Watch Penn State head coach James Franklin's postgame press conference
Penn State was back in action Thursday night, kicking off its season with a 35-31 win against Purdue. It was a game that had plenty of ups and downs, although the first half ended in the Nittany Lions’ favor.
Following a slow first quarter, Penn State scored three times in the first half, beginning with a 12-yard touchdown pass to transfer wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley. The Nittany Lions then scored back-to-back touchdowns in the final two minutes, first with a 2-yard sneak by Sean Clifford following an eight-play, 43-yard drive.
But the big break came with seconds left in the half. Following a turnover by redshirt freshman safety Zakee Wheatley, Clifford completed a 67-yard touchdown to redshirt junior tight end Brenton Strange. Sloppy tackling was a major reason for the score, but with Strange crossing the goalline with just two seconds left, it was a major swing in the favor of Penn State.
Takeaways: Opening win not pretty, but Penn State will take it
It looked like the Nittany Lions could make a statement Thursday night, but Purdue had different plans, scoring 14 unanswered points in the third quarter to take the lead back. Penn State’s first three drives to start the second half resulted in just 37 yards in 14 plays.
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But the Nittany Lions did show life to open the fourth, driving the ball 55 yards in just four plays. After taking the lead again though, Clifford made a massive mistake, throwing a pick-six. The interception went back 72 yards, giving Purdue the lead with 8:29 left in the game.
Following two failed drives, Penn State was able to pull out a drive that looked unlikely, as Clifford led an eight-play, 80-yard drive in just 85 seconds. Running back Keyvone Lee had the winning score. A sack by Johnny Dixon while Purdue tried to lead a quick drive proved to be massive in the end, and the Nittany Lions pulled out the win.
