Penn State Goes Big at the Rose Bowl

Utah had not allowed an 80-yard play since 2018. The Lions produced two in a huge Rose Bowl victory.

PASADENA, Calif. | Nicholas Singleton rushed for two touchdowns, including an 87-yarder and quarterback Sean Clifford threw his longest touchdown pass of the season as the Lions defeated Utah 35-21 in the Rose Bowl on Monday.

The big-play Lions scored touchdowns of 88 and 87 yards against a Utah defense that had not allowed a play of 80+ yards since 2018. They also scored 21 unanswered second-half points, 14 of which came after Utah quarterback Cameron Rising left the game with an injury.

Penn State finished an 11-2 season with five consecutive wins, punctuated by its first Rose Bowl victory since 1995. The breakdown.

Nicholas Singleton Joins Saquon, Ki-Jana

Penn State has generated some memorable touchdown runs at the Rose Bowl. Freshman Nicholas Singleton added another gem to the list.

Singleton showed his devastating burst, driving through a well-blocked gap for an 87-yard touchdown run gave the Lions a 21-14 lead. It also upstaged two legendary Rose Bowl runs.

Remember that Ki-Jana Carter went 83 yards for a score in 1995, and Saquon Barkley delivered an epic 79-yard scoring run against USC in 2017.

Singleton's run was the second-longest in Penn State bowl history and third-longest in Rose Bowl history. It also got him across the 1,000 rushing milestone as a freshman.

87 YARDS TO. THE. HOUSE‼️

The third-longest TD run in Rose Bowl history 🌹 pic.twitter.com/dlg15Lb8C2

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 3, 2023

Sean Clifford's Farewell

The Penn State quarterback knelt to the ground and pointed to the sky as KeAndre Lambert-Smith raced to the end zone for an 88-yard touchdown, supplanting Singleton's run as the the Lions' longest offensive play of the season.

Clifford played a mostly exceptional final game for the Lions. He completed 10 of his first 13 passes, was 5-for-5 on third down at one point and threw for two scores. He was particularly effective on a second-down drive, when he escaped pressure and found Lambert-Smith to convert third-and-long.

Clifford delivered a legacy performance, one that punctuated his four-year starting career on the right note.

Ji'Ayir Brown's Farewell

Penn State's senior safety was among the players who wore a No. 34 jersey on the field during pregame warmups, honoring the late Franco Harris. Then, as usual, Brown delivered a huge game and a key play.

Brown intercepted a Bryson Barnes pass in the third quarter, negating a potential game-tying drive. It was Brown's 10th career interception and the 16th turnover of which he has been a part. The safety was everywhere, leading the Lions in tackles, making 1.5 sacks and getting stronger as the game progressed.

Brown leaves Penn State with one of its great defensive stories, a player who received no scholarship offers, went to junior college and turned himself into an NFL safety.

A Pivot Play

Penn State defensive coordinator considers pressure mandatory on throwing downs. He sent an army on 3rd-and-10 in the second quarter, which didn't work.

Utah quarterback Cam Rising lofted a underthrown ball to Devaughn Vele, who adjusted quickly in front of cornerback Marquis Wilson for a 46-yard gain. The Utes scored two plays later to tie the game, a pivotal game moment at the time.

Penn State had just scored and had Utah under duress 4 minutes before halftime. The score changed the tenor headed into halftime. Notably, Penn State cornerback Kalen King wasn't on the field for much of that series.

Kalen King Continues to Impress

During the season's second half, cornerback Kalen King might have been the team's best defensive back. He was durable, steady and rarely got out of position. King continued that into the Rose Bowl.

The sophomore ran Utah receiver Devaughn Vele's route for him, cutting inside and spinning in time to intercept a Cam Rising pass. King finished the regular season second in the nation with 18 pass breakups. The interception was his third. 

Noteworthy

Penn State rolled pretty deep into its safety rotation as starter Keaton Ellis and Jaylen Reed were injured. Reed had an arm in a sling after the game. Redshirt freshmen Zakee Wheatley and KJ Winston got heavy reps.

In addition to his interception, Kalen King made a huge third-down tackle in the third quarter to halt a potential game-tying Utah series.

Chris Stoll, the national long-snapper of the year, joined the legacy club by downing a Barney Amor punt at the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter.

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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.