Penn State Beats Boston College In Overtime 31-30

It’s a stadium where memories have been made and legends have been born, and for Penn State football Saturday is a chance to make a memory of its own in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.

The Nittany Lions are facing a feisty 7-5 Boston College team as Penn State looks to finish above .500 each year of the NCAA sanctions.

More immediately it would give Penn State a 7-5 record, ending the season on a high note. To pick up the victory the Nittany Lions will have to slow down Boston College quarterback Tyler Murphy who has over 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards passing on the season.

The Eagles upended No. 9 USC earlier in the year and nearly took down No.1 Florida State making them a great challenge for Penn State’s season finale.

Boston College is coached by Steve Addazio who recently signed a contract extension. Penn State is in its first year under head coach James Franklin. 

Stay tuned to StateCollege.com for quarter-by-quarter updates, analysis, facts and figures.

Overtime:

Boston College loses the toss, Penn State goes on defense but a third down completion for a 21-yard touchdown give Boston College the lead. Penn State blocks the extra point.

Penn State starts its overtime drive with a false start but a rumbling Jesse James converts a 3rd and 15 to give Penn State life again. Facing a third down yet again Christian Hackenberg finds Kyle Carter for a 10 yard touchdown pass. Sam Ficken knocks through the extra point and it’s mayhem in the Bronx as Penn State wins it.

Hackenberg finishes the game 34-for-50 for 371 yards and 4 TDs.

Fourth Quarter:

Down a score and needing a stop Penn State does just that but can’t move the ball on offense and is forced to punt early in the fourth quarter. A physical 35-yard run comes up just short by Akeel Lynch and Penn State is stuffed a yard from the end zone. A personal foul penalty makes it 1st and 16 but Hackenberg slings one in to DaSean Hamilton to tie the game.

Penn State’s defense can’t stop Tyler Murphy and company and a personal foul on Adrian Amos after a catch and run puts the Eagles within range of a short field goal after Penn State’s defense stands tall. A Boston College 24-21 lead with 2:10 to play sets up for more late game dramatics.

A Sam Ficken field goal from 44-yards out is pure and it’s 24 all with 20 seconds to play.

Third Quarter:

A nearly 7 minute 11-play, 60 yard Boston College drive and score opens up the third quarter as the Eagles take a 14-7 lead. Penn State can’t get the ball moving on its first drive of the half and a Hackenberg fumbled snap goes Boston College’s way. Another score with only 2:12 to play in the quarter makes it 21-7.

But on the ropes the Nittany Lions responded with a 6-play, 63 yard drive and a Geno Lewis 7 yard circus catch on the final play of the quarter to cut into the lead. The drive featured a 32 yard catch by Geno Lewis that saw a facemask penalty tacked on to the play. 

Hackenberg is 21-of-32 for 253 yards and 2 TDs.

Halftime: 

The second quarter was’t on to write home about for either team as Boston College struggled to pass the ball and Penn State receivers dropped passes to balance out to mistake prone quarter. The Nittany Lions are up to 4 possible catches dropped and a 20 yard output for total yards in the second quarter was a stark contrast to a 170+ yard output in the first quarter.

Tyler Murpy has gone 4-for-11 passing the ball while both teams have converted 4-of-16 on third down.

Akeel Lynch has done okay running the ball at a 8 carry, 29 yard, 3.6 ypc clip. Hackenberg’s 13-for-20, 168 yard effort is a few should-be-catches from a much better looking figure.

All in all after a fairly exciting first quarter, mistakes and miscues doomed the flow of the game. Both teams have accumulate 6 penalties although Boston College has given up 67 yards in the process to Penn State’s 25.

Penn State’s defense turned things around the second 15 minutes though as the Nittany Lions went from giving up 102 yards on the ground to only 43 in the second quarter.

Boston College will start the half with the ball.

First Quarter:

Penn State wins the toss and opts to receive the ball to open the game. The Nittany Lions move the ball with a nice mix of run and pass but the drive stalls and Penn State is forced to punt. Boston College does the same as Penn State’s defense holds on a 3-and-out, forcing Boston College Tyler Murphy to throw the ball and covering down the field.

Both teams trade short drives before Hackenberg finds Chris Godwin on a 72 yard catch and run for the opening score of the game. Penn State has threatened with the deep ball on multiple occasions with mixed success. For a team that hasn’t gone deep very often it does add a newer wrinkle for the BC defense to consider.

Boston College didn’t want long to respond though and a 49 yard by Jon Hilliman ties the game. Penn State’s defense has given up 96 yards on the ground on only five carries as Boston College’s offensive line has won the early battle in the trenches.

Hackenberg is 11-of-16 for 158 yards passing. Godwin has 3 catches for 92 yards.

Pregame:  

The 90 minute clock has started to count down as we’re just about an hour and a half from kick. Fans have started to fill into the stadium for a game that was just announced as a sell out. Both teams have made their way to the field for a brief walk before filling back into the dugouts and clubhouses to dress.

Both teams are working on the field only 40 minutes from kick as a live pregame show takes place near the field.