Greg Pickel & Nate Bauer recap 30-27 loss for Penn State
Following a 5-0 start for Penn State this season, expectations were incredibly high for fans. A top five showdown at Iowa looked like a game that would have serious implications on the College Football Playoff.
How quickly things changed.
Over the final seven games, Penn State went 2-5, finishing the season with a losing record in Big Ten play. That was capped off Saturday by a 30-27 loss at No. 12 Michigan State in East Lansing.
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Like so many losses for Penn State in 2021, this was a winnable game. The Nittany Lions took the lead in the third quarter following pick-six by Daequan Hardy. It should’ve been a four point lead, but ultimately stayed at just three following a Jordan Stout missed extra point. That came after a missed field goal by Stout at the end of the first half. Those four points proved to be crucial.
But this wasn’t just about a few missed kicks. As we saw throughout the season, Penn State’s offense struggled with consistency. The rushing game was a big part of that, as Penn State finished the game with just 61 yards rushing on 26 carries. That’s an average of 2.3 yards per carry.
QB Sean Clifford had a strong day statistically, especially considering the snow, completing 23 of 34 attempts for 313 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers were padded by 87 yards passing on the final drive, but overall, Clifford and the passing game had success against a very poor Michigan State secondary.
The surprise was really more so on the defensive end in this one, as a normally stout unit allowed 451 total yards against Michigan State. That included 183 yards rushing, the second-most Penn State has allowed all season.
Discuss the latest Penn State news with fans inside The Lions Den
For the final time this season, our lead writers, Greg Pickel and Nate Bauer, give their thoughts on what they saw Saturday in East Lansing. Nittany Lion fans can watch the complete video recap above.
Penn State – Michigan State Recap
Three defining moments from Penn State’s loss to Michigan State
Mel Tucker gives his thoughts on Penn State
Takeaways: Defense can’t do enough in win; familiar problems pop up
