Solid defense helps Lions grind out win
Penn State’s defense collected itself after a one bad play to grind past Wisconsin 22-10 on Saturday at Beaver Stadium.
Here’s how the Lions improved to 7-3 and secured their 14th straight winning season.
How it happened
Penn State’s Miles Sanders promised a revived run game, which he delivered against the Badgers. Sanders ran for 159 yards for the day, and topped 1,000 for the season, going toe-to-toe with Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor.
Taylor (185 yards) was the only bright spot of Wisconsin’s offense, gashing the Lions’ run-cheating defense on a well-blocked play for a 71-yard touchdown in the first quarter. But the Lions’ defense recalibrated, made several timely third-down stops and turned Wisconsin’s offense inert.
Penn State improved on third down, both offensively and defensively, something coach James Franklin called a game key. The Lions’ offense converted 40 percent of its third downs (5 percent above its average), and held Wisconsin to a 26.7-percent conversion rate.
Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley got off to a good start, completing 15 of his first 20 passes (several on receiver screens) for 136 yards and a touchdown before leaving after a second-quarter sack. McSorley took a hit to his ailing knee but returned in the second half to win his 29th career game, tying Todd Blackledge and Tony Sacca for the school record among starting quarterbacks.
After Wisconsin’s big running start, Penn State’s defense clamped down. The Badgers had minus-1 yards of offense at one point in the second quarter, which the Lions’ Amani Oruwariye punctuated with an interception.
The big play
Sanders gained 23 yards on a second-quarter 3rd-and-7, leading to Penn State’s second touchdown of the game. Sanders himself capped the drive with a 1-yard run, giving the Lions a 16-7 lead.
“He’s one of those guys who’s fast and elusive, but I don’t think he gets enough credit for how strong and how balanced he is and how much lower-leg drive he has,” McSorley said of Sanders.
Who came through
Defensive end Shareef Miller at one point had as many sacks as Wisconsin had completions. Miller finished with two sacks, one of which be beat a double-team to produce, and also recovered a fumble (which he ultimately fumbled back).
Kicker Jake Pinegar made three field goals, one of which tied his career-long of 49 yards. He also had one blocked, partly a result of his low kick trajectory.
Jahan Dotson (Nazareth) became the first true freshman to start at receiver for Penn State since Saeed Blacknall in 2014. Dotson did so at a the Z receiver position, which he learned to play this week. Dotson normally plays slot receiver with KJ Hamler.
Freshman linebacker Micah Parsons provided a defensive spark, leading the team with seven tackles. Parsons ultimately replaced starter Koa Farmer, who struggled in run support on Wisconsin’s opening drive of the first half.
What we learned
Though it didn’t get touchdowns out of the drives, Penn State put together two clock-eating series in the second half that resulted in field goals. The Lions had series of 12 and 13 plays that used more than 12 minutes of clock.
The Lions still manage to make things more difficult than they are. A fumble late in the fourth quarter, when a snap hit Sanders motioning in front of quarterback Tommy Stevens, gave Wisconsin a faint chance. Safety Nick Scott ended that with an interception in the fourth quarter.
Penn State swapped its offensive tackles, moving Ryan Bates to the right side and Will Fries to the left. Fries had a few tough moments in pass protection, notably on the play on which McSorley was hurt. But their run blocking, particularly on the right side, was solid.
105,396.
Penn State visits Rutgers on Sept. 17 at High Point Solutions Stadium.
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