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The debate about Penn State's 10-2 record continues: Instant Analysis

Headshot 5x7 reduced qualityby:Thomas Frank Carr•11/26/22•

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STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 26: Theo Johnson #84 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates after scoring his second touchdown of the game against the Michigan State Spartans during the first half at Beaver Stadium on November 26, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Penn State football poured it on late to defeat Michigan State 35-16 on senior day. The Nittany Lions ended the season 10-2 with the win and put themselves in a position to play in a New Year’s six bowl game. So what happened during the game, and what are the major takeaways? Get instant analysis on the game from Blue White Illustrated’s on-site contingency of Sean Fitz, Nate Bauer, and Greg Pickel. Subscribe to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube, so you don’t miss any of our postgame content.

So how good is Penn State?

First, Pickel and Fitz discuss the oddity of how the game played out. The final score didn’t indicate how things went between Penn State and Michigan State. Then, the conversation expands beyond Michigan State to encompass the season’s last month, where Penn State played sub-par teams down the stretch. Fitz and Pickel discuss what you can take from the game before turning to Bauer.

However, Bauer disagrees with that thought. Instead, he points to a problem that Penn State has had in previous years that they avoided this season. The conversation about how good the team’s 10-2 record dominates the landscape this season is no different after this game.

The group discusses the team’s outstanding performances, including KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who had a bounce-back performance, and Kalen King, who had one of his best outings of the season with multiple pass breakups and an interception that sealed the game.

STATE COLLEGE — No. 11 Penn State is 10-2 after defeating Michigan State 35-16 on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. The Lions had a big lead, but then its advantage shrunk to only a one-score margin. But, ultimately, head coach James Franklin’s team was never in danger of being upset by the Spartans, who were a massive underdog before kickoff at Beaver Stadium.

Here are our initial takeaways.

It was an up and down day for the Penn State offense

This is an obvious place to start. Yes, we’re aware that the Lions put up 35 points. But this is not a stellar Michigan State defense. And, yet, it bottled up the Penn State rushing attack for most of the game and the Lions could not pass consistently enough to beat that tactic. The third quarter was especially brutal. The Lions had a mere 47 yards and finished with a loss of four on the ground in the third frame.

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