STATE COLLEGE – Kobe King was like many in the crowd of 103,861 in the first half Saturday at Beaver Stadium.
He didn’t recognize the Penn State defense, which shut down West Virginia in the opener and which was one of the finest in the country last year.
“The urgency wasn’t where it was supposed to be,” King said. “Guys weren’t on the same wavelength. We’re all like-minded, but we didn’t feel that in the first half. We didn’t feel that energy that we’re supposed to have, the pulse we needed.”
The Nittany Lions regrouped at halftime and responded with a dominant defensive performance in the second half that led to a 34-27 victory over Bowling Green.
Tony Rojas and Zakee Wheatley made fourth-quarter interceptions to help No. 8 Penn State (2-0) escape with a win over the 35-point underdog Falcons (1-1).
After Bowling Green took a 24-20 halftime lead by rolling up 288 yards, the Lions held the Falcons to 87 yards and three points in the second half.
“We came out a little slow and not up to our standard,” safety Jaylen Reed said. “We weren’t flying around. We were loose on our tackling in the first half. We had some stuff to correct.”
Penn State avoided its first loss to a Mid-American Conference opponent since 2012. Former Gov. Mifflin star Nick Singleton caught a 14-yard pass from Drew Allar in the third quarter to put the Lions ahead for good and sprinted for a 41-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Singleton finished with 119 yards on 14 carries, his second 100-yard game in as many weeks, and backfield mate Kaytron Allen ran 14 times for 101 yards. It was the second time they both topped 100 yards in the same game; the other one was last November against Michigan State.
“That’s a two-headed monster,” center Nick Dawkins said. “When teams have to fear the run game, it opens up the pass game. When you have those two guys running with a full head of steam and punishing defenders, it’s important.”
Allar completed 13-of-20 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns, including one to Omari Evans, and ran for a first-quarter touchdown. Tyler Warren caught eight passes for 146 yards, a record for a Penn State tight end.
“He’s an assassin,” Dawkins said. “He’s quiet. He handles his business. When something needs to be said, he’ll say it. He just gets his job done. He executes to perfection.”
Bowling Green quarterback Connor Bazelak shredded the Penn State defense in the first half, completing 16-of-20 passes for 192 yards. The last time the Lions allowed 24 points in a first half was in a 41-21 loss to Iowa in 2020 during the pandemic.
Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. and wide receiver Malcolm Johnson Jr. caught TD passes from him, and Jamal Johnson ran for a 41-yard score. The Lions’ only stop came when Abdul Carter hurried Bazelak on fourth down and broke up his pass.
“Early on, we were trying to make plays rather than play the defense,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “We were getting out of our gaps. We were doing things we hadn’t done during the week. We have to get those things cleaned up.”
Bazelak went just 9-for-19 for 62 yards in the second half; the Falcons had just six first downs, none in the third quarter.
Penn State’s offense, meanwhile, took a 27-24 lead behind the passing of Allar, who completed all four of his throws on an 85-yard drive. Warren had three catches for 62 yards before Allar delivered a laser to Singleton over the middle for a touchdown with 6:13 left in the third quarter.
On the snap after Wheatley’s interception, Singleton made one cut and burst into open space for his third touchdown in two games.
“It (coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s offense) opens different avenues and different holes for him to use his speed, one of his superpowers,” Dawkins said.
Bowling Green’s Jackson Kleather kicked a 42-yard field goal with 47 seconds left before King recovered the onside kick to seal it.
“The ball came at me fast,” he said. “I was going to let it go past me, but it bounced so I had to make a quick decision and get it.”
The Lions were relieved after their second-half comeback.
“Certain guys probably had a certain thought about the team we played today,” King said. “We have to have the same approach and the same mindset during the week. Every week is the Super Bowl.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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