Sanders and McSorely lead Penn State past Wisconsin, 22-10

State College- Still showing lingering signs of a sore right knee, Trace McSorely handed the ball off to Miles Sanders 23 times and Sanders revitalized the Penn State running game with 159 yards and a TD run to lead the Nittany Lions to a 22-19 win over the Wisconsin Badgers.  Though McSorely played hobbled and sat out some plays escorted off by the medical staff.  A red-shirt junior, Tommy Stevens filled in for him.  John and I expect to see Stevens get a lot of action in the 2019 spring game.   Wisconsin played again without their QB Alex Hornibrook.  Their med staff has sidelined him with a concussion.

Leading rushers, banged up QBs

While Penn State relied on the legs of Sanders, the Badgers tried to do the same with Jonathan Taylor, the leading rusher in the FBS.  Without the services of Hornibrook, however, backup QB Jack Coan could not effectively put together an effective passing game (9 of 20 for 60 yard and two INTs).  The Nittany Lion defense led by DE Shareef Miller and DT Robert Windsor applied the primary pressure on Coan this afternoon as both registered two sacks each.

Time and Weather

For Collegefootballfan.com and many other fans, the day started out bitterly cold and very early.  Temperatures in Happy Valley dropped into the 30s and gusting winds brought the wind chill down into the teens.  The cold, crazy, wet weather over the past few weeks forced us to come over-prepared with lots of rain and cold weather gear to withstand the icy blasts.  Luckily, the noon time kickoff started under clear, sunny skies despite the cold temperatures.

As for the early part, the school had announced early this week that all grass parking areas (most of PSU’s parking facility) would be closed due to the very wet weather that has prevailed in Happy Valley over the past few weeks.  Satellite parking arrangements in paved offsite areas compensated throughout the area so most fans could board buses to get over to Beaver Stadium.  Our regular Penn State Guest Game Analyst John Massimilla and friends were able to get a parking pass from other friends which literally put us in the shadows of Beaver Stadium in the north lot.  My arrival at 9 AM in the parking lot of the Nittany Mall after a three-hour haul still gave us time to enjoy some libations and sandwiches before heading in.  I even had a ride after the game back to the Nittany Mall to beat the long bus lines back.

BANG!

Wisconsin started off with a bang as Jonathan Taylor (20 for 185, 1 TD) broke through the right side of the scrimmage line for a 71-yard TD.  Penn State responded with a 75-yard scoring drive of its own when McSorely (19 of 25, 160 yards, 1 TD) connected with DeAndre Thompkins on a 14-yard scoring pass.  A botched snap on the Badgers next possession put PSU back on offense.  The Lions took the lead on Jake Pinegar’s 49-yard FG to put Penn State up 10-7 at the end of the first.

Lions score and shut down Badgers

In the second period, Sanders picked up a key first down on third and seven to get to the UW 17.  Four plays later, he took it over from the one. Pinegar missed the mark on the PAT for a 16-7 PSU lead. CB Amano Oruwariye picked off a Coan pass to set the Lions up for another score before the half.  Badger DE Isaiahh Loudermilk foiled that opportunity as he blocked Pinegar’s 44-yard attempt to keep the score intact at halftime.

Win sets record

Wisconsin started off the scoring in the second half as it had done in the first.  PK Rafael Gagalianone’s 28-yard field goal put the Badgers to win six.  The Lions offset that margin as Pinegar booted a 44-yarder to reclaim the difference later in the period.  In the final quarter, he finished the scoring for the day from 23 to finalize the score, 22-10, the put the Penn State record at 7-3, 3-3 in the Big Ten with two games remaining.  With the win, McSorely, who rushed for only nine yards on 11 carries on a sore leg, tied the Penn State record for wins as a QB tying Todd Blackledge and Tony Sacca with his 29^th.  Three more games should help put him on top if he stays healthy.

Sanders eclipsed the 1000-yard rushing mark for the season.  Leading the FBS, Jonathan Taylor (Salem, NJ) has racked up 1,548 rushing yards this season.

Next:

Penn State travels to the Birthplace of College Football next week to take on Rutgers (1-9,0-7). Since its start back in 1869, RU is again trying to master the art of the forward pass.  Wisconsin (6-4, 5-3) travels to Purdue.  The Boilermakers have beaten the likes of Boston College and Ohio state, but the struggle with lesser teams.  CFF.com heads back down to Annapolis for a Boys weekend to see if the Midshipman of Navy (2-8, 1-5) can salvage a win at home against Tulsa.  The Golden Hurricanes match both of Navy’s records.

Extra Points:  

PSU alum and 91-year old football player wally Triplett was remembered after his passing last week.  He was one of the first two African-Americans to play football at Penn State and the first African American drafted by the NFL where he played for the Detroit Lions.

Word has it that the loser of this game today would most likely get invited to play in the Pin Stripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium against an ACC opponent.

James Franklin’s college coach at East Stroudsburg University, Denny Douds, announced his retirement from that school recently at the end of this season. Two weeks ago at a game against Ohio Dominican when he called a time-out, he made his official announcement.  We saw him coach several times including back in 1994 in a game won against Southern Connecticut State when Franklin started at QB for the Warriors.  Douds will leave the school where he has been Head Coach since 1975.  Including his last victory this past week over Clarion State, he retires with 265 wins.  He’ll remain at the school in an administrative position, and he will continue to teach in its sports management program.  Another former QB who won the Harland Hill Award for best player in D-2, Jimmy Terwilliger, will take over the head coaching position at ESU.  We wish Denny Douds the best of everything!