PSU levels Knights, 39-0; Walker injured
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 8 Penn State held Rutgers to 87 yards and five first downs as the Nittany Lions shutout the Scarlet Knights, 39-0, in Big Ten football action Saturday night in High Point Solutions Stadium. The win extended Penn State’s winning streak to seven.
The victory sets up next Saturday’s final regular season game at home against Michigan State (3-8), game time 3:30 p.m. A Penn State (9-2, 7-1 Big Ten) win and an Ohio State (10-1, 7-1) win over Michigan (10-1, 7-1) would give the Nittany Lions the Big Ten East title and a berth in the conference championship the following Saturday, Dec. 3 in Indianapolis. Should Michigan down Ohio State, the Wolverines would, on the strength of their regular season win over PSU, take the east title.
The win was marred by an injury to special teams specialist Von Walker. The senior captain from Mill Hall went down with a lower leg injury while on punt return coverage in the second quarter. He had to be assisted from the field and did not return. There was no initial word on the severity of the injury.
Saturday night was Penn State’s first shutout since blanking Illinois last season and is the largest road shutout victory since joining the Big Ten in 1993. The 87 yards and five first downs allowed are both Big Ten records for Penn State.
Penn State used the leg of Tyler Davis, a productive rushing attack and another strong game from quarterback Trace McSorley, as the Nittany Lions totaled 549 yards of offense against Rutgers (2-9, 0-8 Big Ten).
The 549 yards of offense are the sixth-most in a Big Ten game by Penn State. It was Penn State’s fourth game with 500 or more yards off offense this season for its most since 2009.
Davis kicked a career-high four field goals, including three in the first half to give Penn State a 9-0 lead at the halftime break. Running back Saquon Barkley totaled 92 yards and a touchdown to lead six rushers that totaled 339 yards. McSorley completed 17-of-33 pass attempts for 210 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for 55 yards on 11 carries for 265 yards of total offense.
The Nittany Lions were unable to find the end zone in the first half, but Barkley scored the Nittany Lions’ first touchdown of the of the game early in the third quarter after a blocked punt by Juwan Johnson. Davis added another field goal and Andre Robinsonrushed into the end zone from two yards out for a 25-0 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Running back Mark Allen scampered down the sideline for a 27-yard touchdown reception with 7:59 remaining, and quarterback Tommy Stevens scored from 12 yards out with 4:07 remaining for the game’s final score.
Penn State’s seven-game winning streak is its longest overall since 2011 and longest in the Big Ten since 1994.
Turning Point
Rutgers started with the ball in the second half, but the Penn State defense forced a three-and-out, and then Juwan Johnson blocked the ensuing punt. Garrett Taylor recovered it at the Rutgers 10-yard line, setting up the first Nittany Lion touchdown drive of the game. Penn State scored 30 points in the second half to put the game out of reach.
Difference Makers
Penn State
• QB Trace McSorley – Trace McSorley totaled 265 yards of total offense, completing 17-of-33 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown and also rushing for 55 yards, with a long of 28, on 11 carries. It was his eighth game with 200 or more passing yards of the season and 12th consecutive with a touchdown pass.
• RB Saquon Barkley – Barkley totaled 117 all-purpose yards, rushing 16 times for 92 yards and a touchdown and catching two passes for 25 yards. It was his 14th rushing touchdown of the season, giving him the Penn State sophomore record and the most for a Nittany Lion since Larry Johnson had 20 in 2002. However, Barkley had his streak of 14 consecutive games with at least one run of 20+ yards snapped. It was the second-longest streak in college football in the last 20 years (LaMichael James – 19), according to the Big Ten Network.
• K Tyler Davis – Davis scored 15 of Penn State’s 39 points, converting a career-high four field goal attempts and three extra points. Four of Penn State’s first five scores were field goals.
• Rushing Attack – Led by Barkley, Penn State totaled 339 yards rushing. In addition to Barkley and McSorley, Miles Sanderswas second on the ledger with a career-high 85 yards on five carries, including career-long run of 57 yards. Tommy Stevensrushed for 61 yards on six carries and a touchdown. Mark Allen added 26 yards on five carries and Andre Robinson rushed for 20 yards and a touchdown on six carries.
• TE Mike Gesicki – Gesicki led all receivers with five catches for 47 yards. It gave him a Penn State tight end record for receptions in a season with 42.
• LB Brandon Bell – Bell led the Nittany Lion defense with five tackles and a strip-sack. It was his sixth career forced fumble and second this season.
• Defense – Over 20 different ¬Nittany Lions recorded a tackle, as the Nittany Lions held Rutgers to five first downs and 87 yards of offense (48 pass, 39 rush)..
Up Next
Penn State will return home to Beaver Stadium to host Michigan State (3-8) in the regular season finale Saturday. The game will kick-off at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN.
