Highs & Lows: PSU crushes Spartans to conclude Big Ten slate

By Nate Bauer

Penn State overcame a halting start to crush Michigan State in Detroit on Friday night, earning a 42-0 win to improve to 10-2. Here are the highs and lows from the game:

PLAYER OF THE GAME For the first time this season against Big Ten competition, multiple Penn State players on both sides of the ball could make a claim for this spot. Given the nature of the season, though, this one is going to Drew Allar. Finishing the night completing 17 of 26 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns, while avoiding throwing an interception, Allar guided Penn State to the comfortable win.

PLAY OF THE GAME In a game highlighted by Penn State’s offense taking real strides, the reality of the performance was one in which the Nittany Lions dominated defensively yet again. With that in mind, KJ Winston’s interception to keep Michigan State out of the end zone in the first quarter changed the complexion of the game and, importantly, Penn State’s shutout.

Offensive superlatives

BEST PASS Penn State’s deep passing game wasn’t so much of an issue this season as it was simply nonexistent. Against Michigan State, Drew Allar upended that narrative with a beautifully thrown 60-yard pass to a streaking, untouched Omari Evans between the hashes. Though Evans hit the turf at the half yard line, needing a Beau Pribula carry to eventually get in, it was a picture perfect pass from Allar.

WORST PASS Whether the miscommunication was Katin Houser’s or one of his receivers, the result was equally damaging to Michigan State in the first quarter on Friday night. Serving up a bullet down the field on third-and-8 in the fringe scoring zone, Houser’s pass into the middle of the field landed in the arms or Jaylen Reed for a clutch interception.

BEST RUN Penn State had been waiting all season. Lined up in the pistol behind Allar, one cut freed Kaytron Allen for a 50-yard carry along the Nittany Lions’ sideline In the 12th game of the regular season, it was the Nittany Lions’ first carry exceeding 40 yards. Allen followed it up with a bruising 40-yard carry to help round out his night in the fourth quarter. 

BEST CATCH Reed’s interception showed excellent ball skills, turning over the Spartans and returning possession to his Nittany Lions midway through the first quarter. 

WORST DROP Tyler Warren has had a mixed bag of a season, and Friday night’s performance was another iteration of that reality. At one point, he couldn’t bring in a well-placed ball from Allar. Not long after, he made a more difficult catch on a pass from Beau Pribula to get into the end zone.

Penn State defensive highlights

BEST SACK Curtis Jacobs wasn’t the first to get to Katin Houser, but he was the first Nittany Lion to bring down the Michigan State quarterback on Friday night. Locked in an extended block along the Spartans’ offensive line, the Penn State linebacker snagged the signal-caller to cement a 10-yard loss and a forced fourth down punt early in the second quarter.

BEST HIT Following Michigan State’s first first down of the evening, Penn State’s defensive line came back with some fury. Converging on Nate Carter in the backfield, Adisa Isaac and Zane Durant unloaded for a  stop three yards in the backfield.

BEST EFFORT Penn State’s defense has delivered excellence throughout the 2023 season, and Friday night was no different. Led by Chop Robinson’s performance, the Nittany Lions were suffocating and disruptive, repeatedly keeping the Spartans out of the end zone or, in most cases, even threatening it.

Wrapping up

BEST KICK The delivery wasn’t necessarily picture-perfect, but the result for Alex Felkins was on his first field goal attempt of the night. Boomeranging one from 49 yards, Felkins helped give his Nittany Lions a 3-0 advantage to open the game.

BEST RETURN Daequan Hardy was flirting with a broken return for the first three quarters. To begin the fourth, that flirtation was finally manifested. Receiving Ryan Eckley’s punt on the second play of the fourth quarter, Hardy ripped off a 34-yard return deep into Michigan State territory. Needing only four plays from there to get into the end zone, it helped break open a 35-0 lead for the Nittany Lions.

BEST DECISION The injection of Beau Pribula, even if on a limited basis, proved effective on Friday night. Even with Drew Allar getting the vast majority of the snaps at quarterback, Penn State’s decision to pick spots for Pribula helped force a Michigan State timeout and, ultimately, led to a passing touchdown to Tyler Warren to take a 21-0 lead early in the second half. 

WORST DECISION Officials don’t have to be perfect, thanks to instant replay, but the flubbed on-field call of a fumble on a punt return by Daequan Hardy shouldn’t have required a slow-motion review. The decision was quickly overturned, and Penn State gained excellent field position on its first possession of the second half.