Barkley sets Penn State TD record in win over Nebraska
STATE COLLEGE » Still a junior, Penn State’s Saquon Barkley wasn’t included Saturday in the Senior Day festivities even though it might’ve been his final game in Happy Valley, too.
If Penn State’s 56-44 victory over Nebraska was indeed it for Barkley — who’ll be coveted by the NFL should he decide to forego his senior season — the Heisman Trophy candidate put on a memorable performance.
Barkley broke Penn State’s career touchdown record with three scores and had 208 of 224 total yards in the first half to lead the No. 13 Nittany Lions to their 18th win in 21 games. Barkley passed Lydell Mitchell for the record with his 39th touchdown.
Trace McSorley ran for a touchdown and threw for 325 yards on 24-of-36 passing with three touchdown passes for Penn State (9-2, 6-2 Big Ten). Mike Gesicki caught two scoring passes and became Penn State’s career TDs leader by a tight end with 13, and DeAndre Thompkins also had a TD catch in the highest-scoring game in Beaver Stadium history.
Backup quarterback Tommy Stevens added a TD pass to tight end Nick Bowers to help the Nittany Lions go unbeaten at Beaver Stadium for the second straight season. Penn State’s 609 yards of offense were the most by a Nittany Lion team since it put 661 on Rutgers in 1995.
“The first half was probably the best half of football we’ve played,” McSorley said.
Nebraska’s Tanner Lee returned from concussion protocol to complete 26 of 41 passes for 399 yards and three touchdowns.
Stanley Morgan Jr. caught seven passes for 185 yards and a touchdown for Nebraska (4-7, 3-5). De’Mornay Pierson-El and Jack Stoll added touchdown catches for the Cornhuskers, who 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,” Nebraska coach Mike Riley said. “(Barkley) made a big run early that set us off in a bad way. It got out of hand like that right off the bat.”
Devine Ozigbo and MIkale Wilbon ran for touchdowns and Drew Brown added a 23yard field goal for the Cornhuskers. They will miss out on a bowl game for the first time since the 2007 season.
It didn’t take Barkley long to snap out of a recent rushing funk. The Heisman Trophy candidate broke his streak of three games with 63 rushing yards or less when he galloped 65 yards down the sideline on his first carry.
Barkley gave Penn State the lead for good with a 1-yard plunge late in the first quarter to make it 14-10 and passed Mitchell on an 8-yard run up the middle in the second.