.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
Since then? 12/19 for 135 yards and 2 TDs.
And *yawn* Penn State goes up 20-0 on Rutgers after another Pat Freiermuth TD catch.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
He might have the best hands on this team right now. Disagree?
Touchdown, Penn State
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
True freshman tight end Pat Freiermuth gets his second on the day
20-0 Penn State w/ 13:06 remaining
Penn State recovered a fumble pic.twitter.com/B6OgmwmFVm
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
That last penalty on PSU was a lot like Rutgers offense: Soft.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
If you didn't see this play, you need to watch it. And if you did see this play, you need to watch it again: https://t.co/OYUo85ncle
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
Penn State safety Nick Scott is leveled with a blindside block and is down on the field after Rescigno's first-down run
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
And after the play, Jan Johnson is called for unsportsmanlike conduct
Rutgers knocking at Penn State's 13...
Last Rutgers player to score a touchdown against Penn State: QB Gary Nova, on a rush in 2014.
— Donnie Collins (@psubst) November 17, 2018
Last Rutgers player to throw a touchdown pass against Penn State: Robert Higgins (1995)
Disciplinary issue, I'm guessing? https://t.co/SyBrIOhgP9
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
Penn State linebacker Cam Brown is in at linebacker
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
Didn't see the field in the first half
This is the least-impressive double-digit lead I've ever seen ...
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
But Penn State leads 13-0 at halftime. #PSUvsRU
Penn State has now settled for field goals of 22 and 19 yards pic.twitter.com/KbdI8hISQu
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
It may have taken about 28 minutes, but PSU finally scores a TD against Rutgers to go up 10-0 late in the 2Q. Nice call on the McSorley-Freiermuth connection.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
Rutgers has 59 yards of offense so far. Probably too much of a deficit to overcome ...
Touchdown, Penn State
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
Really nice play call, faking the run and drawing enough attention to give Pat Freiermuth time to get behind his man
The freshman tight end has his 5th touchdown of Big Ten play
RU's Art Sitkowski has thrown more completions to Penn State players who aren't RBs than Trace McSorley has ...
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
Might seem like a weird call to run on 3rd-and-10 on Rutgers' 37, but if you get 5 or 6 yards there, you're going for it on 4th
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
Don't mind the call ... especially with the non-existent passing game
Third-and-10, and PSU runs a draw.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
What.
Punt from the RU 38.
I mean, PSU could still probably pull out the win here with Blake Gillikin under center. But, at some point, you've got to weigh plugging in Tommy Stevens -- even if it's in the "Lion." Just let him throw a pass.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
Sitkowski had time ... he's just not very good. https://t.co/Bl5FUhHpJM
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
That throw was *not* good
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
John Reid picks it off, and the Nittany Lions have the ball at midfield
Trace McSorley is 3-of-11 passing for 20 yards -- and two completions went to RB Miles Sanders.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
He's been off so far today. A bit strange to see against Rutgers.
On the plus side, PSU fans, Penn State still has more points (3) than Rutgers offense has yards (2) at the end of the first quarter.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
and Miller gets called for unsportsmanlike conduct for taking his helmet off on the field
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
Things were getting chippy during and after the attempted recovery https://t.co/nmW9k3kkh9
A lot happening on that play. Thought PSU's D came up with a huge play. Instead, I think that penalty is Rutgers' longest play of the day. https://t.co/XslzYNGnv6
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
Jake Pinegar's chip shot is good
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
Penn State 3, Rutgers 0 with 2:27 to go in the first
Jahan "First Down" Dotson with the drive-extending catch
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
Nittany Lions move into Rutgers territory
Fun fact: Chuck Fusina threw for 11 TDs and 12 INTs in 1978 ... and was second in the Heisman voting. https://t.co/FrTfTRS4Ai
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
We're 6 minutes into the game and PSU's DL already has two sacks and 3 TFLs.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
DL set the preseason goal of 50 sacks. Up to a Big Ten-leading 36 right now.
I'm no quarterback, but I imagine throwing the ball away is better than getting mauled by Shareef Miller
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
Sitkowski has zero pocket presence. My goodness.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
Shareef Miller was running right at him, and Sitkowski didn't see him until the last second. It's going to be a long day ...
Starting linebackers today? Micah Parsons, Jan Johnson, Koa Farmer https://t.co/RSCdycemx1
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
Looks like Cam Brown is out after all. But, hey, if you're not 100 percent, this is the Big Ten game to miss ... https://t.co/9lYsxl18gn
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
Cam Brown did not participate with 1st or 2nd team defense in pregame. He is here.
— Richard Scarcella (@nittanyrich) November 17, 2018
Some pregame reading before #PSUvsRU:
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
Sanders & the 2019 NFL draft: https://t.co/HQSkOJ6JMl
LB Parsons: https://t.co/Zdh68LmiCI
Key matchups: https://t.co/63D7uM9UiZ
What to watch: https://t.co/jlTksLG92f
Oruwariye: https://t.co/hCy1rR9m2u
I'm OUT today due to illness -- I'll be following along from Happy Valley -- but @jmcgonigal9 is at the game for live updates at #PSUvsRU today.
— Josh Moyer (@ByJoshMoyer) November 17, 2018
If you haven't already -- what's wrong with you? -- give him a follow.
.@_groovy55 and the Wild Dogs feeling it pic.twitter.com/HwDw2O8KgB
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
Shareef Miller, Penn State defensive end and primary carrier of the “Wild Dogs” bone pic.twitter.com/20sN00VRZq
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
One hour til Penn State and Rutgers kick
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
Trace McSorley looking to become program’s all-time winningest QB pic.twitter.com/ABUnx0BU03
What a place pic.twitter.com/qOL3MoWRLc
— John McGonigal (@jmcgonigal9) November 17, 2018
This story was originally published November 17, 2018 at 11:09 AM.