No. 4 Penn State Remains Unbeaten, Stuns USC in Overtime

Nittany Lions tight end Tyler Warren has a record-setting day, and kicker Ryan Barker makes four field goals in the win.

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (15) throws a pass in the first half against the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

LOS ANGELES | Penn State's Ryan Barker, a redshirt freshman kicker who became his high school's first Division I football player, kicked a 36-yard field goal in overtime, lifting the No. 4 Nittany Lions to a frenetic 33-30 victory over the USC Trojans on Saturday.

Penn State (6-0) rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit behind tight end Tyler Warren, quarterback Drew Allar and a defense that made just enough timely stops. The Nittany Lions also benefited from USC coach Lincoln Riley's curious decision to run clock late in the fourth quarter.

Penn State defeated USC in California for the first time in a breathtaking game.

The turning point

Penn State defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton stuffed USC's Woody Marks on second down in overtime for a critical 3-yard loss, setting up the Trojans for a field-goal attempt. Kicker Michael Lantz, who had made two field goals. Lantz missed left from 45 yards, setting up Barker's improbable game-winner.

USC had led by 14 points in the first half, but Barker helped keep the Nittany Lions in the game, making three field goals. His fourth represented the game-winner. Barker, a walk-on, has a terrific story.

Ryan Barker’s 36-yard field goal in OT gives Penn State a 33-30 win over USC. The reaction: pic.twitter.com/WdDitfrI25

— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) October 12, 2024

Penn State's offense gains its footing

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar certainly had mood swings Saturday but was outrageously good when it counted. He threw for a career-high 391 yards yards and led the Nittany Lions on dazzling touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. Allar converted gutsy fourth-and-long passes to Julian Fleming, who dropped a pass earlier in the game, scrambled in the red zone and hit Nicholas Singleton (wide open in the flat) for a 14-yard touchdown to tie te game 30-30.

Allar led second-half scoring drives of 75, 90, 72 and 75 yards, completed eight consecutive passes at one point and set up the winning field goal by smartly centering the ball. He also threw three interceptions (albeit one on a last-play Hail Mary) for the first time in his career. On what seemed like a benign drive start in the third quarter, Allar rotated his eyes to backup tight end Khalil Dinkins, who was in traffic. USC's Kamari Ramsey began the trip drill, which Easton Mascarenas-Arnold intercepted at the Penn State 24-yard line. Penn State's defense camed up with a key stop, however, forcing USC to take a field goal.

Tyler Warren's epic game

How many tight ends snap the football and catch a touchdown pass on the same play? Penn State's Tyler Warren did that in the third quarter, part of the Nittany Lions' rally from a 14-point deficit to tie the game. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki empty his candy bag Saturday, calling this gem for Warren. The tight end lines to the left of an unbalanced line and snaps to Beau Pribula, who throws back to Allar, who throws downfield to Warren, who at least deserved a courtesy flag for pass interference. Tremendous catch to finish it.

Double pass TD for @PennStateFball to start the second half! 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/54lph5ddUw

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 12, 2024

Warren finished with a Penn State record 17 receptions for 224 yards and was outrageously good with the ball, producing 151 of his yards after the catch. Warren also took a direct snap, completed a 9-yard pass, rushed for four and blocked Kaytron Allen into the end zone for a score.

Lincoln Riley's questionable decision

USC worked its last series as though it led by three points. With 2:53 remaining, three timeouts and the two-minute timeout, Lincoln Riley let play clocks run and found his offense facing 3rd-and-6 from the Penn State 45-yard line with 14 seconds remaining. Nittany Lions safety Jaylen Reed ended the possession with an interception, and USC took three timeouts into overtime.

Two pivotal plays of the first quarter

Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki scripted a show-biz offense on the opening series, mixing tempo, new formations, Vega Ioane in motion again and a ton of Tyler Warren. It was entertaining to watch but stalled inside the 5-yard line. The Nittany Lions ran once (an Allar scramble) and had a touchdown pass from Allar to Warren called off by offensive pass interference (receiver Julian Fleming appeared to get his hands up too high).

Penn State's 3-0 lead, after Ryan Barker's 35-yard field goal, didn't last one play. Joyner dazzled on USC's next play from scrimmage, slicing through several overpursuing Penn State defenders to score from 75 yards. It was the longest play Penn State's defense has allowed this season.

USC's early big-play offense

Penn State entered the game ranked second in the Big Ten in explosive-play defense, having allowed just 13 plays of 20+ yards through four games. USC generated four in the first half alone, three on the ground, to inside-out the Nittany Lions' defense.

Quinten Joyner's scored from 75 yards on a perfectly called and executed end around, while Woody Marks had runs of 21 and 28 yards to set up Joyner's second touchdown. As a result, the Big Ten's No. 2 rushing defense, which had allowed one 100-yard rushing game against its last 16 Big Ten opponents, gave up 147 yards rushing in the first half.

Close calls

Penn State's offense was frustratingly close to two first-half touchdowns. Warren's first-half touchdown catch was taken off the board by Fleming's penalty. And in the second quarter, receiver Trey Wallace had a step on his coverage in the end zone and got his hands on Allar's pass but couldn't complete the catch. On the next play, Allar scrambled and looked for Warren, who wanted pass interference. He didn't get it, and Barker made his second field goal of the game.

Up next

Penn State has a bye Oct. 19 before visiting Wisconsin for its next Big Ten game Oct. 26.

More Penn State Football

How Penn State's passing game changed this season

What if James Franklin had left Penn State for USC?

Former Penn State cornerback D'Anton Lynn is USC's defensive coordinator

Penn State on SI is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.