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Penn State Football: Nittany Lions Take 20-6 Lead Over West Virginia at Halftime

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar throws three-first half touchdown passes, two to Harrison Wallace III.

Mark Wogenrich

Penn State running back Kaytron Allen scores a touchdown against West Virginia.
Penn State running back Kaytron Allen scores a touchdown against West Virginia. / Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
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MORGANTOWN, W.V. | Penn State quarterback Drew Allar threw three first-half touchdown passes, including a pair to Harrison Wallace III, as the Nittany Lions took a 20-6 lead over West Virginia at halftime.

The Nittany Lions closed the half with two top-end receiving plays from Wallace and Omari Evans, who generated huge catches for a position group that needed to make a strong debut. From Morgantown, some first-half thoughts of a game in a weather delay.

Harrison Wallace III is Penn State's No. 1 receiver

Before the season, Penn State receiver Harrison Wallace III commanded the WR1 designation. "I feel like I’m there," Wallace said. "I’m ready. From the work I’ve put in, the things I’ve had to go through, it’s time."

Wallace put up in the first half, catching five passes for 117 yards and two scores that demonstrated the breadth of his talent. On the first, Wallace broke contain against West Virginia's defense to go 50 yards to the end zone. And with six seconds left in the half, Wallace fought off a West Virginia defensive back for an 18-yard touchdown on a corner fade.

Wallace caught Allar's first four completions and was targeted on six of his first seven throws. Wallace made West Virginia pay for a secondary lapse on his touchdown. He's a weapon.

Drew Allar's big-play first half

Allar identified distracted West Virginia coverage three times for big plays: to Wallace and Kaytron Allen for touchdowns and deep downfield to Omari Evans for 55 yards late in the half, setting up Wallace's second score. Evans deftly pushed off to catch Allar's underthrown ball, but Allar still saw the quick-strike opportunity with Evans able to get free downfield.

Allar (8 for 13, 199 yards) missed a few access throws and nearly caused havoc later in the second quarter with a wide third-down throw that could have been returned for a touchdown. However, he also averaged 24.9 yards per completion and forced West Virginia to take him seriously deep.

Allar also is gathering a lot of moving parts in coordinator Andy Kotelnicki's offense. He's lining wide at receiver and making decoy calls lined next to running back Nicholas Singleton in the Wildcat. Some of it worked; some hasn't.

Beau Pribula is a feature player

The backup quarterback took at least a half-dozen snaps in the first half, including an attempted 2-point converion after the Wallace touchdown. Pribula ran an option with running back Nicholas Singleton, to convert a fourth down, and ran for a first down. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki promised that Pribula would be part of the offense. He is.

As an aside, Pribula's 2-point conversion passing attempt was negated by an ineligible receiver downfield. And evidently, special teams coordinator Justin Lustig wanted to remind everyone that Penn State has three new coordinators.

Penn State's defense continues to get stops

West Virginia moved the ball inside the Penn State 25-yard line three times but emerged with just two field goals. The key stop came in the first quarter, when the Nittany Lions stuffed a 4th-and-1 sneak by quarterback Garrett Greene. Linebackers Kobe King and Dom DeLuca kept the Mountaineers off the board after a 13-play drive that consumed 7:40.

Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen played five defensive backs and two linebackers often in the first half, with safety Jaylen Reed shining. He broke two passes, recovered a fumble and made eight tackles, one for a deep loss. Penn State's secondary broke up four passes, largely by jarring them loose. Penn State also is substituting often to keep players fresh and slow West Virginia's tempo offense.

Lapsed snaps

It's early, so forgive the fumbles on back-to-back snaps. Allar mishandled a snap from center Nick Dawkins that he didn't see coming, which West Virginia recovered. Allar seemed to argue with officials that West Virginia was clapping to mimic the snap count. The fumble stood, however.

On the very next play, West Virginia center Brandon Yates snapped the ball into a receiver in motion, which Reed recovered. Penn State didn't capitalize on the turnover, though.

Noteworthy

West Virginia running back Jahiem White went to the locker room late in the second quarter with an apparent injury.

Penn State freshmen DeJuan Lane, Cooper Cousins and Luke Reynolds saw action in the first half.

More Penn State Football

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Penn State plans some offensive "wrinkles" for West Virginia

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.

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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.