The Penn State Nittany Lions have cruised to an opening week win over the West Virginia Mountaineers behind quarterback Drew Allar.
The Nittany Lions allowed just 12 points against the Mountaineers despite enduring a long delay of the game due to weather. Allar threw for three touchdowns and led the Nittany Lions offense against a relatively tough Mountaineers defense. Running back Nicholas Singleton was also a major contributor for Penn State on the ground as he again proved he is one of the best backs in college.
Penn State Nittany Lions Defeat West Virginia Mountaineers Behind Allar, Singleton
The Penn State football team has improved to 1-0 on the season behind a combination of their offense clicking and their defense dominating. The hometown West Virginia Mountaineers struggled to get much of anything finished on offense and halted many of their drives in field goal range. The Mountaineers recorded a touchdown on the ground but failed to convert the two-point try.
The Nittany Lions played the Mountaineers last season in Happy Valley and won the game 38-15, with a very similar game playing out on the field. This time around, quarterback Drew Allar completed 11-of-17 of his pass attempts for 216 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Allar also recorded 44 rushing yards on just six carries.
Running back Nicholas Singleton was the man of the hour for the Nittany Lions as he carried the ball 13 times for 114 yards. Singleton recorded a touchdown as well and had a long of 40 yards when he broke through the Mountaineers’ defense. The running back recorded a reception for 13 yards in addition to his contributions on the ground for the Nittany Lions.
On the defensive side of the football, Kevin Winston Jr recorded a team-high 12 tackles and flew around the field for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Jaylen Reed was also a big contributor for the defense, recording nine tackles, one for a loss, and two pass defenses as well. The defense also recorded an interception when Elliot Washington II picked off the backup West Virginia quarterback,
Penn State Football Team Looking Ahead to Bowling Green Game Next Week
With one win under their belt, the Penn State football team must shift their focus toward their upcoming game against the Bowling Green Falcons. Bowling Green won 41-17 against Fordham to open their season which included a 100-yard kickoff return to start the game. The Falcons scored all five of their touchdowns on the ground and ran the ball with plenty of ease against Fordham.
Bowling Green is a team that relies heavily on the use of both their run game and their passing game and maintains a balance. However, when one is hot, the offense will shift towards whatever play style is going to garner the most results. The Falcons found open running lanes against Fordham and attacked them as their star running back Terion Stewart recorded 161 yards and three touchdowns.
Stewart recorded just eight touchdowns last season and already has scored a good portion of his production from a season ago. The running back is a speedy, agile weapon for the Falcons and the Bowling Green staff has no issues with feeding Stewart. For the Penn State football team, stopping Stewart is going to be important as he can allow the offense to truly open up.
Another player for the Penn State football team to watch is going to be Falcons quarterback Connor Bazelak. Bazelak has been around, starting his career with Missouri before making a pit stop in Indiana for a season. The quarterback can air the ball out when given the chance to, but when pressure is near Bazelak, he tends to turn the ball over.
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