OS ANGELES – High above the sun-drenched garden of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the place a 36-yard area purpose by kicker Ryan Barker had given No. 4 Penn State an time beyond regulation victory over USC, the Nittany Lions’ celebrations erupted. spilled into the hallway from the visitor coaches’ stand. Out got here offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and his placemat-sized enjoying card that contained extra magic and sleight of hand than an improved Trojan protection may deal with. Hugs between Kotelnicki and his fellow coaches reverberated all through the press field. “Let’s—— let’s go, darling!” somebody shouted. And the screams of pleasure tied to the 33-30 time beyond regulation victory wherein Penn State was up by double digits started to echo by way of the elevator shaft on their descent to the six-story court docket.
The scene that awaited them was one among catharsis blended with hope and risk for what this Penn State group, improved to 6-0 total and 3-0 within the Big Ten, may accomplish within the first 12 months of a College Football Playoff expanded for that appear supposed to qualify. Quarterback Drew Allar, who accomplished 30 of 43 passes for a career-high 391 yards and two touchdowns, waved his arms from waist peak to nicely above his sweat-soaked hair as he begged for the trustworthy Nittany Lion roaring within the decrease nook of the sector. the stadium. “Come on!” – shouted Allar. “Come on!” Fans stated their thanks by saluting tight finish Tyler Warren, who set a brand new faculty document with 17 receptions for 224 yards and a landing, with a line of high-fives alongside the entrance row of seats and a cheer that forked adoringly his identify. “Ty-ler War-ren! … Ty-ler War-ren!” they sang.
And close to midfield, the place defensive finish Amin Vanover careened towards the interlocking “SC” brand for an emphatic stomp after Barker’s game-winning kick, coach James Franklin redirected a flag-planting celebration try that started with the defensive deal with Hakeem Beamon and continued with cornerback Audavion Collins earlier than cooler heads prevailed. That’s how Franklin, who had almost misplaced his voice from screaming through the recreation, discovered himself holding a large “We Are” banner as he headed into the tunnel.
“We discovered a technique to get a troublesome win on the street,” Franklin stated. “This goes to make the bye week nice as a result of it would not have been nice with out this. I’m pleased with our guys and, once more, I admire the followers and the assist we have obtained, and we will have to have this bye week getting higher. there’s nonetheless plenty of issues we are able to enhance on. We’re 1-0 six video games in a row and that is 6-0. And I’ll take it and run to the airport.
“Have you guys ever seen the film Plane of the Soul? … This is what it is going to be like on the trip house.”
Franklin understood the undercurrent of a catch-and-grab recreation, his group trailing by 14 factors on two separate events within the first half, Penn State’s protection torn aside by USC’s trailing tandem of Woody Marks and Quinten Joyner, who mixed for 193 yards and one rating on 23 carries. The Nittany Lions misplaced the turnover battle, 3 to 1, as Allar, who entered the weekend having thrown simply three profession interceptions, together with only one INT this season, threw three on Saturday afternoon alone. Penn State additionally ended up on the fallacious aspect of the sector place battle and gave up 7.1 yards per play to an offense that didn’t exceed 17 factors in a disheartening street loss to Minnesota final week. These have been the microelements of a near-robbery wherein the guests by no means led within the second, third or fourth quarter.
But everybody related to Penn State was keenly conscious of the bigger context surrounding Saturday’s recreation, which was technically a matchup between the No. 4 group within the nation and an unranked opponent, however may simply have been a showdown between the highest 10 if that wasn’t the case. for a questionable officiating determination on a fourth-down sneak that sank the Trojans towards the Gophers. They knew Big Ten groups touring throughout two or extra time zones have been simply 1-8 to date this season, the convention’s first with a West Coast contingent. They knew Franklin had devoted a portion of his weekly information convention to railing towards the journey difficulties related to a shorter runway at State College Regional Airport, which prompted the Nittany Lions to drive 90 minutes to Harrisburg, In. Pennsylvania, earlier than flying to California. day sooner than regular. They knew that Penn State had received 21 of twenty-two video games towards groups not named Michigan and Ohio State over the previous two seasons, which meant that any loss to anybody apart from the Wolverines or Buckeyes would elevate extra questions on this system’s standing in a convention held not too long ago. added two extra historic powers in USC and Oregon. They knew {that a} favorable 2024 schedule gave this system the most effective probability of reaching the College Football Playoff in years, perhaps ever, so long as silly losses have been prevented. And now the Nittany Lions will doubtless be favored in each recreation for the remainder of the 12 months besides for his or her house date with Ohio State on Nov. 2.
“You’re going to have to seek out other ways all through the season to win,” Franklin stated. “Some of them can be blowouts – hopefully plenty of them are blowouts – however a few of them can be comebacks. Some of them can be house video games the place you discover followers they usually assist you. Some of them can be being on the street the place issues go towards you and you do not have a lot assist within the stadium. Maybe the climate, or no matter it’s, is necessary, I feel the phrase ‘resilient’ was in all probability the most effective phrase to outline our group immediately.”
There was resilience from Allar, who responded to a third-quarter interception by main back-to-back scoring drives measuring 72 yards and 75 yards that knotted the rating with 2:53 remaining, and a 14-yard connection for pressure tailback Nicholas Singleton over time. There was resilience from Warren, who absorbed one ferocious deal with after one other as he lined up at tight finish, operating again, broad receiver, quarterback and even middle for an excellent trick play wherein he snapped the ball after which he caught a 32-yard landing. There was resilience from the Penn State protection, which rose to the event time and time once more in important moments by permitting simply six factors on three turnovers, two of which gave USC the ball on the periphery of the crimson zone.
And there was resilience from Barker, a former walk-on, who has made all six of his area targets since Franklin switched kickers two weeks in the past, together with a 4-for-4 effort towards the Trojans. He buried the 36-yard time beyond regulation winner and was instantly engulfed by teammates as catharsis, hope and risk collided.
“We solved the issue,” Warren stated. “And I could not be happier with the way in which we performed and the way in which we responded after being down. It was only a improbable win.”
