Penn State (2-0) got off to a sloppy and sluggish start but pulled away to defeat Florida International (1-1) 34-0 on Saturday at Beaver Stadium.
After a lackluster showing in the run game last week, Penn State’s rushing duo of Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton got going against the Panthers. Allen had 16 carries for 144 yards and a touchdown, while Singleton ran 13 times for 76 yards and a score
Quarterback Drew Allar was out of sync for much of the first half, but finished the day 19-33 for 200 yards and two touchdowns.
The Nittany Lions outgained FIU 409 to 275 on the day.
While keeping the Panthers off the scoreboard, the Penn State defense forced two turnovers to bring its total to five on the season. Alonzo Ford had the Nittany Lions’ second interception by a defensive tackle in as many games, and defensive end Chaz Coleman forced a fumble that he recovered and returned 39 yards.
Gabe Nwosu was a revelation in his first action as Penn State’s punter, averaging 53.5 yards on three kicks, all of which were downed inside the 20.
Penn State, ranked No. 2 in this week’s AP Top 25, remains home next Saturday to face FCS Villanova for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Quarter
Defensive pressure forced an FIU three-and-out on the game’s opening possession, but after picking up a first down, Penn State’s offense couldn’t put together a drive and turned the ball over on downs at the Panther 47.
An 8-yard pass from Keyone Jenkins to tight end Dallas Payne under heavy pressure got the Panthers into Nittany Lion territory, and Kejon Owens broke off a 21-yard run to get FIU into the red zone. After picking up 11 on a third and 12, the Panthers went for it on fourth down and couldn’t convert as the Penn State D had the pass play well-covered.
Taking over at its own 13, the Nittany Lion offense turned to its ground game to march down field. Nick Singleton carried four times for 29 yards and Kaytron Allen twice for 23 to get Penn State to the FIU 20. Drew Allar then hit tight end Luke Reynolds for 11 yards to convert a third down and found tight end Khalil Dinkins in the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown toss. Penn State took a 7-0 lead with 3:54 remaining following the 10-play, 87-yard drive.
2nd Quarter
Jenkins completed a short pass on fourth and 1 from the FIU 36 to keep the chains moving as the second quarter opened, then hit Alex Perry for a 13-yard gain into Penn State territory and tossed a short pass to Maguire Anderson who took it 22 yards to to the Penn State 22. But for the second week in a row a Nittany Lion defensive tackle came up with an interception, with Alonzo Ford picking off a Jenkins throw to end the threat.
Penn State’s offense drove 53 yards to the FIU 22, but on fourth and 2 could only get a yard on an Allen carry and for the second time turned the ball over on downs.
A 9-yard Devonte Lyons run and a 27-yard catch by JoJo Stone quickly had the Panthers past midfield, but Nittany Lion defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton blew up the drive, taking down Lyons for a 3-yard loss then pressuring Jenkins into an incompletion.
On fourth down, Dom DeLuca blocked a Troy Wilhoit punt — the Nittany Lion linebackers third career punt block — and Penn State took over at the FIU 45.
Once again, though, the Nittany Lion offense sputtered with a short throw and two incompletions. Gabe Nwosu came on for Penn State’s first punt of the season, a 40-yard boot that Elliot Washington II downed at the 2.
After an FIU three and out, Penn State took over again with a short field at the 37. Allar completed a fourth and short on a 9-yard pass to Reynolds, but the Nittany Lions stalled again as Allar took a coverage sack at the FIU 24 on third down. Nittany Lion kicker Ryan Barker hit is fifth field goal of the year on a 41-yard try, and Penn State advanced its lead to 10-0 with 50 seconds left in the half.
Another FIU punt gave Penn State the ball one last time at its own 36 in the half with 26 seconds remaining and no timeouts. Allar completed two passes to Reynolds and one to Kyron Hudson to get the Nittany Lions to the Panther 36 with five seconds left. Barker came on for a 53-yard field goal attempt, but the low kick was blocked and the half ended with Penn State’s lead remaining 10-0.
3rd Quarter
Penn State’s offense started off fast to open the second half, with a 16-yard Allen run and a series of short Allar completions to methodically move downfield with tempo. But yet again the Nittany Lions couldn’t find the end zone, as another short pass from Allar to Reynolds, a 2-yard Allen run and an Allar incompletion brought up fourth down at the FIU 16. Barker set up for another field goal and was good from 34 yards, moving Penn State’s lead to 13-0 with 9:56 left in the third.
FIU moved to midfield on its next possession but the Nittany Lion defense stiffened and forced a punt.
Starting from its own 12, Penn State’s offense moved quickly and finally found the end zone again. A 30-yard Trebor Peña catch and run and a pair of Singleton runs moved Penn State into FIU territory. Allar then struck deep, hitting Devonte Ross, who was interfered with but hauled in the catch anyway, for a 42-yard touchdown. A two-point try that saw offensive lineman Drew Shelton take a backwards pass in for the score was called back for holding, and Penn State settled for a Barker PAT.
The Nittany Lions led 20-0 with 4:44 left in the third after the five-play, 88-yard drive.
Following another FIU punt, Penn State took its 20-0 advantage into the fourth.
4th Quarter
FIU sacked Allar for the second time to open the final quarter and force a punt. Nwosu’s second punt of the season was a 67-yard bomb to put the Panthers at their own 17.
The Panthers went backwards on the first two plays of their ensuing possession. Freshman defensive end Chaz Coleman threw Lyons for a 3-yard loss then collapsed the pocket to facilitate an Enai White sack of Jenkins for a 9-yard loss. Lyons picked up 11 on third down, but FIU had to punt for the sixth time on the day and Penn State took over at its own 40.
Penn State couldn’t do anything with it though, as Allar threw three incompletions and Nwosu came on for another punt that put FIU inside its own 20.
FIU converted a fourth and 1 from its own 26 and moved the ball well to the Penn State 33 on its next drive, but on fourth and 4 safety King Mack broke up a Jenkins pass to give the ball back to the Nittany Lions.
Penn State’s offense got a big spark on the next play as Allen got the edge, shrugged off an arm tackle and went 67 yards into the end zone for the longest run of his career. Penn State led 27-0 with 3:29 remaining.
The Panthers again moved to midfield, but the Nittany Lion defense came up with another big play. Coleman sacked Jenkins, forced a fumble and returned it to the FIU 5.
Singleton took it in for a 5-yard rushing touchdown and Penn State widened its lead to 34-0 with 1:19 remaining, and the score would remain that way through as time expired.
