Northwestern Runs Over Penn State 34-13

Northwestern (3-1) racked up a staggering 413 rushing yards and dominated Penn State (3-2) in every phase to hand the Nittany Lions a 34-13 defeat on Friday night in the first game at the Wildcats’ new Ryan Field.

The Wildcat offensive line bullied Penn State’s defensive front, as running back Caleb Komolafe ran for 188 yards on 25 carries and Joseph Himon II gained 162 on just 10 attempts for an offense that came into the night averaging only 146 rushing yard per game. Quarterback Aidan Chiles wasn’t asked to do much with his arm, but was efficient when he did throw, finishing 10-14 for 93 yards as the Wildcats eclipsed 500 total yards of offense.

Penn State’s offense struggled in a second consecutive loss.

Quarterback Rocco Becht was 26 of 41 for 243 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, unable to lead sustained drives as receivers frequently failed to gain separation against a thin Northwestern secondary and overthrowing them several times when they did. The Nittany Lion run game was again mostly a nonfactor, gaining just 48 yards.

Penn State’s scores came on an 8-yard run by Carson Hansen after a second-quarter fumble recovery at the Northwestern 34 and 16-yard touchdown pass from Becht to Chase Sowell midway through the fourth quarter.

Penn State returns home next week to face USC at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday in the White Out game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

1st Quarter

Northwestern gashed Penn State’s defense to open the game, with running backs Caleb Komolafe and Gavin Sawchuk taking advantage of big holes to rush for 37 yards on the opening possession. The Wildcats seemed on their way to the end zone, but on third and 6 from the Penn State 23, Tony Rojas sacked quarterback Aidan Chiles for a 9-yard loss. Jackson Kleather came on to make 50-yard field goal to give Northwestern the early lead.

Northwestern 3, Penn State 0 (1Q 10:09)

Quarterback Rocco Becht hooked up with Chase Sowell for a 26-yard gain on Penn State’s first offensive play, but after a James Peoples run for 5 the Nittany Lions stalled at the Northwestern 44 and punted it away.

The Wildcat offense continued to baffle Penn State on the next drive as it went 88 yards in just seven plays, keyed by Joseph Himon II’s 47-yard run through a massive hole that moved Northwestern inside the Nittany Lion 5. Two plays later Chiles punched it in on a 2-yard keeper to stretch the home lead to double digits. With five minutes left in the first, the Wildcats had 86 rushing yards, more than it had all of

Northwestern 10, Penn State 0 (1Q 5:07)

Penn State moved to its own 44 on its next possession, but on fourth and 2 the Nittany Lions punted again.

Komolafe ripped off a 16-yard run to the Northwestern 41 before the Wildcats faced a third-and-9 as the first quarter came to an end.

Northwestern finished the opening period with 109 rushing yards, more three times its total for the entire game a week ago against Indiana. Penn State had 50 total yards of offense in the quarter.

End 1st quarter: Northwestern 10, Penn State 0

2nd Quarter

Rojas deflected a Chiles pass on third down to force Northwestern’s first punt of the day as the second quarter got underway. A pass interference call gave Penn State 15 on the opening play of the ensuing drive, but a Becht incompletion, 2-yard completion and sack led to another failed possession.

After safety Marcus Neal intercepted Chiles but got called for a questionable interference penalty, Northwestern fumbled it away and freshman corner Josiah Zayas recovered it at the Wildcat 34 to give the Nittany Lions prime field position.

Penn State moved inside the red zone for the first time on the night thanks to a facemask penalty. After a pair of Carson Hansen carries set up third and 1, the back took it again and got the edge for an 8-yard touchdown run.

Northwestern 10, Penn State 7 (2Q 10:39)

The Wildcats immediately responded, needing just three plays and 1:13 to go 75 yards. Himon burst through for a 36-yard run, then after a short pass, took another carry 38 yards for a touchdown.

Northwestern 17, Penn State 7 (2Q: 9:21)

Penn State’s offensive ineptitude resumed as Becht completed two passes for 7 yards and missed an open Sowell on another to force Nathan Tiyce’s fourth punt of the day.

Northwestern punted it back, but the impotent Nittany Lion offense delivered predictable results with a three and out as Becht missed a wide open Andrew Rappleyea on third down.

Drew Wagner returned a poor Tiyice punt 26 yards and enforced penalties against both teams set Northwestern up at the Penn State 35. Komolafe broke a tackle to go 24 yards to the 11, then Himon took it the rest of the way on an 11-yard touchdown run.

Northwestern 24, Penn State 7 (2Q 1:55)

Becht and the Nittany Lion offense started to show some life in the final two minutes, completing five passes for 60 yards to get to the Northwestern 27. But after incompletions on second and third down, Ryan Barker’s 45-yard field goal attempt sailed wide and Penn State came away empty once again.

Northwestern outgained Penn State 278 to 139 in the half, with 237 of the Wildcats’ yards coming on the ground led by Himon’s 134 and Komolafe’s 97. The Nittany Lions had 26 rushing yards.

End 2nd quarter: Northwestern 24, Penn State 7

3rd Quarter

Penn State started the second half with a 13-yard pass from Becht to Sowell, but the drive quickly fell apart. After a short Peoples run, Becht threw two incompletions into tight coverage as the Nittany Lion wide receivers continued to struggle to get separation against a depleted Wildcat secondary.

Led by Komolafe runs of 9 and 32 and two Chiles completions for 21, Northwestern marched to the Nittany Lion 17. The Penn State defense finally stiffened, though, as the Nittany Lions stuffed two runs and Kooper Ebell broke up a Chiles pass on fourth and 1 to turn the ball over on downs.

Penn State advanced into Northwestern territory on its next possession but a Quinton Martin carry went nowhere and Becht missed open receivers deep on two passes. Tiyce’s punt was downed at the 6, but an interference penalty tacked on 15 yards for Northwestern.

The Wildcats’ run game continued humming and Chiles converted a third-and-13 with a 15-yard scramble into Penn State territory. Chiles then went deep through the air to Griffin Wilde for a 31-yard pickup. Three plays later, Komolafe took it in from a yard out.

Northwestern 31, Penn State 7 (3Q 1:23)

Penn State picked up a first-down at its own 36 on a 2-yard Hansen carry as the quarter ended.

End 3rd quarter: Northwestern 31, Penn State 7

4th Quarter

In the first play of the final quarter Becht’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage and picked off by Braydon Brus at the Penn State 49.

Himon ran for 18 on Northwestern’s first play, but a second-down holding penalty got the Wildcats off track. Kleather’s 50-yard field goal attempt fell short.

Becht put together his best drive of the night on the next possession. The senior completed seven passes to five different receivers for 67 yards, capped off by a 16-yard scoring throw to Sowell. A two-point attempt failed.

Northwestern 31, Penn State 13 (4Q 7:53)

The Wildcats kept it on the ground as the game wound down, rushing 11 times for 56 yards and taking 5:36 off the clock before Kleather made a 37-yard field goal.

Northwestern 34, Penn State 13 (4Q 2:17)

Becht completed three of four passes to get the Nittany Lions to midfield before Northwestern’s Robert Fitzgerald picked off a pass intended for Sowell.

Northwestern took three kneel-downs to run out the clock.

Final: Northwestern 34, Penn State 13