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Rapid Reaction: Penn State zips past Akron in home opener
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Final score: No. 6 Penn State 52 Akron 0
Quick recap
With the exception of an interception thrown early in the first quarter by Trace McSorley, Penn State’s offense was clicking from start to finish. Penn State accounted for 569 yards, Saquon Barkley rushed for 172 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries and Mike Gesicki had a pair of touchdown catches.
The Nittany Lions were spreading the wealth offensively.
Defensively, Penn State looked like a completely different team. Akron struggled to move the football, dropped several passes and rarely won the battle at the line of scrimmage. Yes, the Lions dominated a middling MAC program, but it was still an impressive outing in the first week of the season.
Penn State had the look of a reigning B1G champion, and dominated in all three phases of the game.
Key play: DeAndre Thompkins 61-yard punt return for a touchdown
The first touchdown of Penn State’s season came in exciting fashion, and it wasn’t because of McSorley or Barkley. It was DeAndre Thompkins that provided the spark for the Nittany Lions.
Akron’s Nick Gasser booted the ball downfield 38 yards on fourth down but the Zips’ coverage unit was no match for the speedy receiver. Thompkins sliced and diced his way 61 yards for the touchdown with 8:13 remaining in the first quarter.
It was just the starting point to a lopsided contest at Beaver Stadium.
Stat of the game: Penn State’s defense holds Akron to 154 total yards
We knew what to expect out of Penn State’s offense. The numbers for Barkley might be a little higher than anticipated, but it’s not surprising that he obliterated Akron’s defense.
If there was a concern about this team, it came on the defensive side of the ball. But shutting out an opponent – yes, even Akron – is a pretty impressive feat. Holding the Zips to 159 total yards is no small feat, either.
Scoring on Penn State is going to be a lot more difficult than it was in 2016.
What it means
Penn State’s offense is as good as advertised. Barkley is bigger, stronger and faster (somehow) than he was a year ago. Trace McSorley was accurate and hit his receivers in stride most of the afternoon. It was about as crisp of a performance as you could expect for a Week 1 game.
But what was even more impressive was the Nittany Lions’ defense, which held Akron under 100 yards for most of the game. In fact, the Zips didn’t surpass the century mark in total yardage until early in the fourth quarter.
Though it was solid last season, Penn State’s defense looks like an improved unit. Throw in one of the country’s most high-powered offenses and this is a team that can do some serious damage.
Pitt should be worried about next week’s clash in Happy Valley.
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