Five Things We Learned: Penn State vs. Buffalo
Students once again filled Beaver stadium and braved the rain Saturday afternoon, where Penn State won their home opener after a 27-14 victory. Here are five things to take away from the game:
- Nittany Lions don’t like the rain
Rainy days make for sloppy games, and that was no different Saturday as both offenses struggled to get anything working early on.
On the Penn State side, short runs and off-target throws filled the first half, where in their first four possessions they earned just three first downs. Entering halftime, the Nittany Lions had only gained 126 total yards and put up 10 points.
After the rain cleared up during the second half, the Nittany Lions looked like a different team as they started moving the ball well on the Bulls. Penn State had three drives of 50 yards or more, which led to 17 points.
The Nittany Lions ended the game with 15 first downs and 328 total yards, 200 of which came on the ground.
- True Freshmen Saquon Barkley and Brandon Polk could be special
Saquon Barkley came into Saturday with one carry for one yard in his collegiate career. His season stat line grew exponentially as he entered the game in the second half and exploded for several big gains, including one where he leaped over a defender.
Barkley ended the game with 105 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries, which was a huge reason for Penn State’s second half outburst.
Wide receiver Brandon Polk also added 45 yards and a touchdown on the ground as the freshman boasts a 19.0 yards per carry average.
Both freshman made big plays and show not only a bright spot for this offense now, but also for the future.
- Carl Nassib is the unsung hero of defense
Many fans know the names Anthony Zettel and Austin Johnson, arguably the country’s best defensive tackle duo, but there’s another man alongside them who is making a name for himself.
In his first two games of the season, fifth-year senior Carl Nassib has two forced fumbles, an interception and four sacks; tied for second most in the country.
Nassib’s success has made the defensive line even more effective, beating blockers one-on-one while his other teammates eat up double team blocks. Coach Franklin claimed he has “been bragging about (Nassib) all summer” and now the talk is turning into results.
- Andrew Nelson’s nagging injury could cause issues for O-line
Andrew Nelson, the most experienced offensive tackle on the roster, went down at the end of the first half as he left the field with assistance by trainers.
The injury remains undisclosed, however Coach Franklin said that this is a nagging injury that flared up. No timetable for a return has been mentioned.
The offensive line did not allow a sack all game and was a cohesive unit in the second half with the substitution of Paris Palmer for Nelson at left tackle.
- B1G > MAC
A win is a win, but following Buffalo, a member of the MAC conference, Penn State’s Big Ten conference schedule begins with Rutgers this upcoming weekend.
Rutgers is 1-1 after a close loss Saturday to Washington State and has put up nearly three times as many points as the blue and white so far this season.
If the second-half Nittany Lion team from Saturday shows up this week, Penn State could walk away victorious. If not, Rutgers could get revenge for their shortcomings last year.
Ryan Berti is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ryanpberti@gmail.com
