Freshmen RBs power Penn State

NO. 22 PENN STATE 41, AUBURN 12

AUBURN, Ala. — Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen combined for 176 rushing yards and four touchdowns as No. 22 Penn State cruised to a 4112 win at Auburn on Saturday.

The Nittany Lions’ freshman running backs were instrumental in the red zone. Penn State (3-0) scored touchdowns on each of its first four trips inside the 20-yard line. Quarterback Sean Clifford passed for 178 yards.

“The ability to be more balanced and take pressure off the passing game has been really important for us,” said Penn State Coach James Franklin. “We also have some dynamic backs that can help create some explosive plays.”

The Penn State defense forced four turnovers by Auburn (2-1) and also held Tigers star running back Tank Bigsby to 39 rushing yards.

Auburn quarterback T.J. Finley had 152 passing yards, an interception and a lost fumble before being replaced in the second half by Robby Ashford.

Penn State led by one point late in the second quarter before Allen scored his first of two touchdowns. After Auburn opened the third quarter with a three-and-out, Singleton broke a 54-yard run and found the end zone two plays later.

The Nittany Lions scored 20 more points in the second half to pull away for the comfortable win in what was the first game against a Big Ten opponent for Auburn inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.

“We’re disappointed in the performance,” Auburn Coach Bryan Harsin said. “We’re disappointed in the loss. … You can look at the stats. It’s pretty matter-of-fact.”

The 29-point win tied Penn State’s second-largest margin of victory over an SEC team, matching the win over Auburn in the 1996 Outback Bowl. The Nittany Lions’ biggest victory over an SEC team came in 1978, a 30-point win over Kentucky.

“There haven’t been too many teams in the history of the Big Ten to come on the road and get a win in the SEC,” Franklin said. “So we’re very, very proud of that.”

Penn State finished with 245 rushing yards to Auburn’s 119. The Nittany Lions averaged 6.3 yards per carry, which is the most the Tigers have allowed since a 2020 loss to Texas A&M.

Franklin called Auburn’s four turnovers to Penn State’s zero “the story of the game.” Through three games this season, the Tigers have not had a single defensive takeaway and currently sit at minus-8 in turnover margin.

Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton runs for a touchdown against Auburn in the second half Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. Singleton rushed for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns on 10 carries to lead the 22nd-ranked Nittany Lions to a 41-12 win over the Tigers. (AP/Butch Dill)