Watch Penn State head coach James Franklin's postgame press conference following win over Wisconsin
Penn State remains undefeated following Saturday night’s 28-13 win over Wisconsin. While it was far from a perfect performance, the Nittany Lions once again repeated what they’ve done all season long, outscoring the Badgers 21-3 in the second half.
However, this time, fans had reason to be concerned. Just before halftime, quarterback Drew Allar suffered a lower-body injury that saw him head toward the locker room before the end of the half. He came out and tried to throw during warm ups but was unable to go, giving way to backup Beau Pribula.
Pribula started a bit shaky, going 2 for 4 on his first drive that ultimately led to a punt. However, he never looked back from there, completing all nine of his final pass attempts while also leading two scoring drives in the fourth quarter.
Key Takeaways: Penn State overcomes injuries, get big performance from Beau Pribula
“Here’s Beau Pribula, in a quarterback battle, waiting for his number to be called and when his number’s called, he’s able to capitalize and take advantage of it,” said Penn State head coach James Franklin following the game. “I did think the offensive coaches did a really good job of changing how we had to call the game. Once he went in, we had to play to his strengths.”
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Highs & Lows: PSU rises up and buries Badgers to stay perfect
But before Pribula and the offense were able to manage a score, it was Penn State’s defense that swung the game. Following a three-and-out on Wisconsin’s first possession in the third quarter, safety Jaylen Reed intercepted quarterback Braedyn Locke deep in Badger territory, taking it back for a pick-six to give the Nittany Lions a 14-10 lead. A 33-yard reception by Wisconsin’s CJ Williams set them up for a field goal late in the third quarter, but that was the last time the Badgers would find a way to score.
Statistically, the Nittany Lions ended up outgaining Wisconsin 419 yards to 298. They more than doubled what the Badgers were able to do in the run game, totaling 173 yards to just 81. That was especially true in the second half, with Penn State outrushing Wisconsin 127 to 10.
“Just a gutsy win,” Franklin said. “You lose your starting quarterback, you lose your starting D-End, you lose your starting offensive tackle. Next man up, no excuses. I just thought that was a gutsy culture win, from my perspective.”
