Penn State-Villanova ending was a 'bad beat,' Lions 2025 start is 'not how it should be', and more of what they're saying

Penn State knocked out Villanova 52-6 on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. The Lions had moments of crisp, top-five worthy play and moments where they looked out of sorts against a non-conference foe, which has been a running theme over the last few weeks. No matter, nationally, head coach James Franklin’s team is being praised for taking care of business, even if the 50,000-foot view might paint a different picture than the one created after watching all 60 minutes.

“Overall, I’ve been pleased with how we’re playing,” Franklin said after the win. “Won the turnover battle. We won the explosive play battle. Won the third down battle. We won the sack battle. Won the field position battle. We won the penalty battle, and we won the middle eight. All those things are positives that we’ve got to build on.”

Here’s a look at what is being said around the Internet after the team’s third victory of the season.

The feeling after the non-conference slate is one of uncertainity

That’s the take from Frank Bodani of the York Daily Record. He gave the Lions’ latest win an overall C+ grade while focusing on the bouts of inconsistency that this team has dealt with despite winning three games by wide margins (albeit with no point spread covers.. more on that in a moment).

“It finished far better than it started, but the offense pulls this way down,” Bodani writes about PSU-Nova.

“That we’re still wondering how this unit, this team, overall, will show up in two weeks against top-five Oregon is not comforting. It’s not at all how it should be.”

Read the full story here.

Don’t blame the non-con schedule if Penn State falters against Oregon

Did the Penn State non-conference schedule featuring Nevada, FIU, and the Wildcats prepare the Lions for a White Out date with Oregon in two weeks? If not, don’t blame those opponents, Bob Flounders says for PennLive.

“The 2023 non-conference schedule for Michigan (East Carolina, UNLV, Bowling Green) and the 2024 non-conference schedule for Ohio State (Akron, Western Michigan, Marshall) didn’t seem to hurt the last two national champions,” he writes. “If the Lions’ large cast of returning players doesn’t deliver in the team’s biggest conference games, it’s on them and the coaching staff.”

“And if PSU stays relatively healthy and doesn’t make a deep playoff run, it will be because the most talented Lions — starting with Allar — did not play to their talent level.”

Read the full story here.

The ending was a bad beat

SI’s Mark Wogenrich was one of the many writers who focused on the game’s final play. Villanova quarterback Tanner Maddocks avoided pressure and kept the play alive with his feet before heaving a deep pass to tight end Brandon Binkowski, who made a ridiculous leaping one-handed catch. The final was 52-6, of course, which meant the Wildcats covered the 48-point spread.

” In section NGU at the top of Beaver Stadium’s north end zone, a small but fierce copse of Villanova fans roared at the touchdown that ended Saturday’s Penn State-Villanova game,” Wogenrich writes. “With the touchdown, the Wildcats avoided getting shut out by the Nittany Lions. They also might have inspired some, well, seething reactions.”

Read the full story here.

Final word

It goes this week’s to BWI’s Sean Fitz. In his postgame game balls piece, he focused on running back Kaytron Allen.

“If the running game seems different with Kaytron Allen in the game, your eyes are not deceiving you,” Fitz writes. “Once again on Saturday, Allen was the more patient and effective of the Penn State running backs. Nick Singleton got twice as many carries against Villanova, but Allen led the Nittany Lions on the ground with 86 yards on just 10 totes. His touchdown in the fourth quarter was well-earned. Penn State’s running game is still having issues getting to the next level, however. It was decently blocked on Saturday, but the Nittany Lions still didn’t have a run longer than 18 yards. Andy Kotelnicki has rediscovered the jet sweep, which made for some nice moments, but Penn State is going to have to make the most of whatever space it can find against Oregon in two weeks.”

Read the full story here.