Penn State strengthened its College Football Playoff resume by rallying from a 14-point deficit at the half to beat USC 33-30 in overtime in the Nittany Lions’ first Big Ten road game on the West Coast.
Penn State improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Big Ten.
The loss all but eliminates USC from the Playoff picture. The Trojans, who have lost two straight games and are 3-3 overall, began the day with a 16 percent chance to make the Playoff, according to The Athletic’s projections.
Here are some initial takeaways.
Penn State in great shape
It was more stressful than fans would’ve liked, but the win provided a boost to Penn State’s already strong Playoff hopes.
But as Franklin said this summer, just getting into the 12-team field isn’t the goal. A path to winning the conference and securing a first-round bye or hosting a Playoff game remains in play.
It wasn’t pretty in the first half, but much was learned about Penn State’s resolve in this game. And notably, the Lions are one of the few Big Ten teams that have played well in a road game two time zones away.
While Penn State put a less-than-stellar first half of football on film, it showed a lot of promise during a second half that was full of gut checks. A pivotal moment occurred early in the third quarter when tight end Tyler Warren snapped the ball and then hauled in a 32-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Drew Allar. That spectacular play trimmed USC’s lead to seven points and started to shift the game’s momentum. — Snyder
Double pass TD for @PennStateFball to start the second half! 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/54lph5ddUw
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 12, 2024
Warren dazzles on the national stage
Franklin said during the offseason that Warren was the most complete tight end in the country. The head coach has been not-so-subtly pounding the table for the senior who has emerged as Allar’s top target and also the player Andy Kotelnicki’s offense seemingly runs through. Warren single-handedly kept Penn State in this game, hauling in 17 receptions for 224 yards and the 32-yard touchdown that was the first of 14 points Penn State scored in that critical third quarter as it mounted a comeback bid.
At one point during the first half, nine of Allar’s 16 pass attempts were targeted for Warren. There likely is not another tight end in the country with Warren’s versatility. This season, his impressive resume includes a rushing touchdown, a touchdown pass and now a ridiculous TD catch on a double pass. — Snyder
USC fails to capitalize
The Trojans had some real chances to create some distance in this game but failed to take advantage of the opportunities.
True freshman linebacker Desman Stephens II made an impressive play on a second-quarter interception that he returned 42 yards to the Penn State 26. USC, ahead 14-3 at the time, picked up only 2 yards on the next three plays. Lincoln Riley dialed up a run on third-and-13 and USC settled for a field goal. There was a general lack of aggression on the drive. A 21-3 lead feels a lot different than 17-3.
The Trojans defense forced a punt on the subsequent possession, but the offense picked up just 7 yards with an opportunity to build on the lead.
Toward the end of the half, USC was marching for a potential touchdown, but a Woody Marks run down to the 10-yard line was negated by an illegal block on tight end Walker Lyons. USC again had to settle for a field goal.
Late in the third quarter, USC’s defense was on its heels and in desperate need of making a play. It got one when Kamari Ramsey deflected an Allar pass that was intercepted by linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, who was brought down at the Penn State 24.
Marks picked up 2 yards on one run and Miller Moss threw two incompletions. Another empty possession in a critical moment. USC settled for a field goal to take a 23-20 lead into the fourth.
Then, critically, the USC defense allowed Penn State to convert two fourth-down passes on the Lions’ game-tying drive in the fourth quarter.
And finally, there were some questionable clock management decisions from Riley late in regulation.
The Trojans left a lot of meat on the bone. And for a team that Riley consistently says is a play or two away, missed opportunities are starting to become its defining characteristic. — Morales
(Photo of Tyler Warren: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
