Watch James Franklin's complete postgame press conference following win over Northwestern
Penn State head coach James Franklin and his team improved to 5-0 Saturday, as the Nittany Lions pulled away in the second half to take down Northwestern, 41-13. While the score may look one-sided, the first half was anything but, as Penn State trailed the Wildcats late in the second quarter. A 13-yard run by Trey Potts tied it 10-10 going into the locker room, but it looked as if the Lions may be in for a dogfight in the second half.
Fortunately for Nittany Lion fans, quarterback Drew Allar and the offense flipped a switch at halftime, scoring 17 unanswered points in the third quarter and 31 total points in the second half.
Franklin said that overall, he was happy that Allar once again didn’t turn the ball over.
Highs & Lows: Penn State brushes off slow start, cruises past Northwestern
“He was 18 for 33 for the game, so our completion percentage has been higher,” Franklin said when asked about Allar’s first half compared to his second half. “I think there’s some things that we gotta do in terms of separating at the top of our routes or also being able to run past people. We took some shots and had a chance. I think we dropped one of them that would’ve been a huge play.
“But I think the most important thing that he’s doing, and that we’re doing, is protecting the football. I think that’s one of those things that, everybody gets excited about the turnovers that we cause, and it’s not as sexy to talk about ball security, but I’m really proud about how he’s handled that and managed that aspect of the game.”
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Statistically, Penn State more than doubled the Wildcats in yardage, totaling 353 and allowing just 175. Allar had some ups and downs but finished the game 18 of 33 for 189 yards and one touchdown. On the ground, Penn State totaled 134 yards rushing with Nick Singleton leading the way with 80 yards and a score. Kaytron Allen left the game with an apparent injury after rushing the ball just six times for 27 yards.
Meanwhile, Penn State’s defense continues to dominate, allowing just one touchdown drive the entire game. They also helf Northwestern to just 2.8 yards per play. The stat that really stood out was tackles for loss, with Penn State totaling 12, including nine in the first half. Sophomore defensive lineman Zane Durant led the team with three tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
Nittany Lion fans can watch Franklin’s complete postgame press conference above.
