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Final score: No. 4 Penn State 33 Pitt 14
Quick recap
Scoring 33 points, you might think Penn State’s offense was the story in a 19-point win over Pitt. But it was the defense that truly deserved the credit as the Nittany Lions got revenge on Saturday afternoon.
It started early with Grant Haley’s interception on the opening drive and never relented.
Penn State’s defense forced three turnovers and held Pitt’s offense to 351 total yards. The Nittany Lions consistently won the field position battle, making drives much easier Saquon Barkley, Trace McSorley and Co.
The Lions’ offense had its moments, but it wasn’t the best outing against a questionable Pitt team. Still, it was good to see Penn State could rely on its defense to secure a victory.
Key play: Saquon Barkley’s 46-yard reception goes for a touchdown
Leading 14-3 in the third quarter, Barkley slipped past the defense and became an easy, open target for McSorley. 46 yards later, Barkley was in the end zone and Penn State was enjoyed a 21-3 lead.
Pitt’s offense didn’t have the firepower to overcome that deficit. It was the game-winning touchdown early in the third quarter.
Stat of the game: One penalty, 15 yards
It might be a boring stat but it’s critically important, especially in this type of game.
Penn State had just five penalties against Akron a week ago, but having just one against your in-state rival is even more impressive. James Franklin talks constantly about “controlling what you can control.” Playing a clean game is certainly within his team’s control.
Playing a disciplined game isn’t always easy in this kind of atmosphere but it paid off for the Nittany Lions.
What it means
This is a really dangerous Penn State team.
Even though the offense wasn’t clicking as well as it has in the past, the Nittany Lions still escaped with a convincing win thanks to its defense. It’s further proof that last week’s shutout win over Akron wasn’t a fluke for this unit.
All-around, this was a solid win against an in-state rival. These games aren’t always easy, especially when Pitt had nothing to lose.
Pitt isn’t the best opponent this Penn State team will face this year, but it’s still a tremendous win for the reigning B1G champs.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB