Aug 31, 2024; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive tackle Zane Durant (28) celebrates after a stop during the third quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports Much was made of the improved big-play capability of No. 8 Penn State on offense last week in its season-opening 34-12 win at West Virginia.
But coach James Franklin noted that the Nittany Lions, who host Bowling Green on Saturday in State College, Pa., weren’t too shabby on defense.
“No one is talking about our defense and our defense played really well,” he said Monday. “Better in points per possession, better in explosive plays. Better in total yards allowed, better in rushing yards allowed. Our defense played better, and they played better on the road.”
Penn State won’t have to worry about the road for a while, either. This game starts a stretch of four in a row at home. With a bye week tossed in next week, the Nittany Lions won’t have to travel again until an Oct. 12 trip to Southern California.
Their defense allowed only 246 total yards at West Virginia, including just 85 on the ground, and forced three turnovers. Teamed with an offense that rolled up 457 total yards and created four plays of at least 40 yards, it led to one of the more impressive wins of the opening week.
Quarterback Drew Allar was 11-of-17 passing for 216 yards and three touchdowns — all in the second quarter. Harrison Wallace caught five passes for 117 yards and two scores, including a 50-yarder on the first play of the second quarter and an 18-yarder with six seconds remaining in the first half for a 20-6 lead at intermission.
“We were very intentional on growing that and developing that,” Allar said of the increase in big plays. “It’s fun to be in a system like that, for sure. We really prepared well throughout the week as an offense.”
It wasn’t all passing, though. Penn State also got 114 rushing yards from Nick Singleton, including a 40-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter after a lightning delay of more than two hours.
Meanwhile, Bowling Green also cruised in its season opener on Aug. 29, drilling FCS opponent Fordham 41-17. Justin Pegues returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and Terion Stewart rushed for 161 yards and three scores, including a 73-yarder in the fourth quarter.
The Falcons also got 168 passing yards from Connor Bazelak, who added a rushing touchdown. Bazelak, who previously played at Missouri and Indiana, has thrown for 9,473 yards in his career and will be starting his 42nd career game on Saturday.
Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler said his team will be challenged to communicate in front of a big crowd at Beaver Stadium.
“We got to be on point,” Loeffler said. “We got to know exactly what to do because it’s hard to hear. It is a loud place; the student section will be rocking and rolling. There’s a lot of challenge to it. There’ll be an unbelievable amount of people when you’re just warming up.”
The Falcons have lost both previous matchups with the Nittany Lions, with the last meeting coming in 1998, when Penn State cruised to a 48-3 victory.
–Field Level Media
