Penn State overcame a series of mistakes and a fourth quarter deficit with a scoring drive in the final two minutes to beat Purdue 35-31 Thursday night in the 2022 season opener at West Lafayette.
After a promising start from Sean Clifford and his playmakers, a second half injury scare led to true freshman Drew Allar receiving his first collegiate snaps. When Clifford returned, the team – offense and defense – began to unravel.
But an efficient 80-yard drive capped by a 10-yard touchdown pass from Clifford to Keyvone Lee and a final defensive stand led to the Nittany Lions’ comeback and narrow victory.
Clifford finished an up-and-down night with 282 passing yards, five total touchdowns and an interception that was returned for a Purdue score.
Despite beginning its conference play on the road for the seventh consecutive year and enduring Purdue’s Black Out conditions, Penn State will return to Beaver Stadium for next week’s home opener with a 1-0 record.
How It Happened
The Nittany Lions went three and out, after two Keyvone Lee rushes and a holding penalty. After taking a moment to feel the game out, the defense was able to fend off a pass-heavy series led by veteran Boilermaker QB Aidan O’Connell.
Penn State true freshman Nick Singleton stepped in at running back on the next series and immediately made a mark with a speedy 9-yard gain, before the drive eventually sputtered out.
Cornerback Joey Porter had two hands on a potential interception in Boilermaker territory, but he bobbled it and Purdue took advantage, picking up an 11-yard reception. Purdue’s momentum continued to a 36-yard field goal, giving the Boilermakers the first lead of the game at 3-0.
True freshman running back Kaytron Allen stepped into the backfield as Penn State’s third running back of the night as the first quarter’s time expired.
A quarter-opening fourth down conversion set the stage for a 12-yard touchdown pass to Western Kentucky transfer Mitchell Tinsley, swinging the score to 7-3 for Penn State after a 12-play, 79-yard drive.
A targeting ejection for freshman linebacker Abdul Carter on his first defensive snap and two consecutive bad plays from corner Johnny Dixon egged on a Purdue drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by King Doerue. With just under 10 minutes remaining in the half, the Boilermakers were up 10-7.
After a hit to his lower left leg that yielded a roughing call deep in Purdue territory, Clifford struck back with a 2-yard score as the scrum pushed him over the goal line to give the Nittany Lions a 14-10 lead. Purdue took over possession with four and a half minutes left in the half, but lost it with 1:14 remaining on a redzone fumble forced by Zakee Wheatley – the “turnover king” of Penn State’s camp — and recovered by Joey Porter Jr. It took the Nittany Lions two plays to take advantage, as Clifford found Brenton Strange for a 67-yard touchdown pass. Penn State entered halftime with a 21-10 advantage.
Purdue opened the second half with O’Connell effortlessly guiding the Boilermakers downfield on a drive punctuated by a 2-yard Doerue touchdown run Clifford, meanwhile, was seen jogging back to the locker room helmet-less at the start of the quarter. Recently named freshman backup quarterback Drew Allar took the field for his first snaps as a Nittany Lion, defending a 21-17 lead.
Allar completed two-of-four passes — one of the incompletions a perfectly placed ball that was dropped — en route to a punt.
After the Boilermakers were held to a three and out, Clifford reemerged during a media timeout, having spent 23 minutes in the locker room. Clifford’s first drive back also ended in a punt. Purdue responded with a methodical 10-play, 81-yard touchdown drive, with O’Connell hitting new favorite receiver Charlie Jones for a 10-yard score in the back of the end zone to take a 24-21 lead late in the third.
The two teams traded punts to open the fourth quarter. On Penn State’s second drive of the quarter, KeAndre Lambert Smith caught a pass on a slant route and spun out of a tackle to go 29 yards for a touchdown, giving Penn State the 28-24 advantage with 10:44 left.
Penn State forced a quick three and out, but instead of capitalizing, Clifford threw his worst pass of the night. He sailed the ball over the head of a wide open Tinsley, into the arms of Purdue safety Chris Jefferson, who ran it back 72 yards for a touchdown.
Purdue recaptured the lead at 31-28 and the Nittany Lions responded with an an uninspired three-and-out.
The two teams traded punts and Penn State got the ball on its own 20 with 2:22 remaining.
Clifford went to work, going 6-of-7 passing to lead the Nittany Lions quickly downfield. His final toss to Lee went 10-yards for the go-ahead score.
Purdue was left with 53 seconds to work with, but the Penn State defense held firm. Defensive end Chop Robinson sacked O’Connell at the Boilermaker 42 as time ran out to end the game.
Takeaways
- Anyone who thought the quarterback controversy was going to calm down was proven wrong. Despite a poised first half performance from Sean Clifford, his potential injury scare seemed to shock the offense back into its lackluster 2021 form – including a terrible interception in the fourth. Drew Allar’s brief stint included some nice passes and good footwork, but not enough to instill game changing confidence in him just yet and Clifford’s game-winning drive was an unexpected master class. Still, the conversation surrounding changeup is no longer unfair.
- Though the Clifford vs. Allar debate will continue with a new energy, it may not matter who’s under center if the drops aren’t curtailed. Too many passes hit receivers in the hands and still fell to the ground. Losing coverage battles is one thing, but if your hands are on it, that ball must be caught. The drops were an issue, but when pass catchers reeled the balls in, they hit space well. Mitchell Tinsley, Parker Washington, Brenton Strange, and KeAndre Lambert-Smith all had moments where they asserted themselves.
- The theme of the night must have been youth, as the veteran starter, sophomore Keyvone Lee, looked less convincing than the pair of freshmen behind him. Both Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen appeared quicker and more aggressive in their decision making. Still, none made an indelible mark on the box score. On 25 rushes, the trio of backs totaled just 75 yards on the ground.
- This offseason, James Franklin’s refrain about the offensive line has been “wait and see.” Well, we’ve seen and it still doesn’t look great.
- 26 of the 34 defensive players who traveled with the team played snaps on defense, including multiple new faces. Defensive coordinator Manny Diaz’s preseason comments about building deep rotations were based in fact, however the quality of those rotations left something to be desired. The pass rush was lacking, the defensive backs were temperamental, and the middle of the field was attacked repeatedly by Purdue’s quarterback Aidan O’Connell. It’s hard to say whether the rotations were a product of failed execution or just weak starters.
What’s Next
Penn State will host Ohio at noon on Sept. 10 at Beaver Stadium in its 2022 home opener. The game will be televised on ABC.
