Penn State 33, Indiana 24: Nittany Lions Avoid Major Upset

Drew Allar finds KeAndre Lambert-Smith for a late touchdown as the Nittany Lions labor to a Big Ten victory.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. | Penn State quarterback Drew Allar followed his first interception with the biggest completion of his young career, hitting KeAndre Lambert-Smith for a 57-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown as the Nittany Lions defeated Indiana 33-24 to escape the Hoosiers' upset bid.

Despite being 32-point favorites entering the game, Penn State struggled offensively yet again and were tied with the Hoosiers with  2:56 remaining. That's when Allar hit Lambert-Smith in stride for the game-winning score. Penn State's defense, burned by several big plays earlier, generated two key late stops, forcing a safety after the touchdown, to seal the game.

Whew, the Lions said, as they improved to 7-1. The breakdown from Beaver Stadium.

The Turning Point

Allar has completed precisely two passes this season longer than 40 yards. Both were to KeAndre Lambert-Smith, both produced touchdowns and both elicited enormous cheers from the Beaver Stadium crowd. This one turned more toward relief, though.

With 1:46 remaining in a tie game, Allar loaded up for a deep move to Lambert-Smith, who beat single coverage for a 57-yard score. The completion, Allar's most important of his young career so far, followed just two attempts after his first career interception in 311 attempts dating to last season. It was a potentially crushing play (Allar threw off his back foot under extreme pressure) that gave Indiana possession at the Penn State 21-yard line. The Hoosiers managed just a game-tying field goal against a timely defensive stand.

The Lions' offense labored through the much of the game, dragging itself to 17 first-half points despite huge advantages in field position and time of possession. The Lions ran for just 55 yards in the first half (Rutgers totaled 270 vs. Indiana last week) and converted 4 of 12 third downs. Yet kicker Alex Felkins' 50-yard field goal to close the first half offered some hope. Then Penn State appeared to take control of the game to start the second half.

Allar and Kaytron Allen led a 12-play, 75-yard drive, which Allar capped with his best passing play of the game to that point. He recognized 6-6 tight end Theo Johnson in single coverage against defensive back Josh Sanguinetti (6-1, 195) and took advantage. Allar lofted a go-get-it ball to Johnson, who did for a 16-yard score.

Indiana Stuns Penn State With Big Plays

The Nittany Lions had not allowed a pass play longer than 37 yards this season and had not allowed a 90-yard reception in 30 years. Then DeQuece Carter stretched into a safety-free zone and outran three defenders for a 90-yard touchdown from Brendan Sorsby. It was the longest completion against Penn State since 1993, also by Indiana (a 99-yard touchdown from John Paci to Thomas Lewis).

DeQuece Carter is gone. 🏃‍♂️💨@DeQuece_Carter x @IndianaFootball

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/A5dlRgQ0nb

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 28, 2023

But Carter wasn't done. Later in the first half, he took advantage of a Penn State's corner blitz with no safety help for an easy 69-yard touchdown pass. And the Lions, who entered the game as the Big Ten's leader in explosive-play defense and had not allowed a play of 40+ yards, gave up two in one half. Indiana generated a season-high 220 yards of offense against Penn State in that half and rattled the Lions further in the fourth quarter, when Sorsby connected with Omar Cooper Jr. for a 26-yard score.

Before Saturday, Penn State's defense had allowed two passing touchdowns all season. Sorsby threw three. However, the Lions' defense stuffed Indiana on its last two series, forcing a red-zone field goal after the interception and sacking Sorsby to produce the lte safety.

Injury Update

Receiver Harrison Wallace III and right tackle Caedan Wallace left the game with injuries in the first half. Harrison Wallace, injured in the first quarter, wore an arm sling and did not play the remainder of the game.

The Lions already were without defensive end Chop Robinson, who was declared out after sustaining an injury at Ohio State last week. Guard JB Nelson returned after not playing at Ohio State.

Up Next

Penn State visits Maryland on Nov. 4. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

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