Final Score: #13 Penn State 17 Pittsburgh 10

Brief Recap: Penn State and Pittsburgh both got off to slow starts and the ending of the game didn’t prove to be too kindly for the offenses either. At the end of the first half, the Nittany Lions attempted a school-record long 57-yard field goal and Jordan Stout made it to tie the game at 10 going into halftime. Penn State then scored a 13-yard TD from Noah Cain midway through the third quarter. That proved to be the game-winning and only TD in the second half.

Key Moment: The key moment in the game actually came on a decision from Pittsburgh. With 4:54 remaining in the game, the Panthers were faced with a 4th-and-goal situation on Penn State’s 1-yard-line (after starting with a 1st-and-goal from the 1-yard-line). Pittsburgh elected to go for the field goal when down 17-10. The attempt bounced off the left upright and missed, keeping the game at 17-10 with under five minutes to go.

Key Stat: Penn State held Pittsburgh to go 5-of-16 on third down attempts. Penn State’s defense forced many punts in this game, which showcased its dominance. Pittsburgh actually went 3-for-3 on fourth-down conversions, but that didn’t prove to be enough to pull the upset.

Key Player: Penn State’s rushing attack. No individual player deserved incredible honors, but the Nittany Lions rushed for 167 yards on 32 carries and scored twice. The two TDs were all Penn State needed in this game, but it may have been Journey Brown’s 85-yard run in the first quarter that may have helped do enough to win from a scoring standpoint.
What it Means: Penn State is now 3-0 concluding non-conference play. The win itself marked a victory over an in-state rival in what was the 100th meeting between these teams. Penn State’s offense didn’t look great here, but you could see the potential and play-makers it does possess. We saw this against Idaho and Buffalo when the Nittany Lions scored 79 and 45 points, respectively. Penn State begins Big Ten play against Maryland on the road after a bye in Week 4.