The Penn State Football Report Card: Minnesota Edition

The Nittany Lions didn't play a particularly clean or efficient game. But they hardened at key moments to edge the Golden Gophers.

Penn State tight end Luke Reynolds celebrates after converting a fake punt against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the fourth quarter at Huntington Bank Stadium. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

MINNEAPOLS | Penn State offensive lineman Nick Dawkins had taken off his helmet and was picking up and IPad when he caught freshman Luke Reynolds "boogieing" up the sideline. "Oooh, OK, there you go, go get your helmet back on," Dawkins said to his fellow linemen.

Reynolds' fourth-down punt fake, which most of Penn State's offense didn't know had been called, purged the memory of two previous special-teams lapses and proved the pivot point of the Nittany Lions' 26-25 win over Minnesota. By no means did Penn State play a clean, efficient or even particularly impressive game. But they were effective enough at critical points, notably in the second half, to improve to 10-1 and continue their grip on a first-round home game in the College Football Playoff.

This week's Penn State report card considers the entirety of Saturday's game and not just the final series, which nevertheless was exceptionally compelling from the Nittany Lions' perspective.

RELATED: What we learned from Penn State's wild win at Minnesota

OFFENSE: C

Penn State's offense revived its erratic play of the Ohio State game, notably while trying to run. Minnesota shut down Penn State's first-half run game (13 carries, 10 yards) and frustrated quarterback Drew Allar, save for one play: a 45-yard touchdown completion to a forgotten Omari Evans. But as center Nick Dawkins said, Minnesota's defense "is a little different than a lot of Big Ten teams." The Nittany Lions found ways to get Nicholas Singleton wide in the second half, leading him to finish with 63 yards. Allar also focuse on tight end Tyler Warren, who had another 100-yard receiving game (8 catches, 102 yards).

Allar ran tenaciously in moments, particularly on his 4-yard touchdown in the second half and then converted two huge fourth downs at the end. He popped a sneak on 4th-and-1 and hit Warren for 11 yards on another 4th-and-1, the game's final play. Allar made that play work. He extended the pocked just enough to shift from his primary read (Singleton) to Warren alone along the left sideline. Allar ran hot occasionally and dodged a few danger spots but still finished 21-for-28 for 244 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. The big picture wasn't great: Penn State went 1-for-11 on third down and scored just 6 points when given the ball in Minnesota territory following two turnovers. But that final series was what Penn State coach Franklin would call a "championship drive."

DEFENSE: B-

Penn State labored to corral Minnesota's run game: Darius Taylor and Marcus Major combined for 95 yards, Major danced through a hole for a 20-yard touchdown and the Gophers put together a lovely trick play to score. Here again, however, Penn State's defense made individual moments count. The Nittany Lions generated two turnovers, including Dom DeLuca's second interception of the season. In the fourth quarter, Minnesota had a red-zone play call that it loved. But, as Gophers coach P.J. Fleck said, Penn State's Abdul Carter flanked just wide enough in coverage to force a throw-away, and the Gophers settled for a field goal.

But Penn State's defense continued one major theme: It did not allow a third-quarter touchdown for the 11th time this season. Opponents have scored 15 third-quarter points against Penn State, all on field goals, including Minnesota. And those were the only second-half points the Gophers scored. In all, a defensive performance better than its parts.

RELATED: What they said after Penn State's win over the Gophers

SPECIAL TEAMS: F/A

Have to grade this by halves. Penn State allowed its first blocked punt since 2018 and its first blocked extra point since 2022. That combination probably hasn't happened in one season, let alone one half. Yet Minnesota's Derik LeCaptain beat Luke Reynolds to the punt, and teammate Jack Henderson took advantage of an open lane (a lineman blocked to his left instead of his right) to block the extra point, which Ethan Robinson returned for two points.

But Reynolds got his redemption, going 32 yards on the fake punt that Fleck said was a "heck of a call by James." Credit also goes to Penn State's Dominic Rulli, the lineman who reads the opposing formation and determines whether the fake is on or off. Rulli also delivered a strong block, with freshman Cooper Cousins, to free Reynolds. The combination of call and execution, with 3:47 remaining, was perfect. Extra credit to kicker Ryan Barker, who made two field goals, one from 45 yards.

COACHING: C+

Franklin and his staff got outcoaches for a half. Fleck had the right defense in place (save for one play) and called the trick play after the blocked punt in perfect timing. But Penn State has mixed some halftime elixirs this season. The comeback was its fourth and third on the road (at USC and Wisconsin as well). Further, that final series, on which Penn State converted three fourth downs and ran out the clock, was better than some of the team's touchdown drives this season.

OVERALL: C+

Minnesota has been an occasional big-game thorn for Penn State, notalbly at Huntington Bank Stadium in 2019. This game was headed in a similar direction. Then the Nittany Lions got their situational act together and ran a 12-play, 72-yard drive that consumed the final 5:48 and ended the game. To win without their best stuff was vital for the Nittany Lions.