HAMILTON SPARKS ROUT
Becomes Penn State’s all- time leading receiver during nine- catch day
Associated Press
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — DaeSean Hamilton caught nine passes for 122 yards and three touchdowns and became Penn State’s career receptions leader in the No. 4 Nittany Lions’ 45- 14 victory over Indiana on Saturday.
Hamilton teamed with quarterback Trace McSorley on the first two scoring passes and caught the third from running back Saquon Barkley. Hamilton hauled in his 180th career catch midway through the fourth quarter to break the record set by Deon Butler in 2008.
“He’s a great example for our younger players,” coach James Franklin said. “They’ve been playing football at Penn State for a long time. So whenever you can say you’re the all- time leader at Penn State that’s pretty special.”
Barkley returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown and finished with 221 yards to pad his Heisman Trophy resume. Penn State ( 5- 0, 2- 0 Big Ten) turned two first- quarter turnovers into touchdowns to spark the rout.
After the game, Hamilton walked into the media room with the recordsetting ball sticking out of his backpack. But he’s not ready to rest on his laurels.
“No, we want the bigger things,” Hamilton said. “We want the national championship.”
The Hoosiers ( 2- 2, 0- 2) turned the ball over on their second play of the game when Morgan Ellison coughed it up to linebacker Jason Cabinda after an 18- yard gain. McSorley capped an ensuing six- play, 39- yard drive with a one- yard touchdown run.
Indiana fumbled it away again when Irvin Charles ripped the ball out of punt returner J- Shun Harris’ hands. Scott scooped it up and returned it 13 yards to put Penn State up 21- 0 less than 10 minutes in.
On his team’s next possession, Barkley made a pretty one- handed catch well behind the line of scrimmage that he turned into a 36- yard gain. It set up McSorley’s eight- yard touchdown pass to Hamilton, who made a nice adjustment on the catch over a defender four plays later.