LIVE BLOG: Updates, instant analysis, photos, video and more from Penn State football vs. Auburn
CDT staff reports
The national spotlight is on Happy Valley as the Penn State Nittany Lions and Auburn Tigers face off in a rare regular season Big Ten-SEC matchup on Saturday at Beaver Stadium in “White Out” conditions.
Follow along all night at reporters Jon Sauber and Kyle J. Andrews critique the Nittany Lions’ performance, and visual journalists Abby Drey and Noah Riffe provide photos and video from on the field.
Penn State outlasted Auburn to come away with the 28-20 win and improve to 3-0 on the season. Check back for reaction and interviews with players and coaches.
Here’s what happened:
Penn State downs Auburn to move to 3-0 on the season in front of a a packed 109k fan White Out. (@centredaily ) pic.twitter.com/il6UjUvQkK
— Noah Riffe (@NoahRiffe) September 19, 2021
Penn State beats Auburn 28-20 in front a White Out crowd of 109,958 pic.twitter.com/9Iokp9VXDr
— Abby Drey (@ADreyPhotos) September 19, 2021
We're dying.
— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) September 19, 2021
Congrats, @seancliff14 & No. 10 @PennStateFball. pic.twitter.com/MYmxuvVpfd
Jaquan Brisker breaks up the pass and Penn State defeats Auburn, 28-20. The Nittany Lions are 3-0 this season.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Auburn will have 38 seconds to score.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Enormous DPI call. Hard to argue with giving your best player an opportunity to win it for you late in the game.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Turnover on downs, Penn State takes over at their two-yard line.
— Kyle J. Andrews (@KyleJAndrews_) September 19, 2021
Nothing like it! @PennStateFball ️️ pic.twitter.com/Otwpu9FAP9
— Brandon J Bell (@__bbell) September 19, 2021
Curtis Jacobs looked like he popped the ball lose, but under further review, it looked like he was down. Joey Porter Jr.'s scoop and score may get wiped off of the board.
— Kyle J. Andrews (@KyleJAndrews_) September 19, 2021
Noah Cain scores on a 3-yard rush. He cutback and found an open hole. Penn State's offensive line has put on a clinic tonight in the trenches.
— Kyle J. Andrews (@KyleJAndrews_) September 19, 2021
Announced attendance: 109,958. 10th largest in Beaver Stadium history.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
I think that's gonna be targeting. McClain was just trying to stop Washington from scoring, but looked like he hit him in the head.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Anders Carlson hits a field goal for Auburn to cut the Penn State lead to one at 21-20.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Another questionable call by the officials. Thought that was grounding because Nix was in the tackle box.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Arnold Ebeketie is everywhere. He has another QB Hurry.
— Kyle J. Andrews (@KyleJAndrews_) September 19, 2021
Big 4th-down stop from Auburn: pic.twitter.com/zAcrmXig52
— ESPN (@espn) September 19, 2021
That's a bad spot. Mustipher was never down and it didn't sound like it was blown dead until he was beyond the marker.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Was about to complain about Penn State punting, but impossible to complain about a sneak for a defensive tackle.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Auburn answers with a long drive capped off by a Tank Bigsby touchdown run. Tigers ran all over the Nittany Lions to make it 21-17.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
all the way ️ pic.twitter.com/Xtycegbs7U
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) September 19, 2021
TE WILDCAT!!! LETS GO TYLER!
— Pat Freiermuth (@pat_fry5) September 19, 2021
TE Wildcat?
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 19, 2021
Tyler Warren leaps in for his first TD, and @PennStateFball extends its lead. pic.twitter.com/L63nE0ubkD
Tyler Warren goes into the wildcat and finishes off an important drive for Penn State with a rush. Now a two score game and Auburn's offense hasn't exactly been humming tonight. PSU, 21-10.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
I am convinced Dotson has never dropped a pass. I will ignore all evidence to the contrary.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Derrick Tangelo falls on the fumble by Kobe Hudson. Hudson just dropped it, untouched. Penn State needs to capitalize.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
James Franklin is all of us in this answer about the refs taking a down in the first half of @AuburnFootball - @PennStateFball.
