The Penn State Nittany Lions defeated the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in week 12 of the season. Penn State won the game 27-6. Due to a big game by the Penn State defense, the Nittany Lions improved to a 9-2 record. It was not the best game by the Nittany Lions, going into halftime with a close score, but the Penn State defense had a great game. Here is a look back at the game, and where the team goes from here.
Penn State Defense Shines
Aside from Rutgers’ first drive of the game, the Penn State defense was powerful, only allowing Rutgers to score six points. In the red zone especially the Nittany Lions shined. The first drive for Rutgers went for 14 plays, taking off nine minutes from the clock. Right when the defense came back on the field, they were sure to not let that happen again.
The defense forced three fumbles, recovering two of them, and had one interception, by Kevin Winston Jr. They also ended the game with three sacks, seven tackles for loss, and 61 combined tackles, according to ESPN. One player on the defense that should be highlighted is cornerback Johnny Dixon, who had his fourth sack of the year. He currently leads all of college football in sacks by a cornerback.
It is not just about stats though, it is about the pressure that the Penn State defense put on Rutgers. Quarterback Gavin Wimsatt had a couple of decent runs, but once the Penn State defense figured out when he’d run, they made sure that he could not get past the line of scrimmage. The defense also did well preventing running back Kyle Monangai from any big runs, his longest being for nine yards. They limited Rutgers to 99 rushing yards.
Manny Diaz continues to coach a strong defense, and with one more game in the regular season, it can be expected that the group continues to stand strong to close out the year.
Penn State CB Johnny Dixon (3) – Rich Schultz/Getty Images
Drew Allar Injured
At the start of the second half, with just over 13 minutes to go in the third quarter, quarterback Drew Allar ran for a gain of eight yards. On this play, Allar was tackled and that hit pulled Allar out of the game. It appears to be a right arm/shoulder injury, and Beau Pribula had to finish out the game. Allar’s injury will be something to monitor. Still, Pribula came into the game while Penn State was only up by four points, and helped extend the league.
Between the Penn State defense making big stops and the strong run game, the team as a whole was able to finish the game strong. Allar ended up completing six passes for 79 yards and rushed for 28 yards. Pribula only passed the ball one time for nine yards. Aside from that he rushed for 71 yards and one touchdown.
Penn State QBs Drew Allar (15) and Beau Pribula (9) – Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Offense Still Struggles, but Run Game Improves
The offense is definitely the overall weak link of the team, especially compared to the Penn State defense, but they do have a solid group of players. Runningback Kaytron Allen has been improving greatly as the season has progressed. Against Rutgers, Allen rushed the ball 16 times for 69 yards and two touchdowns. His longest run was for 21 yards, the kind of run that the team has been waiting for.
Nicholas Singleton also had a couple of strong runs against the Scarlet Knights. He ended up with 11 carries for 61 yards, his longest being for 20 yards. The offense as a whole ended up with 234 total rushing yards, a big reason the team won the game.
Penn State Nittany Lions RB Kaytron Allen (13) – Matthew OHaren/USA TODAY Sports
Where Does Penn State Go From Here?
Next up, for the final game of the 2023 College Football regular season, the Penn State Nittany Lions will face the Michigan State Spartans. Michigan State has just beaten the Indiana Hoosiers but still has just four wins this season. The game will be held the day after Thanksgiving at Ford Field. If the Penn State defense continues to play how they have been, they should be just fine.
