Penn State defense too much for MSU, Kaytron Allen is finishing strong, and more of what they're saying about the Lions' win

Penn State is being praised for the first time in months following its 28-10 win over Michigan State on Saturday. It was the Lions’ first victory in two months and also the first triumph of the Terry Smith era in State College.

“It feels great to have a good game and help the team win,” Penn State defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton said. “But the biggest thing is to win. Everybody’s a lot more happier and feels better about themselves.”

Added Smith:

“This was an old-school Big Ten game. We dominated up front, and we threw the ball when necessary. And it was efficient. You know, the touchdown pass to Devonte [Ross] was huge. It was critical because it showed them that we can throw the ball down the field, and it backed them up just enough to allow us to run the ball.”

Here’s what is being said about the now 4-6 Nittany Lions.

Kaytron Allen has a big day

Kaytron Allen rushed for a career-high 181 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday. He and Nick Singleton are both now within striking distance of Evan Royster’s career rushing yards record.

“Penn State’s superb senior back ran for a career-high 181 yards, punishing Michigan State for 131 of them in the second half,” Mark Wogenrich writes for SI. “Allen bored through the Spartans on Penn State’s nothing-but-run touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, then punctuated the game with a 26-yard touchdown run against a Spartans defense with nothing left.

“At Iowa, Allen spoke openly about how difficult this season has been for him from a personal perspective. On the field, though, Allen hasn’t given in. He ran 25 times for two touchdowns at Michigan State, including a 26-yarder in a back-breaking second half.”

Read the full story here.

Penn State pass rush steps up

Bob Flounders of PennLive notes that the Penn State defense has upped its pressure game in the last two weeks. Indiana was able to withstand the blitzes. Michigan State was not.

“The Lions stayed aggressive against Michigan State and there would be no surviving Penn State’s nasty defensive approach on Saturday,” Flounders writes. “Michigan State is not in Indiana’s league, and the more the Lions hit Spartans young quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, the less effective he was in PSU’s 28-10 win at Spartan Stadium.

“The current version of the Lions’ ‘D’ looks like a unit capable of causing problems for any offense in the country. Dennis-Sutton’s play is a huge part of it. The more physical the mindset, the better No. 33 likes it.

“It’s unfortunate Penn State needed two-thirds of the season to figure out what worked best on that side of the ball.”

Read the full story here.

Final word

It goes this week to BWI’s Sean Fitz, who gives his defensive game ball to defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton.

“There was blood in the water after Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic was sacked eight times against Minnesota last weekend,” Fitz writes. “For the second week in a row, Jim Knowles sent waves of pressure from all over. The Spartans’ offensive line, which sprung Elijah Tau-Tolliver for a 57-yard touchdown on the Spartans’ first play, was battered over the course of the game. A lot of that came from Penn State senior defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton. The veteran pass rusher finished with two sacks and several pressures on the afternoon. He hit Milivojevic on a key fourth down in the first quarter that ended up fluttering incomplete. After going six weeks without a sack, Dennis-Sutton now has three in the last two weeks.”

Read the full story here.