Penn State (4-4, 1-4) snapped a four-game losing streak and earned its first Big Ten win of the Matt Campbell era with a 31-17 victory over Purdue (3-5, 2-3) on Saturday at Beaver Stadium.
In front of a Halloween crowd that appeared far less than the announced 102,041, the Nittany Lion ground game turned in its best effort since nonconference play.
Penn State’s 269 rushing yards were more than its last three games combined, its most since Sept. 19 against Buffalo and eclipsed the century mark for the first time since Sept. 26 against Wisconsin.
Cam Wallace led the way with a career-best 22 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown, surpassing his entire season rushing total prior to Saturday. Carson Hansen added a season-best 96 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown.
With his two top receiving weapons in Chase Sowell and Koby Howard out with injuries and expected to return next week, quarterback Rocco Becht was solid leading the Nittany Lion offense. Becht completed 16 of 24 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers, while tacking on 27 yards on the ground with a rushing score.
Tight ends Ben Brahmer and Andrew Rappleyea were the top targets, each catching four passes. Rappleyea had a touchdown and was a key blocker throughout the game.
Penn State outgained Purdue 457 to 175 yards, as the Nittany Lion defense limited the Boilermakers to 33 total rushing yards and intercepted quarterback Ryan Browne twice. Only one of Purdue’s touchdowns came on offense, with the other a scoop and score on a blocked punt.
The Nittany Lions led time of possession 43:27 to 16:33
Penn State hits the road next week for a 3:30 p.m. or 4:15 p.m. EST kickoff at Washington. The specific time and television network will be announced Sunday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
1st Quarter
After the Nittany Lion defense forced a Purdue punt on the game’s opening possession, Penn State’s offense started at its own 4 and proceeded to embark on its longest drive of the season. A 42-yard run by Carson Hansen — his longest of the year — moved the hosts into Boilermaker territory. A pair of Rocco Becht incompletions to tight end Ben Brahmer brought up fourth and 7 from the Purdue 20, but on a fake field goal attempt Brahmer took a shovel pass 13 yards to the 7. Two plays later, Becht connected with tight end Andrew Rappleyea for a 4-yard touchdown pass to cap the 12-play, 96-yard drive.
Penn State 7, Purdue 0 (Q1 5:13)
Purdue struck back quickly. Ryan Browne went deep down the sideline to Asaad Waseem, who stretched out to haul in 42-yard pass to the Nittany Lion 37. Facing third and 6 from the Penn State 33, Browne threw up a wild pass under pressure that Xavier Townsend caught at the 3 and took in for the touchdown.
Penn State 7, Purdue 7 (Q1 3:09)
The Nittany Lions came right back, once again keyed by an explosive running play. After Becht picked up 9 on a keeper, Cam Wallace broke free for a 48-yard gain to the Purdue 18. Becht connected with Rappleyea for a a 12-yard gain, and on the next play the quarterback kept it for a 6-yard run into the end zone to put Penn State back in front after a quick four-play, 75-yard drive.
Penn State 14, Purdue 7 (Q1 0:50)
2nd Quarter
Purdue punted early in the second, and though the Nittany Lions converted a fourth-and-1 from their own 28, Penn State’s drive stalled at the Boilermaker 49. Special teams turned the tide in Purdue’s favor this time, as Nathan Tiyce’s punt was blocked by Bisi Owens and scooped up by Jalil Hall, who ran it back 31 yards for a touchdown.
Penn State 14, Purdue 14 (Q2 8:52)
The Nittany Lions bounced back on the ensuing possession that included two third-and-long completions across the middle from Becht to Rappleyea. On fourth and goal from the 1, Hansen took the carry for a tough push across the goal line to give Penn State the lead once again after a 15-play, 65-yard drive that took more than seven minutes off the clock.
Penn State 21, Purdue 14 (Q3 1:48)
Purdue moved to the Penn State 40, but the Nittany Lion defense held firm from there and forced a punt with 50 seconds left in the half. Wallace took one carry from his own 6 for 4 yards and Penn State let the clock run out to head into the break with the lead.
The Nittany Lions 177 rushing yards in the half marked the first time they eclipsed 100 on the ground in an entire game since Sept. 26 against Wisconsin and were their most in a game since Sept. 19 against Buffalo. Wallace already had a career-best with 97 yards on 13 carries in the half.
Penn State outgained Purdue 272 to 143 and led time of possession 22:05 to 7:55.
3rd Quarter
After the two sides traded punts to open the first half, Penn State drove to the Purdue 30, highlighted by a 22-yard pass from Becht to freshman receiver Amarion Jackson. But on third and 6 Becht was called for intentional grounding, and Ryan Barker’s 55-yard field goal attempt fell short to keep Penn State’s lead at seven.
Penn State’s defense had Purdue stopped for a three-and-out, but an absurd roughing the passer penalty kept the Boilermaker drive alive in Nittany Lion territory. Undeterred, Armstrong Nnodim buried Ijeboi for a 5-yard loss on the next play before safety Jamison Patton intercepted a Browne pass and returned it 13 yards to the Purdue 41.
Becht lost a yard on third and 1 from the 25, and Barker came out for his second field goal attempt of the day. This time he was good from 44 yards to extend the Nittany Lion lead.
Penn State 24, Purdue 14 (Q3 2:11)
Purdue went three and out and Penn State’s offense went back to work from its own 15 as the quarter wound down. Becht hit receiver Brett Eskildsen across the middle for a 17-yard gain and Wallace picked up a 9-yard gain as the third came to an end.
4th Quarter
Penn State opened the final quarter with cornerback Audavion Collins coming in offense to take a sweep for an 11-yard gain into Purdue territory. After a holding penalty negated a long Wallace run, Becht hooked up with Brahmer for a 33-yard gain to the 8 and a facemask gave Penn State first and goal from the 3. Wallace punched it in from 2 yards out and the Nittany Lions opened up a three score lead.
Penn State 31, Purdue 14 (Q4 9:28)
An unsportsmanlike penalty against Penn State on an incompletion and a 24-yard pass from Browne to Waseem on fourth and 9 got the Boilermakers to the Nittany Lion 31. But a couple of short runs and an incompletion forced Purdue to settle for a 49-yard Jacobo Lozano field goal that narrowed the deficit to two touchdowns with six minutes remaining.
Penn State 34, Purdue 17 (Q4 6:06)
The Nittany Lions recovered an onside kick at the Purdue 46 then pounded the run game and added a 9-yard completion from Becht to Jackson to get to the 24. On fourth and 3, Barker came out for a field goal attempt that went wide left for his uncharacteristic second miss of the day with 2:49 left.
Penn State’s defense shut down the Boilermakers on the ensuing possession. After two incompletions, a holding penaltty and a Yvan Kemajou sack gave Purdue fourth and 30, Jeremiah Cooper picked off Browne’s desperation pass at the 48 to ice the game.
Keeping it on the ground to run out the clock, Penn State earned its first conference win and first victory in six weeks.
Final: Penn State 31, Purdue 17
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