No. 4 Penn State Football Downs Purdue, 49-10
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – No. 4 Penn State (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) dominated Purdue (1-9, 0-7 Big Ten) in Ross-Ade Stadium on Saturday, earning an overpowering 49-10 victory.
The Nittany Lions cruised to the win thanks to stellar performances on both sides of the ball. Offensively, Penn State racked up 539 yards of total offense as quarterbacks Drew Allar and Beau Pribula combined for four passing touchdowns and just five incompletions in the game. On defense, the Nittany Lions posted nine tackles for loss, including three sacks, in a swarming display.
Tyler Warren continued to prove his billing as the best tight end in college football with 127 yards and a touchdown on eight catches through the air while piling up 63 yards and a touchdown as Penn State’s leading rusher.
Allar completed 17 of 19 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns before turning things over to Pribula, who completed the game with a 5-for-8 effort for 58 yards and a touchdown. Warren was the top target yet again, going for 127 yards and a touchdown through the air on eight catches. Kaytron Allen, Luke Reynolds, and Harrison Wallace III each tallied touchdown receptions in the game, highlighting an impressive passing attack for the Nittany Lions.
On the ground, Warren’s 63 yards paced the group. The do-it-all tight end recorded a 48-yard rushing touchdown as one of his three carries in the game. Pribula added a 49-yard rushing score and was Penn State’s second-leading rusher with 56 yards on the ground against the Boilermakers. Nicholas Singleton toted the ball seven times for 40 yards and a touchdown as well.
Abdul Carter racked up five total tackles, including two tackles for loss, to lead Penn State’s defense in its effort against Purdue. Penn State wreaked havoc in the backfield all night, as the unit tallied nine tackles for loss, including sacks by Dani Dennis-Sutton, Coziah Izzard, and Amin Vanover. The Nittany Lions impacted both the rushing and passing games of Purdue, allowing the Boilermakers to complete just 48 percent of their passes while also limiting the group to 85 rushing yards.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Penn State scored on its first offensive possession, constructing a calculated nine-play, 75-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead on Purdue. A 2-yard toss from Allar to Allen gave the Nittany Lions the lead at the 10:08 mark of the opening quarter. Allar completed all five of his pass attempts for 63 yards and the score on the game’s first drive.
On Penn State’s second drive of the day, Warren recorded his 16th career touchdown reception, tying the Nittany Lion tight end record, with a 15-yard score. Penn State traveled 93 yards on 10 plays for its second score of the day, going up 14-0 with 2:31 to play in the first quarter.
Purdue got on the board with a 22-yard field goal on their first drive of the second quarter, cutting the Nittany Lion lead to 14-3 with 8:47 left on the clock in the first half.
The Nittany Lions’ third touchdown of the day was scored by Singleton from 10 yards out of the end zone. A 38-yard pass from Allar to Warren highlighted the six-play, 65-yard drive that put Penn State up 21-3, a lead the Nittany Lions would take into the halftime locker room.
Penn State amassed three third-quarter touchdowns, all of which came on plays over 40 yards. A 48-yard rushing touchdown by Warren, a 46-yard touchdown reception by Wallace III on a pass from Allar, and a 49-yard rushing score by Pribula contributed to Penn State’s 21-point third quarter. The Nittany Lions entered the final quarter of play up 42-3 on the Boilermakers.
The Boilermakers found the end zone for the first time in the fourth quarter. A 20-yard reception by Purdue’s tight end capped off a five-play, 70-yard scoring drive.
Penn State tacked on another score late in the fourth quarter on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Pribula to Reynolds. The Nittany Lions held their 49-10 lead through the end of the game.
The 2024 Penn State football season is presented by PSECU.
