Penn State Sacks Boilermakers, 35-7
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State moved the ball at will at the outset, opening a 4-touchdown lead early in period two, then turned to a stout defensive effort that resulted in 10 sacks and a 35-7 Nittany Lion victory over Purdue in Big Ten homecoming football action Saturday in Beaver Stadium.
In the game’s first 16 minutes, Penn State (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) built a 28-0 lead as quarterback Sean Clifford was responsible for four touchdowns, rushing for one and throwing three, while the defense held Purdue (1-4, 0-2 Big Ten) to -19 yards rushing for the game.
Clifford completed 11-of-14 pass attempts for 205 yards three touchdowns and an interception in the first half and finished 20-for-29 with 264 passing yards. Noah Cain paced the Nittany Lions’ run game with 105 rushing yards on 12 carries and a touchdown.
Penn State sacked Purdue quarterback Jack Plummer 10 times, led by Shaka Toney with three and Yetur Gross-Matos adding two more. Plummer was limited to 13-of-27 passing for 119 yards. Lamont Wade finished with 11 total tackles, including four solo stops, one sack and one pass breakup.
A Toney sack secured a Purdue three-and-out to start the game, and the Nittany Lion offense responded with a six-play, 56-yard touchdown drive that concluded a 23-yard touchdown reception by Hamler on a fade to the left corner of the end zone.
Toney forced another three-and-out with a third-down sack, and Hamler returned the punt 26 yards to the Purdue 33 to set up another Penn State touchdown drive. Clifford ultimately rushed into the end zone from the 3-yard line on third-and-2 with 7:04 remaining in the first quarter.
Penn State forced its third-straight three-and-out and then needed just two plays to score, as Dotson scored on a 72-yard reception, catching the pass at midfield and weaving through the Boiler defense with the help of some downfield blocking.
The Nittany Lions’ next offensive drive was punctuated by a 48-yard reception by tight end Nick Bowers to the Purdue 9. After switching ends after the first quarter, Clifford connected with Pat Freiermuth on a 7-yard touchdown reception.
Penn State’s touchdown streak was halted by an interception by Simeon Smiley with 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter, which was returned 15 yards to the Purdue 38. It setup a touchdown drive as quarterback Jack Plummer connected with Amad Anderson for a 15-yard touchdown catch. The drive featured Plummer’s first three completions of the game after starting 0-for-7.
The third quarter was scoreless as was the fourth quarter until Cain’s rushing touchdown up the middle from two yards out with 5:41 remaining. 82 of Cain’s 105 yards on the ground came in the fourth quarter alone.
Penn State’s defense allowed just 55 total yards and held Purdue to 0-of-6 on third down in the second half.
Penn State visits Kinnick Stadium for a primetime matchup at Iowa next Saturday. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. ET with the television designation to be determined. Iowa (4-1) lost its first game on Saturday, Michigan (4-1) winning a defensive struggle by a 10-3 score.
