Penn State defense suffocates Rutgers in 55-10 win

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Gifted field position at Rutgers’ 30-yard line, midway through the second quarter, Penn State’s offense happily accepted the assist. Converting Gavin Wimsatt’s interception into a five-play touchdown series, the possession was the Nittany Lions’ most efficient of the afternoon.

It also put Penn State ahead, 21-10. 

Propelled by a dominant defensive performance highlighted by three takeaways, four sacks, and 15 tackles for a loss, the Nittany Lions continued their late-season streak of suffocating opponents, topping the Scarlett Knights, 55-10, at Rutgers Stadium. 

“We’re playing good, complementary football. We’re playing really good on defense. We’ve done it for multiple weeks,” head coach James Franklin told reporters afterward. “It didn’t feel like that early in the game because of the field position. Our defense was in tough spots from a field position perspective. But overall, we’re playing really well.”

Penn State’s dominating defensive effort

The sentiment was comprehensive for Penn State’s defense on Saturday.

Though Rutgers managed a field goal and touchdown on its second and third possession of the game, respectively, Penn State allowed just 33 and 21 yards gained in the short series. Rather, in the wake of linebacker Kobe King’s fumble recovery for a touchdown to close the first quarter, the Nittany Lions began and continued a streak of bullying.

Until Rutgers’ final possession of the game, at that point trailing by 45 points, the Nittany Lions allowed no possessions of more than six plays. Only once until that point did the Scarlet Knights exceed 26 yards in any of its possessions. And, most important, with the fumble recovery for a touchdown, the Johnny Dixon interception leading to Penn State’s first offensive score to Tyler Warren, and a dramatic sack-fumble-six for Curtis Jacobs and Ji’Ayir Brown, the Nittany Lions turned three turnovers into 21 points. 

Curtis Jacob’s return

Led by King’s six tackles on the stat page, the return of Jacobs from an unspecified injury that kept him out of the bulk of the game at Indiana two weeks ago, and completely out of Penn State’s win over Maryland last week, proved to be critical. His five tackles finished second and included a sack, two TFLs, a pass breakup, and a forced fumble in one of the most robust stat lines of the day. 

“It meant the world (to be back),” Jacobs said. “I obviously was trying to battle back as much as I could. I wanted to get back last week, but I couldn’t do it. But just being able to be out here with my brothers, that’s everything for me. So it was great. It was great getting back.”

Franklin concurred.

Pleased to welcome an integral piece of a Penn State linebacker group that has evolved from one of the program’s most uncertain pieces into one of stability, Franklin included Jacobs’ presence in that ascent.

“You talk about an experienced linebacker who has played a ton of football for us. He’s athletic, he’s a playmaker for us, and he’s playing with more and more confidence each week,” Franklin said. “So having a veteran guy like that factors in. Our situation now is where our depth at linebacker is pretty good. I don’t know if we would have said that at the beginning of the season.” 

Next steps for Abdul Carter

Another piece in that equation, the emergence of true freshman Abdul Carter continued in full against Rutgers. 

Finishing with four tackles, a sack, a quarterback hurry, and two TFLs, Carter built on a season cementing his debut as one of the most effective in the game. His 48 tackles in 11 games are second only to Brown, and with 7.5 TFL (2nd), 4.5 sacks (1st), and 5 quarterback hurries (2nd), Carter has fully emerged as a potent playmaker in the Nittany Lions’ linebacker unit.

With Franklin praising Carter for the unseen improvements made in his game, limiting missed assignments more and more each week, and Jacobs pointing to his outstanding athleticism, Saturday’s effort was another display of those talents. 

“I think it’s a great package for us down the stretch,” Jacobs said. “He’s obviously probably one of the most athletic linebackers in the country. He’s starting to get that football knowledge that I’m loving. I feel like us together, the sky’s the limit.”

For a Penn State defense asserting itself as one of the most stifling outfits in college football, Saturday’s performance again demonstrated as much.