RECOVERY MISSION
WIMBUSH, IRISH RALLY PAST NAVY TO KEEP SLIM PLAYOFF HOPES ALIVE
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Still a junior, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley wasn’t included in the senior festivities Saturday, even though it might have been his last game in Happy Valley, too.
If Penn State’s wild 56- 44 victory against Nebraska was indeed it for Barkley, the Heisman Trophy candidate put on a memorable performance.
Barkley broke the career touchdown record at the school by scoring three times and amassed 208 of his 224 total yards in the first half to lead the No. 10 Nittany Lions ( 9- 2, 6- 2) to their 18th victory in their last 21 games. Barkley passed Lydell Mitchell for the record with his 39th touchdown.
Trace McSorley threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another for Penn State. Mike Gesicki caught two touchdown passes and became the Nittany Lions’ career touchdown leader by a tight end with 13 in the highest- scoring game in Beaver Stadium history.
Backup quarterback Tommy Stevens added a touchdown pass to tight end Nick Bowers to help Penn State finish unbeaten at Beaver Stadium for the second consecutive season. The Nittany Lions’ 609 yards of offense were their most since they put up 661 against Rutgers in 1995.
‘‘ The first half was probably the best half of football we’ve played,’’ McSorley said.
Cornhuskers quarterback Tanner Lee returned from concussion protocol to pass for 399 yards and three touchdowns. Stanley Morgan Jr. caught seven passes for 185 yards and a touchdown for Nebraska ( 4- 7, 3- 5), which outscored Penn State 34- 14 in the second half after trailing 42- 10 at halftime.
‘‘ We just got off to a horrible start in the game, and Penn State was real good,’’ Cornhuskers coach Mike Riley said. ‘‘[ Barkley] made a big [ 65- yard touchdown] run [ in the first minute] that set us off in a bad way. It got out of hand like that right off the bat.’’
The loss means Nebraska will miss out on a bowl game for the first time since the 2007 season.