Penn State took a step backward against Indiana; Lions have critical issues on offense, and more of what they’re saying
Penn State is being talked about locally and nationally after it’s 33-24 win over Indiana on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. It was by no means a pretty performance. But it was a win for head coach James Franklin’s program after quarterback Drew Allar overcame an interception in the fourth quarter to throw a game-winning touchdown pass.
“It was awesome for Drew as well and delivering that ball in that situation and respond,” head coach James Franklin said. “He’s done a great job protecting the football all year long. That was his first interception. Hadn’t wanted to talk about it, but I think he broke the record, all-time NCAA record for completions without an interception.
“You know, now we can move on from that, but I’m proud of him. And that was a big play. He showed a lot of resilience.”
Here’s what is being said by reporters and analyst on Sunday.
Penn State played a troubling 58 minutes
That’s the take of Bob Flounders from PennLive, who saw troubling signs from the Nittany Lions despite winning.
“Penn State looked like an average team,” Flounders writes. “Good teams aren’t supposed to look anywhere near average after eight games. They’re not supposed to have their hands full with Indiana at home.
“Franklin’s Lions took a small step backward two weeks ago in Columbus. And while Allar’s 57-yard scoring toss to Lambert-Smith was noteworthy, the majority of Penn State’s play against a two-win team was not. This was a bigger step backward.”
Lions have critical issues on offense
That is a national opinion from CBS Sports’ college football writer Tom Fornelli. He says that Penn State still has problems on offense.
“A win is a win is a win, but they don’t erase the problems,” Fornelli writes. “Penn State was not near its best today. Had it played a team of a higher caliber than the Indiana Hoosiers, it’s probably sitting on a two-game losing streak. While it had its moments, the Penn State offense continued to struggle running the ball and finding explosive plays.
“The good news is things looked much smoother in the second half. The passing game was more miss than hit, but the Nittany Lions found a groove on the ground. They didn’t pop any long runs. But, they were able to put themselves in third-and-manageable situations routinely. It was enough for today. And, it could be enough next week at Maryland, but will it be enough against Michigan in two weeks? Probably not.”
Penn State makes big play in big moment
Max Ralph for Sports Illustrated focused on the big play Penn State made to win the game in the final minutes.
“Penn State’s KeAndre Lambert-Smith lined in the slot with 1:46 left in the fourth quarter of a tie game against Indiana, which pushed Penn State much harder than anyone expected,” Ralph writes. “He recognized man coverage from the Indiana defensive back, with no safety help over the top, and thought, “I’m ready to cook.” And he did.
“Quarterback Drew Allar uncorked the long ball, finding Lambert-Smith for a clutch 57-yard touchdown that proved to be the difference in the Lions’ 33-24 victory. After the game, Lambert-Smith said that he actually lost the ball in the lights for a split second before regaining it, making the catch and tiptoeing 10 yards down the sideline to complete the score. He added a somersault over the goal line for some flair. A changeup from the fake hamstring injury celebration he went with at the Rose Bowl.”
Lions do what some of its predecessors couldn’t
We close here with this take from BWI’s Nate Bauer. This Penn State team was able to avoid not turning one loss into two.
“In past seasons, Penn State has had exactly that problem under Franklin,” Bauer writes “Three times, the Nittany Lions have been ranked as a top 10 team, facing a top 10 opponent, and lost, returning to the field the next week and dropping a game to clear underdogs.
“That Penn State avoided the same fate this weekend, albeit a low bar to clear, an undeniable success given the alternative.”
