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Penn State's Night of Redemption at Purdue

Several resilient Lions atoned for their mistakes in what James Franklin called a 'character win.'

Mark Wogenrich

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Penn State coach James Franklin called it a "character win," a case he was proud to make after the Lions rallied to defeat Purdue 35-31 on the road Thursday night.

A game that finished one minute shy of four hours featured seven lead changes, 99 passing attempts and no shortage of plays each team wanted back. For every Penn State pass interference or stalled run, Purdue had a personal foul or missed tackle.

But the Lions, who scored touchdowns in the final minute of both halves, made more plays when it mattered. And players who might have assumed blamed instead tasted redemption.

Here are just five players who showed bounceback in the Lions' thrilling victory over Purdue.

Sean Clifford

Penn State's sixth-year quarterback needed an IV to treat cramping, according to coach James Franklin, and took a bruising shot to his left knee that resulted in one of two Purdue personal fouls. Clifford told reporters after the game that the knee brace he wore mitigated the blow.

In addition, Clifford threw the first pick-6 of his career, a pass that probably should have ended the game. But of all his quarterback traits, Clifford relies most on his confidence. That's what guided him through the finish.

Clifford completed 6 of 7 passes on Penn State's game-winning drive, a stretch that followed four straight incompletions. He looked poised and almost effortless in hitting four different targets, including running back Keyvone Lee with the game-winner.

Franklin noted afterward that Clifford has had a "roller-coaster career," which no doubt will continue this season.

"Experience counts and experience matters," Franklin said, "and obviously it showed there at the end of the game."

Keyvone Lee

He was Penn State's starting back at Purdue, but who knows how long that designation will last. Freshmen Kaytron Allen, who averaged a team-high 3.9 yards per carry, and Nicholas Singleton will command more carries as the season progresses. However, Lee proved his worth on the final series.

The back caught two passes on the winning drive, including the 10-yard touchdown toss from Clifford. It wasn't an easy play: Lee had to track the ball while stepping toward the pylon, deftly keeping both feet inbound. Lee might cede more carries to the freshmen, but he'll maintain an important offensive role.

Joey Porter Jr.

Fans heard plenty about Porter being a potential first-round draft pick next spring. Purdue tested that theory by throwing at Porter all night with mixed results.

Receiver Charlie Jones caught 12 passes for 153 yards largely against Porter, who still made some breathtaking plays. He was credited with a school-record six pass breakups, according to an updated box score released Saturday. Porter also dropped a potential pick-6, recovered a fumble that led to a Penn State touchdown, was called for pass interference and made a team-high eight tackles.

It was among the most visible game ever for a Penn State cornerback, one that showcased Porter's strengths and flaws in every way imaginable.

Johnny Dixon

The cornerback was flagged for two pass-interference penalties, one that led to a Purdue touchdown in the second quarter. But Dixon responded in the fourth by breaking up a pass that led to one of Purdue's four punts in the quarter. He punctuated the game with a sack on the Boilermakers' final series.

Tyler Warren

Freshman quarterback Drew Allar threw an absolute dime to Warren in the third quarter, a pass that the tight end dropped. Franklin called it one of the game's "big-time balls."

But Warren, who made three catches, composed himself later to make an underrated catch on the Lions' game-winning series. Warren ran a sharp route, caught a heater above his head and held on through a huge collision. The 15-yard gain set up Penn State for first-and-goal, and Lee's touchdown followed.

Penn State opens its home slate Sept. 10 against Ohio at Beaver Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.

Read More

What we learned from Penn State's thrilling win over Purdue

The Penn State-Purdue report card

Freshman quarterback Drew Allar earns the No. 2 quarterback spot in Penn State's offense

AllPennState 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 Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is Editor and Publisher of AllPennState, the site for Penn State news on SI's FanNation Network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs and three Rose Bowls.

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