Penn State running back Kaytron Allen surpassed Evan Royster as the program's all-time leading rusher, in a blowout victory over Nebraska. (Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images)
Penn State finally put together a complete performance, even if it comes far too late to change what has been a disastrous and deeply disappointing season. The Nittany Lions steamrolled Nebraska 38-10 on Saturday night with a dominant ground game, a nearly flawless freshman quarterback, and a coaching staff that pushed all the right buttons to close out the home season and careers of the 2022 class on Senior Night inside Beaver Stadium.
The win doesn’t erase the six game losing streak.
It doesn’t bring back the national expectations that evaporated when Big Ten play kicked off in early October.
It doesn’t change the fact that this season fell apart in ways no one imagined in August.
But it does give us at least one night to acknowledge the guys who actually showed up and played the way they were supposed to all along.
Saturday night, Beaver Stadium saw an offensive explosion like the one most of us expected to see heading into this season.
Clearly, the program has stabilized, and much of the credit has to go to interim head coach Terry Smith and the rest of the coaches left from the James Franklin administration.
Penn State Game Balls, MVP from 38-10 Win over Nebraska
Game Ball 1: Kaytron Allen Breaks Penn State’s All-Time Rushing Record
The first game ball goes to Kaytron Allen, who ran like the only person in the building who remembered what Penn State football is supposed to look like.
He piled 160 yards on 25 carries and scored twice, all while breaking Evan Royster’s Penn State career rushing record.
Allen now stands at 3,954 yards, the new gold standard in Happy Valley. He also caught three balls for 51 yards, proving he’s just as dangerous in the passing game.
Allen ran angry and purposefully, and like a veteran who has been let down by the chaos around him all year. He deserved a night like this.
Game Ball 2: Nick Singleton Ties Saquon Barkley in Touchdowns
Game ball two goes to Nick Singleton, who reminded everyone why he was one of the hottest recruits in America five years ago … He finished with 44 rushing yards and two touchdowns, tying Saquon Barkley for both the career rushing touchdown record and the career all-purpose touchdown record.
Singleton wasn’t as damaging last night as he can be but this game ball is more of a “lifetime” achievement award.
Game Ball 3: Ethan Grunkemeyer Has His Breakout Game
The third game ball goes to Ethan Grunkemeyer, who looked like the only person on offense not carrying the emotional baggage of the past two months.
Grunkemeyer went 11-of-12 for 181 yards and a touchdown, threw darts all over the field, and handled the moment with the calm of a six-year senior, not a red shirt freshman.
If there is a silver lining in this disaster of a season, it is him.
MVP: Terry Smith and the Staff Finally Put It All Together
Finally, and yes, this is deserved,the MVP goes to the staff.
Terry Smith followed through on what he told reporters weeks ago.
Smith said the backs needed thirty touches. He said they were the offense. He stuck to it. And Allen and Singleton combined for four touchdowns because the plan finally matched the personnel.
Andy Kotelnicki called his cleanest game of the season. He leaned into the run game, stayed out of his own way, and got his greyhounds in space which built confidence for his freshman quarterback.
The offensive line responded and Penn State looked like a functioning unit.
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One Great Night in a Lost Season for Penn State
Let’s be honest, this season is not being saved.
It is not being resurrected and I’m certainly not trying to spin it into anything it wasn’t.
The damage was done weeks ago and I think it’s a credit to the current staff for stabilizing things and having their players ready to play.
All this win means is that Penn State now enters the final week of the season with at least a competitive pulse. A win over Rutgers and the Nittany Lions will be Bowl eligible. That’s no consolation for a collapsed season and a missed opportunity but for one night, the team looked the way it was supposed to look.
For one night, the stars played like stars and the staff actually maximized the roster.
It doesn’t fix anything but it deserves to be recognized for what it was – a dominant performance over a pretty good program in Happy Valley.
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It was at PRISM where Staszak produced live games and began his career as an on-air reporter.
After a couple of brief stints with CBS-3, WB-17 and WGAL-8 in Lancaster, PA, Staszak began a 12 year stretch at FOX 29 where he became the lead sportscaster in 2007. It was there that Staszak found himself in the middle of Philadelphia Phillies World Series Championship coverage that earned him an Emmy nomination for best sports reporter in 2008.It was one of five Emmy nominations that Staszak earned over the course of his career.
All told Staszak covered three World Series, two Stanley Cup Finals, an NBA Finals and one Super Bowl during his television run.
Staszak left the TV business for 97.5 The Fanatic in 2013, where he enjoyed eight years bloviating his beliefs on how a professional football team should be run.In 2018 when he fortunate enough to be the first sports talk host in the city, along with cohort Zach Gelb, to provide post-game coverage of the first Super Bowl Championship for the city’s beloved Philadelphia Eagles.
Staszak was also a writer for 97.5 The Fanatic along with 4 Philly Sports and now covers Penn State athletics for NittanyCentral.com.
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