Penn State knew it faced a challenge Saturday in Minnesota, but the Nittany Lions ultimately earned a hard-fought 26-25 victory over the Golden Gophers. While Penn State was able to force two key turnovers, the Gophers also blocked a punt and an extra point. Additionally, they forced the Lions to go just 1 of 11 on third-down conversions.

But when it mattered most, Penn State held the Gophers to just two field goals while also scoring the only touchdown in the second half. That, combined with a 12-play drive with three fourth down conversions, was the difference in the end.

“A tough loss to take, but you have to give Penn State a lot of credit,” the Minnesota head coach said PJ Vlek after the game. “They are a very good football team. It is not without reason that they are among the top four in the country. They have players everywhere. I thought we had a really good game plan. I thought we executed very well on the offense, defense and special teams side.”

Highs and lows: Penn State pulls out all the stops and tops Minnesota

He added, “Penn State found a way to play one more game than we did. It was a great football match. Sometimes you have to step out of the role of head coach to appreciate a game like that, because that’s a really good college football game with two really good teams.”

Fleck also went out of his way to compliment Penn State’s front seven on defense.

“That’s one of the best front sevens in all of college football,” he said. “There are a lot of first-rounders, second-rounders and third-rounders up there, and the same goes for the linebackers.”

‘They make you pay. If you make a mistake, they’ll get you. If you look at their angles they are really good, but when you have like seven up front it takes a lot of pressure off the back.”

The 12th-year head coach also added that the Nittany Lions are one of the best teams he has ever played with.

“That’s one of the best teams in the country,” Fleck said. “This is one of the five best teams I have ever played against as a football coach.”

What did the Penn State players say after the win?

– Penn State quarterback Drew Allar on the game-changing fourth down conversion.

“The main goal was to hopefully achieve it Nick (Singleton) in the flat because we were kind of anticipating them pushing in and possibly trying to stop some kind of inside zone run or a QB sneak. So we were going to try to surround them and then go down. Tyler (Warren) was the second time I read about it, but I saw that Nick was covered. I felt someone making a loop, so I thought, ‘Okay, get on and try to get the first one down.’ Then I saw Tyler waving his hands.”

– Drew Allar on his heated exchange with James Franklin on the sideline

‘Yes, I just have to do better to stay calmer and more balanced. I let my emotions flare a bit. Once I got to the couch I was fine and I took a few deep breaths. Coach Franklin just came by and reminded me of that. But it’s an area where I’m still learning about myself and trying to grow and picking my spots to do those kinds of things. I didn’t think this was a situation that necessarily called for that. So it’s just a learning opportunity for me, but I’m kind of glad it happened at the same time, so I know how to respond better if this situation happens again.”

– Nick Singleton on this team that is committed to winning road games against USC and Minnesota this season

“We don’t give up on people. We are the type of team that leans on each other and plays four quarters. It doesn’t matter whether we’re at the halfway point or rising at the halfway point. We’re going to play four quarters. But each half is 0-0. That’s our mentality and we just have to continue with it.