No. 18 Penn State dominated Marshall 45-0 to open the Matt Campbell era in front of an announced crowd of 108,489 on Saturday at Beaver Stadium.
The new-look Nittany Lions, featuring a roster with more than 50 transfers and freshmen, turned in a nearly flawless first quarter to open a 17-0 lead and never looked back.
Quarterback Rocco Becht shined in his Penn State debut, completing 13 of 18 passes for 271 yards and four touchdowns in just over two quarters of play. Sophomore Koby Howard, meanwhile, had a breakout game with six receptions for 161 yards and a score.
The aggressive Nittany Lion defense, under new coordinator D’Anton Lynn, stymied the Thundering Herd all day, holding the visitors to 147 yards, including just 39 in the second half. Linebacker Tony Rojas led the way with seven tackles, including a sack, and defensive end Caleb Bacon adding six with a sack. Freshman safety Bryson Willams had his first career interception.
Penn State returns to action next week with a noon kick on Saturday against Temple at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
1ST QUARTER
The Campbell era couldn’t have gotten off to a much better start, with an explosive offense and an aggressive defense opening up a three-score lead.
Penn State started with good field position as a sideline interference penalty against Marshall on the opening kickoff set the Nittany Lions up at midfield. A 20-yard pass from Rocco Becht to Chase Sowell moved the hosts to the 27, but the drive stalled at the 20 and Penn State settled for a 38-yard Ryan Barker field goal to take a 3-0 lead less than three minutes in.
Penn State 3, Marshall 0
After a Marshall three-and-out, Becht connected with Sowell for a 13-yard gain to the Thundering Herd 49. Three plays later, Becht hit Koby Howard across the middle at the 25, and the sophomore receiver raced in for a 42-yard touchdown as the Nittany Lions took a 10-0 lead with 8:35 left in the first.
Penn State 10, Marshall 0
A Marshall punt after another three-and-out got the Penn State offense back on the field at its own 34, and Becht quickly went back to work. The senior QB again connected with Howard for gains of 23 and 16, then tossed a short pass to Brett Esklidsen, who ran in for 25-yard score. The Nittany Lions moved ahead 17-0 with 4:49 remaining in the opening quarter.
Penn State 17, Marshall 0
The Herd got their first two first downs of the game on their next possession, one thanks to a defensive holding call after consecutive tackles for loss by Caleb Bacon. But the Nittany Lion defense shut it down to force another Marshall punt.
Penn State took over at its own 19 and ended the quarter with a 5-yard Hansen run.
End 1st quarter: Penn State 17, Marshall 0
2nd Quarter
A pass interference call moved Penn State to its 39 on the opening play of the second, but a couple of short Hansen runs and a Becht incompletion forced the Nittany Lions’ first punt of the day.
Marshall moved into Penn State territory for the first time on its next drive, as QB Carlos Del Rio-Wilson completed passes to Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw and Owen Sweeney and a facemask penalty moved the Herd to the the Nittany Lion 40. The Penn State defense clamped down again, though, and a Bacon sack of Del Rio-Wilson on third and 8 for a 3-yard loss ended the threat.
After the two sides traded punts on their next possessions, Penn State converted a fourth-and-1 from its own 22 on a 10-yard Hansen run. Two plays later, Becht threw a touch pass to Howard, who spun out of tackles for a 42-yard gain to the Marshall 22 and his first career 100-yard receiving game.
Three Peoples runs pushed Penn State inside the 10, and on third down Becht found tight end Ben Brahmer open in the back of the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown throw to cap the 11-play, 87-yard drive with just over a minute left in the half.
Penn State 24, Marshall 0
Del Rio-Wilson completed six passes for 46 yards to drive Marshall into Penn State territory on the final possession of the half, but Jorge Diaz Nicolas’ 52-yard field goal attempt as time expired went wide to keep the Herd off the board.
Becht finished the half 10-15 for 203 yards and three touchdowns, while Howard hauled in four receptions for 123 yards and Hansen tacked on 42 yards on 10 carries. The Nittany Lion defense held Marshall to 108 yards, more than a third of which came on the final drive
End 2nd quarter: Penn State 24, Marshall 0
3rd Quarter
The teams reverted to form to start the third, with the Nittany Lion defense forcing a quick three-and-out.
On Penn State’s ensuing possession, Becht tossed to Eskildsen for 11 and yards and completed an 18-yard pass to tight end Andrew Rappleyea. Redshirt freshman Zay Thomas then hauled in a Becht throw over the middle and took it in 42 yards for a touchdown at the 11:14 mark.
Penn State 31, Marshall 0
The Herd drove to Penn State’s 45, but on fourth and 2 Kooper Ebel and Siale Taupaki threw Del Rio-Wilson for a loss to turn it over on downs.
With the game well in hand, Alex Manske took the reins at quarterback for Penn State. The redshirt freshman completed passes of 12 and 26 yards to move the Nittany Lions into the red zone. Running back Quinton Martin picked up 9 yards, then took it into the end zone on 6-yard run to finish off a six-play, 54-yard drive.
Penn State 38, Marshall 0
The Nittany Lion defense kept up the pressure to force Marshall’s seventh punt of the day, and as the third quarter wound down, Martin, Peoples and Cam Wallace combined for 26 yards on seven carries to move Penn State out to its own 39
End 3rd quarter: Penn State 38, Marshall 0
4th Quarter
Penn State kept it on the ground to open the final quarter but couldn’t pick up the first on third and 3 from the Marshall 43. Nathan Tiyice dropped a perfect punt that Xxavier Thomas downed at the 1.
Facing third and 7 from his own 7, Marshall backup QB Zion Turner downfield and freshman safety Bryson Williams made a diving interception at the Herd 30 for his first collegiate pick.
Penn State capitalized on the turnover. Manske completed passes to Amarion Jackson and Karon Brookins, and Wallace carried four times for 12 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown scamper to complete another scoring drive with eight minutes remaining.
Penn State 45, Marshall 0
Both teams went three and out on their next possessions before Marshall’s Anthony Quinn Jr. fumbled and Nittany Lion defensive end recovered it at the Marshall 32. With third-team QB Connor Barry now behind center, Penn State kept it on the ground and took a knee at the 9 to run out the clock.
Final: Penn State 45, Marshall 0
More Penn State Football
View all Penn State Football
Paterno Family Football Experience Room Opens in Penn State All-Sports Museum
The Paterno Family Football Experience Room, a permanent museum experience celebrating more than a century of Penn State Football history, opened in the Penn State All-Sports Museum on Thursday. The exhibit […]
State College Set to Begin Charging for Parking on Residential Streets During Penn State Football Weekends
Visitors accustomed to free parking on streets in State College’s residential neighborhoods during Penn State football weekends are in for a change this season. The borough will no longer lift […]
Heading to Penn State Football’s Season Opener? What to Know About Road Work, Traffic
Penn State football will kick off the Matt Campbell era at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, and fans traveling to the game from outside of State College are likely to encounter […]
