Penn State grab but sliver of playoff hope

THE Big Ten championship game featured, according to most rankings, neither of the two best teams in the Big Ten, and the result was flashes of brilliance amid sloppy play as Penn State defeated Wisconsin 38-31 on Saturday night.

It was an impressive achievement that will, nonetheless, most likely leave the Nittany Lions short of the College Football Playoff.

No8 Penn State (11-2) overwhelmed Wisconsin’s defence, which entered the game holding opponents to 13.7 points per game, with a pass attack spearheaded by quarterback Trace McSorley and receiver Saeed Blacknall, both juniors.

McSorley finished 22 of 31 for 384 passing yards and four touchdowns, while Blacknall caught six of those passes for 155 yards and scored two touchdowns.

No6 Wisconsin (10-3) ra n t he ba l l wel l, as is its t radition, with the hydra-headed rushing attack of Corey Clement, Bradrick Shaw and Dare Ogunbowale.

But as the game wore on and Wisconsin’s stellar front seven found it more difficult to pressure McSorley, Wisconsin’s weaker defensive secondary was exposed.

For Penn State and its fans, it was a triumphant Saturday night – and a hope against hope for a berth in the playoff.

Because of conference standings, the Badgers, sixth in the playoff rankings, and the Nittany Lions, seventh in the playoff rankings, played for the conference title even though two conference rivals – Ohio State and Michigan – were ranked above them.

With No4 Washington manhandling No9 Colorado in the Pacific-12 title game on Friday night 41-10; No1 Alabama rolling over No15 Florida 54-16, for the Southeastern Conference title on Saturday afternoon ; a nd No3 C lemson handling No19 Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game 42-35, on Saturday night, there was expected to be room for only one Big Ten team in the final four-team playoff bracket.

That team will very likely be Ohio State (11-1), which has just one loss – at Penn State, 24-21, in October – and wins over No7 Oklahoma, No5 Michigan and Wisconsin.

Wisconsin seemed in control early, steadily moving the ball in a first drive that con- sumed eight minutes and resulted in a touchdown.

Wisconsin’s second drive was shorter, the score coming on the second play as Clement ran by Penn State’s secondary for a 67-yard touchdown.

In the second quarter, Wisconsin linebacker Ryan Connelly recovered a bad snap and ran it in 12 yards to give the Badgers a 21-7 lead.

Penn State, rushing to the line and conveying offensive plays via hand signals, wanted the game to be fast and did well when it turned the tempo its way.

With 58 seconds left in the first half, the Lions scored on a 40-yard pass to Blacknall after a defensive misplay.

The third quarter brought an even worse error from Wisconsin’s secondary. With Penn State at its 30, McSorley backed up and heaved the ball nearly 60 yards to Blacknall, who broke free of cornerback Natrell Jamerson, while safety D’Cota Dixon, coming from the opposite direction, overran Blacknall, allowing him to run 20 yards into the end zone.

Pen n St ate wa s a mid a st rea k of fou r consecut ive drives culminating in touchdow ns. They made it 28-28 before Wisconsi n – which earlier had missed a 48-yard field goal attempt – drove into t he red zone and sett led for a 21-yard f ield goal.

That was followed by the fourth drive in Penn State’s streak, which ended with a touchdown pass to star running back Saquon Barkley that gave Penn State the lead, 35-31. Tyler Davis added a 24-yard field goal to wrap up the scoring.