Penn State 23, Rutgers 7: Here’s what happened and what we thought
CDT staff reports
Follow along as Centre Daily Times writers Parth Upadhyaya and Jon Sauber critique the Penn State vs. Rutgers college football game.
Penn State dominated Rutgers en route to a 23-7 victory over Rutgers to improve to 2-5 on the season.
Here’s what happened:
Penn State takes down Rutgers 23-7 to earn the 900th win in program history and move to 2-5 on the season.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
The fourth down QB draw is the new goal line fade.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
K Jake Pinegar drills a 27-yard FG to extend Penn State's lead to 16 midway through the fourth quarter.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
PSU 23, Rutgers 7 w/ 7:27 to go in the game
And Washington gets up and jogs to the sideline.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
Parker Washington is down on the field.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
Penn State closes the third quarter up 20-7 with the ball.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
PSU goes three-and-out and Rutgers gets the ball right back after scoring for the first time all afternoon. The Scarlet Knights have some life.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
Penn State has been entirely predictable when Will Levis is on the field in this game.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
Luketa has to get in front of Melton. I mean, that’s bad.
— Ryan Snyder (@RivalsSnyder) December 5, 2020
Vedral throws up a prayer and WR Bo Melton leaps up to grab the TD. Scarlet Knights on the board for the first time.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
Penn State 20, Rutgers 7 w/ 4:56 left in 3Q
Touchdown, Rutgers.
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) December 5, 2020
Penn State leads 20-7 with 4:56 to go in the third quarter. #WeAre
Rutgers had a free rusher there and it clearly affected Clifford's throw. He didn't step into it and it affected the accuracy of the pass.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
Jordan Stout nails the 47-yard field goal to make it a 20-0 lead after Penn State forces the Rutgers turnover to open the half.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
.@PennStateFball wasted no time starting the 2nd half.
— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) December 5, 2020
Jesse Luketa (@OttawasVeryOwn) recovers the ball for the Nittany Lions. pic.twitter.com/49jUuV2rvU
HALF: Penn State 17, Rutgers 0
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
The Nittany Lions are absolutely dominating and probably should have a larger lead. PSU w/ 229 total yards and 14 first downs to RU's 43 total yards and two first downs.
Penn State takes a 17-0 lead into the half in Piscataway.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
Rutgers finally takes a shot down the field and WR Shameen Jones almost reels it in, but S Jaquan Brisker delivers the big hit to break up the pass and force the Scarlet Knights to punt.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
*That's* the play Rutgers calls on 3rd-and-28?? Penn State defense is absolutely dominating.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
Penn State DE Jayon Oweh headed to the sideline injury tent after the 2nd-down play.
— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) December 5, 2020
Nevermind, John O'Neill says the Rutgers fumble recovery stands. https://t.co/r6hnbIv3Jy
— Greg Pickel (@GregPickel) December 5, 2020
Ruling on the field stands. Rutgers takes over at PSU's 36. https://t.co/hL0LIRlQPM
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
Oh, wow. Looked pretty clear to me that Young was out of bounds. Instead, call stands.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
Rutgers' DL Tijaun Mason pokes the ball loose from Ford... and there's the turnover. The Scarlet Knights appeared to recover it inbounds, but the play's currently under review.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
Looked like Avery Young was out of bounds when he was touching the ball. Should be Penn State ball.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
Penn State had all the momentum until that fumble. The defense needs to step up and stifle the Scarlet Knights before they can get new life in this game.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
Penn State forces Rutgers to go three-and-out for the second time this afternoon.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
Nittany Lions have 230 total yards (90 passing, 140 rushing) to the Scarlet Knights' 41 (21 passing, 20 rushing).
Another one for @PennStateFball
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 5, 2020
The Nittany Lions continue to dominate the first half pic.twitter.com/wHgBdO9ILw
Clifford hits WR Isaac Lutz for 13 yards to get to inside the Rutgers' 5-yard line. Two plays later, Ford runs into the end zone for a seven-yard score. Nittany Lions look like they're having fun.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
PSU 17, Rutgers 0 w/ 6:21 left in the 1st half
This is easily the best Penn State has looked offensively this year. Everything looks simple and easy, with the team's playmakers getting space to work.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
The Scarlet Knights with another 4th and short attempt and another turnover on downs. LB Brandon Smith blows through the line of scrimmage for the QB hurry to force the incompletion.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
Penn State will take over from Rutgers' 45-yard line w/ 10 min left in the 1st half.
