Balanced attack fuels football to Penn State White Out win over Minnesota

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – The No. 16/16 Penn State football team (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) defeated Minnesota (4-3, 1-3 Big Ten), 45-17, Saturday night in front of a raucous Penn State White Out crowd of 109,813 fans.

Sean Clifford threw for 295 yards and four touchdowns, while Nicholas Singleton led the rushing attack with 79 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries, and Kaytron Allen notched 77 yards. Wide receiver Parker Washington recorded seven catches for 70 yards and a touchdown, and tight end Theo Johnson collected 75 yards and a touchdown on five catches.

The Nittany Lion defense stifled the Golden Gophers in the first half, forcing Minnesota to an 0-for-6 start on third downs and 2-for-13 overall on the game. The Gophers entered the game leading FBS in third down conversion percentage (66.2%). The Penn State White Out crowd made its mark on the game, as the Golden Gophers were called for five false start penalties before the break.

Curtis Jacobs recorded a career-high 14 tackles (7 solo), including two for a loss. Ji’Ayir Brown had an interception and seven tackles.

Both sides of the ball excelled after halftime, as Penn State outscored Minnesota, 28-7, in the last two quarters. The Nittany Lions racked up touchdowns on each of their first four drives of the half and finished the game with 479 yards.

The Penn State White Out crowd made itself known on Minnesota’s first possession, forcing the Golden Gophers to committ two false start penalties on the way to a three-and-out.

The Golden Gophers got on the board first with a field goal on a drive started by a 37-yard interception return to the Nittany Lions’ 14-yard line. Penn State’s defense, helped by another false start penalty, pushed Minnesota back 3 yards, forcing the 35-yard field goal.

Jake Pinegar knocked a 41-yard field goal through the uprights to tie the game up just over a minute into the second quarter.

A 22-yard catch and run by Singleton set up a 38-yard touchdown pass from Clifford to Tyler Warren with 9:05 left in the second quarter to give the Lions a 10-3 lead.

Penn State scored on its third consecutive drive, once again on a touchdown grab by a tight end. Johnson hauled in the 18-yard pass from Clifford to put the Nittany Lions up 17-3 with 4:01 to play in the first half. The score was keyed by a 30-yard catch by Mitchell Tinsley that put the Nittany Lions just outside the red zone.

Minnesota scored its first touchdown of the contest on a 3-yard run by Mohammed Ibrahim to cut the Penn State lead to 17-10 heading into halftime.

Washington hauled in a huge 35-yard touchdown ball with 11:59 left in the third quarter to cap a four-play 64-yard scoring drive to put the Nittany Lions up 24-10.

Penn State’s defense capitalized on the momentum and intercepted Minnesota on the ensuing drive. Brown picked off Athan Kaliakmanis at the Penn State 10 and returned the ball 35 yards to set the offense up with a short field. The Nittany Lions offense capitalized on the turnover and excellent field position, as scoring another touchdown via a 16-yard scamper by Singleton for a 31-10 lead.

Mitchell Tinsley became the fourth Nittany Lion to haul in a touchdown catch in the game with his 20-yard score late in the third quarter. The Gophers manufactured their second touchdown, a 4-yard Brevyn Spann-Ford catch, with 8:03 left.

After Penn State recovered an onside kick, Singleton picked up his second touchdown, a 30-yard rush, to put the Nittany Lions up 45-17