Photo by: Michael Corsey @ Michael Corsey Photography

Lions rush for 200 yards and secure win in fourth quarter

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State scored on three consecutive drives starting late in the third quarter en route to a 27-14 victory over Buffalo in the home opener on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Beaver Stadium. Big plays in all three phases of the game aided Penn State throughout the contest.

Buffalo (1-1) pulled within three points, 10-7 with a touchdown late in the third quarter, but a Penn State (1-1) field goal before the end of the third quarter and a pair of touchdown on the next two drives to start the fourth put the game out of reach. Carl Nassib (West Chester, Pa.) once again led the defense for Penn State (1-1), hauling in an interception that led to a field goal, posting three sacks and forcing two fumbles. The Nittany Lion defense held Buffalo to 274 yards (69 rushing, 205 passing) of total offense. It was the fewest rushing yards allowed since yielding 68 against Illinois last season.

On the other side of the ball, Penn State totaled 200 yards rushing, led by true freshman running back Saquon Barkley (Coplay, Pa.), who totaled 115 yards on 12 attempts with a touchdown. He is the first PSU true freshman to rush for more than 100 yards in a game since Silas Redd had 131 yards on 11 carries and scored one touchdown against Northwestern in 2010. Barkley broke off back-to-back runs totaling 50 yards to start Penn State’s first possession of the fourth quarter, which led to a touchdown and 20-7 Penn State lead. He also found the end zone with 9:02 remaining in the contest from nine yards out for a 27-7 lead.

Another true freshman, Brandon Polk (Ashburn, Va.), totaled 45 yards on three carries, scampering 22 yards for a touchdown for the Lions’ first score of the game, and adding another to setup a short field goal attempt late in the third quarter. It marked the first time since 2005 that Penn State had two true freshmen score a touchdown in the same game.

Christian Hackenberg (Palmyra, Va.) finished with one touchdown and 127 yards passing, completing 14-of-27 attempts in wet conditions. He connected on a 38-yard pass play to Chris Godwin (Middletown, Del.) who led the receiving corps with five receptions for 75 yards, to setup Barkley’s fourth quarter score. DaeSean Hamilton (Fredericksburg, Va.) hauled in a 5-yard touchdown reception on the drive keyed by Barkley’s big runs and totaled three catches for 15 yards.

The offense was strongest in the second half, totaling 202 yards, and did not yield a sack in the game for the first time since 2013 in a win over Wisconsin. The Lions did not turn the ball over either for the first time since last season’s tilt against UMass.Contributing on defense in addition to Nassib were Austin Johnson (Galloway, N.J.) and Troy Reeder (Wilmington, Del.). Johnson posted a career-high nine tackles, including 2.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks. Reeder also surpassed a career high with seven tackles in his first career start.

The Nittany Lion special teams contributed, as well, returning both a punt return and kick return for at least 58 yards in the same game for the first time since 2007, when they accomplished the feat against Notre Dame. Buffalo quarterback Joe Licata completed 24-of-35 pass attempts for 205 yards and two touchdowns, but was sacked six times for 47 yards and picked off once. Ron Willoughby was his top target with eight catches for a touchdown, and Marcus McGill caught four passes for 45 yards and a touchdown. Anthone Taylor added 93 yards on the ground with 18 carries.

The game had an electrifying start as Penn State’s Nick Scott returned the opening kickoff 58 yards to the Buffalo 42. It was the longest for Penn State since Chaz Powell had a 92-yard return against Purdue in 2011. The Lions were unable to take advantage of the field position though, as Hamilton was stopped two yards short on a slant route on 4th-and-6.

After both teams traded three-and-outs, Buffalo generated the game’s first scoring opportunity, advancing 40 yards in seven plays to Penn State’s 30. However, UB kicker Adam Mitcheson hooked a 47-yard field goal attempt. Penn State took over with 5:29 remaining in the first quarter and also moved into field goal range on a 14-play, 38-yard drive that extended into the third quarter. Akeel Lynch (Toronto, Ontario), who finished with 46 yards on 19 carries, converted a 3-and-12 on a draw play up the middle, Godwin hauled in a 10-yard reception on 3rd-and-6 to move the Lions into UB territory and Hackenberg dove for two yards on 4th-and-1 to extend the drive. UB was able to force fourth down again though and Joey Julius missed a 49-yard field goal attempt wide right. A 12-yard sack by Johnson on 3rd-and-long halted Buffalo’s ensuing drive, but the Nittany Lions were forced to punt on their next drive as well after going three-and-out. A 22-yard touchdown run on a sweep to Polk was the game’s first score and gave Penn State a 7-0 lead with 6:57 remaining in the first half. A 58-yard punt return by DeAndre Thompkins, on which he was barely tripped up by UB punter Tyler Grassman on a diving play, setup the two-play scoring drive at Buffalo’s 24. It was the longest punt return by a Nittany Lion since Derrick Williams’ 63-yard punt return for a touchdown at Wisconsin in 2008.

With Buffalo on its own 33 on the ensuing possession, Anthony Zettel (West Branch, Mich.) burst through the UB line and tipped a Licata pass, and Nassib was able to haul it in with one hand for the interception, which he returned10 yards to the UB 12. Joey Julius ((Hummelstown, Pa.) converted a 22-yard field goal to cap the drive with 3:58 left in the half. Penn State returned to the red zone in the final seconds of the frame, but a clock run-off after an injury timeout with eight seconds remaining ended the half with a 10-0 PSU lead. The Nittany Lions held Buffalo to 87 yards of total offense in the half. Both teams went three-and-out to start the second half, but Buffalo was able to assemble its longest drive of the game to that point for its first touchdown on its next possession. Willoughby capped the 11-play, 78-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown reception. A 29-yard run by Taylor to Penn State’s 44 on 3rd-and-5 and a 4th-and-4 conversion from the Nittany Lion 25 keyed the drive.

Penn State answered with a 12-play, 51-yard field goal drive to the Buffalo 4-yard line with 25 seconds remaining in the third quarter. A 20-yard rush by Polk to the 4 yard line highlighted the drive. After a UB three-and-out, Barkley broke free on the first PSU play for 33 yards to the Buffalo 29, and then ran down the middle and leapt over a safety before being brought down after a 17-yard gain. Hackenberg threw for seven yards to Godwin and connected with Hamilton on a 5-yard touchdown reception for a 20-7 lead with 12:04 remaining in the game.

Another three-and-out led to Penn State’s final scoring drive, as the Lions drove 74 yards on just six plays, a 15-yard pass interference penalty and a 38-yard connection between Hackenberg and Godwin led to Barkley’s 9-yard touchdown run. Buffalo drove 82 yards on 13 plays to reach the end zone on 10-yard reception by McGill with 4:38 remaining, but two sack-fumbles by Nassib helped prevent UB from mustering another scoring drive.

Penn State will next play the second of five consecutive home games Saturday, opening Big Ten play against Rutgers at 8 p.m. on BTN.