— Mark Heim (@Mark_Heim) September 19, 2021
No doubt he wanted to say something... pic.twitter.com/sR7X00NoSZ
Penn State football leads 14-10 at the half vs Auburn pic.twitter.com/9BObhbEzEL
— Abby Drey (@ADreyPhotos) September 19, 2021
Penn State picks up a halftime commitment. https://t.co/NjC9WvQFvn
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Idiot, Auburn gets the ball to start the half.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
This is how to make an entrance. pic.twitter.com/oHrbFL2DUS
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 18, 2021
Penn State leads 14-10.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
The fact Fowler thought he had no shot at catching it makes it all the more impressive. https://t.co/DHyhZi0Sgp
— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) September 19, 2021
Great route combo to get the first down. Washington comes free inside after the Auburn defense pays attention to Dotson breaking outside.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
We have a Jahan Dotson pass! 22-yard gain for Penn State.
— Kyle J. Andrews (@KyleJAndrews_) September 19, 2021
Great play call, and great job by Dotson to get rid of that ball quickly to Tyler Warren.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Objectively speaking, Jahan Dotson is a joy to watch play football.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
That was absolutely third down, and not fourth down. The officials just blew that call. Should've been second down after the intentional grounding happened on first down.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Good drive by the Auburn offense. That catch by Kobe Hudson set the whole thing up. Great job of coming back and making a play on the ball. Auburn, 10-7.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
When in doubt, find Jahan Dotson. @H55ZY gives @PennStateFball its first lead. pic.twitter.com/QKzQCjeHlA
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 19, 2021
Good first quarter for the Nittany Lions. They're up 7-3 at the end of one.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Penn State up 7-3 after staving off what seemed like a fast start for Auburn.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Clifford hitting Strange and Johnson for back-to-back chunk plays in the middle of the field. Important to get those guys involved.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
In other news, Penn State's offense looks way more fluid in their third drive of the game. Looks like they've found their rhythm with screens and zone runs.
— Kyle J. Andrews (@KyleJAndrews_) September 19, 2021
John Lovett is in at RB. Third back on the field behind Cain and Lee.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Keyvone Lee with the big run then immediately fumbles. Penn State lucky to get that back given how many Auburn players were around the loose ball.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Name a prettier sight in sports pic.twitter.com/mNCfFG80oA
— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) September 19, 2021
Ebiketie looks like the best player on the field right now. He's dominated Auburn LT Austin Troxell on every snap.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
The opposite has happened. https://t.co/g6eFESRyg2
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 19, 2021
Ain't nothin' like it @sportsiren pic.twitter.com/A5ui4GlG7u
— ESPN (@espn) September 18, 2021
Arnold Ebiketie and Jesse Luketa were huge on that drive for Penn State. Luketa prevented the Tigers from breaking two big runs and Ebiketie forced an overthrow by Bo Nix after dominating his man at the LOS. Auburn is up, 3-0.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 18, 2021
Clifford didn't get that first down, but I think going for it there is the right call.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 18, 2021
Penn State will get the ball to open the game. A fast start could go a long way for Sean Clifford and the offense.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 18, 2021
Stadium is bumping. pic.twitter.com/nfOX4OYaVB
— Kyle J. Andrews (@KyleJAndrews_) September 18, 2021
"It's the White Out you already know what it is, I don't got to say nothing!" -@seancliff14 (for @centredaily) pic.twitter.com/thQCW9mMmT
— Noah Riffe (@NoahRiffe) September 18, 2021
Penn State S Keaton Ellis is in uniform and warming up.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 18, 2021
Of course Happy Valley is at the end of the rainbow! pic.twitter.com/eASCdWeJes
— Penn State (@penn_state) September 18, 2021
View from today’s office. We’re just over an hour from kickoff of the White Out matchup between No. 10 Penn State and No. 22 Auburn at Beaver Stadium. pic.twitter.com/rQKuNVhWW0
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 18, 2021
Penn State RB John Lovett is warming up wearing No. 10, his new number.
— Jon Sauber (@JonSauber) September 18, 2021
The countdown to kick off is on here at Beaver Stadium pic.twitter.com/1aBUr436q8
— Abby Drey (@ADreyPhotos) September 18, 2021
This story was originally published September 18, 2021 at 7:10 PM.