Washington drops a pass from Clifford (which was a bit high, but catchable) on 3rd-and-4 from the Rutgers' 12.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
PSU settles for a 30-yard FG.
PSU 10, Rutgers 0 w/ 11:37 left in the 2Q
Penn State is getting whatever it wants on the ground against a defensive line that's clearly outmatched. The Nittany Lions settled for a field goal to make it 10-0, but they're moving the ball with ease right now.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
Shifty moves from Devyn Ford pic.twitter.com/SOO7JuVsEz
— Evan Patrick (@evan7patrick) December 5, 2020
Penn State's offensive line is playing well early.
— Elton Hayes (@EHDC12) December 5, 2020
End of 1Q: Penn State 7, Rutgers 0
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
The Nittany Lions have 137 yards of total offense, while the Scarlet Knights have 18.
Hearty hit for Hardy! @DaequanHardy stops Rutgers right in their tracks with this hit. @PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/RBqi9hqr5p
— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) December 5, 2020
Levis moves the chains again — this time on a 13-yard run. Penn State moves to its own 40-yard line.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
Interesting to see Levis being utilized this much this early in the game, but it's been effective so far. He's up to 36 yards on six carries.
Levis taking snaps early in this drive. Runs for 14 yards on first play of the drive, before being dropped for a loss of one on that last play.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
Nice sack by CB Daequan Hardy to drop Rutgers QB Noah Vedral for a loss of seven on 3rd-and-6. Rutgers forced to punt after a three-and-out.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
.@seancliff14 with a bullet to Parker Washington (@cpw_3) for the @PennStateFball TD! pic.twitter.com/ZWe5mzeNZo
— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) December 5, 2020
1️⃣4️⃣ → 3️⃣
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) December 5, 2020
#WeAre https://t.co/QspXkazuth pic.twitter.com/CsjhQPJAfz
He hasn't done anything overly impressive, but Clifford looks more collected/calm throwing the ball. The redshirt junior is 8-11 for 77 yards and a TD so far today.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
Sean Clifford finds Parker Washington for the game's first score. Nice job by the freshman to find space on what looked like a skinny post and Clifford hits him in stride to make it a walk-in touchdown.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
Clifford hits WR Parker Washington for a 29-yard TD. Washington was wide open in-stride to the end zone and Clifford had all day to throw.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
PSU 7, Rutgers 0 w/ 3:32 left in the 1Q
Keyvone Lee is back in the game.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
DT Fred Hansard and DT PJ Mustipher stuff Rutgers QB Johnny Langan on that 4th-and-1 run. Nittany Lions will take over at the Scarlet Knights' 45-yard line.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
The Nittany Lions' drive went 17 plays for 66 yards and took 6:31 off the clock. Far from ideal to come up empty there. https://t.co/iODdvwpd3b
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
Penn State has been at its best when Sean Clifford is making quick decisions and it showed again on that first drive. No points, but still a promising sign that Kirk Ciarrocca is maximizing his quarterback with his play calling.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) December 5, 2020
Clifford tried to hit WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith on a short pass there on 3rd-and-13. Lambert-Smith drops it, and PSU is going for it on 4th and long
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
Lee looked like he slipped on that last handoff, but he was pretty slow to get up. Didn't look good for the freshman.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
RB Keyvone Lee only gained a yard on 3rd-and-2, so the Nittany Lions went for it with QB Will Levis. Levis just barely moved the chains to keep the drive alive.
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
Oof, rough start for Penn State. RB Devyn Ford bobbles the punt and then falls on it inside the 10-yard line
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
Together. #WeAre pic.twitter.com/vLAh4fjPnL
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) December 5, 2020
Looks like RB Devyn Ford and CB Keaton Ellis are returning to the starting lineup for Penn State.
— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) December 5, 2020
And here are five things to watch when the Nittany Lions kick off against the Scarlet Knights in about half an hour: https://t.co/XOWKqLDb83
— Parth Upadhyaya (@pupadhyaya_) December 5, 2020
LIVE NOW: The Unrivaled Pregame Show. Don't miss a second of the action as @MitchGerber is LIVE in Piscataway, New Jersey ahead of our game against Rutgers! [Presented by @Highmark] #WeAre https://t.co/2KDshSeuki
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) December 5, 2020
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This story was originally published December 5, 2020 at 11:55 AM.