The Nittany Lions went to Camp Randall with one goal in mind: beat Wisconsin, go 1-0 and prepare for the next opponent. The Wisconsin team that Penn State faced was on a three-game winning streak in which they defeated every team by at least 20 points. Wisconsin was on a roll, and on the other hand, Penn State needed a huge comeback in the last game and was disappointed in the game before that.

Then things started playing out like stories from years ago. Things didn’t go Penn State’s way, Wisconsin, despite ineffective play, was still in a position to win the game, at least in the first half.

It all started when the Badgers, in what would have been a three-and-out, dodged a blocked punt and ran it for a first down. Wisconsin would eventually end the drive with a field goal, taking a quick 3-0 lead in the first quarter. Penn State, on the other hand, moved the ball with ease, and as they were about to enter the red zone, the ghosts of seasons past began to take hold. First, a beautiful pass from Drew Allar was dropped on a 3rd and 1 play, a play that could have set up a touchdown. Then the sneak to get the first was fumbled, and Wisconsin took over the downs.

Penn State continued to move the ball with ease in the second quarter, taking their first lead on a nine-play, 90-yard drive that ended with a one-handed grab by Nicholas Singleton for a touchdown. The Lions and Badgers traded points on a few possessions in the second quarter until Wisconsin finally got a good drive going. At their own 27, Wisconsin took the ball 73 yards, aided by an unfortunate 12-man on-field penalty on a third-and-goal play that would otherwise have forced another field goal. Instead, Wisconsin found itself up three points in the closing minutes of the second quarter.

Then disaster struck. Both Dani Dennis-Sutton and Drew Allar were injured within a few rides. Both tried to come back in the second half, but could not stay on the field. Add Anthony Donkoh to the mix and suddenly the Lions were in a tough spot. Flashbacks of 2021 Iowa were immediately palpable in the third quarter, as the offense gained 39 yards in two drives to start the second half with Beau Pribula at the helm. Luckily for the Lions, the defense stepped up and didn’t allow anything from the Badgers. In Wisconsin’s first two drives of the second half, the Badgers gained 0 yards, the first drive, a three-and-out, gained four yards, and the second, one that would end in a Jaylen Reed pick-six, yielded a negative four on. meters.

That pick-six breathed new life into the offense. Pribula settled into the game and started carving up the Badgers in a way we hadn’t been exposed to yet. 13 plays and 81 yards later, the Lions now had an eight-point lead, following a Wisconsin field goal to get within one. One Wisconsin punt later, the Lions used eight and a half minutes to travel 76 yards and put the finishing touches on a disaster-avoiding game, one that showed this team is different.

Not only is the team different, but after ten seasons you finally see how depth, good depth, can keep things from going off the rails. Allow me to sound like a broken record for a moment. A few weeks ago I mentioned that it took Franklin many years to build the kind of depth that good teams need to survive. Penn State has blown many a game like this because they didn’t have the players to survive an injury. Whether it was the 2017 Ohio State game, the 2016 Michigan debacle, the aforementioned 2021 Iowa disaster, or a host of other close misses along the way, it took time to build a roster that could handle this kind of could withstand setbacks.

Now they are here. Credit Pribula for coming in and performing at standard levels. But also give credit to Smith Vilbert and Nolan Rucci, who took over for the injured Dennis-Sutton and Donkoh respectively and performed admirably in relief duty. It’s never ideal when the Lions lose core players, they’re starters for a reason. But gone are the days when an injury in a key position spells disaster for the rest of the season. After all, we’re five games into the Nittany Lions playing without one of their best defensemen, Kevin Winston Jr., and the defense hasn’t missed a beat.

Statistics and storylines

80% – Both quarterbacks combined to go 25-of-31 for 246 yards in this game, Allar 14-of-18 and Pribula 11-of-13. Efficiency was the name of the game on Saturday.

173 – Rushing yards on the night, headlined by Kaytron Allen’s 86 yards. It may not have looked like it at times, but the ground game is finding its basis again.

7 – The number of receivers who caught at least one ball on Saturday. Tyler Warren led in receptions, but Harrison Wallace III led in yards. As opposing defenses continue to focus on stopping Warren’s progress, it will be crucial that the receivers continually step up.

Looking ahead – Ohio State also faces their own injury concerns as they enter next Saturday’s game. They had already lost their starting left tackle for the year, and their backup came down against Nebraska. It will be interesting to see if he is ready to go for this match.

Highlights