UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State played an awful first half and was on the verge of getting embarrassed on senior day.
The second half was a much different story, as the Nittany Lions came out and throttled Michigan State in a 39-24 victory at Beaver Stadium.
PSU won its third straight game after an 0-5 start, but it wasn’t easy. The Lions trailed 21-10 at the half against a Spartans team that has struggled mightily on offense for most of the season.
Penn State got right back in it with a TD drive and 2-point conversion on the first possession of the second half. The Lions then came up with a huge defensive stop, holding Michigan State to a field goal after it had gotten first-and-goal at the 4.
A TD there, and the Spartans would have gone back up by 10. Instead, the field goal made it 24-18.
Penn State’s offense answered after the defensive stop, moving right down the field to score a touchdown and take the lead for good. Will Levis scored from 2 yards out with 2 seconds left in the third quarter for a 25-24 lead.
The Lions got a 49-yard TD pass from Sean Clifford to Parker Washington and an 81-yard punt return for a TD by Jahan Dotson to pull away and seal the victory.
Clifford completed 17-of-27 passes for 232 yards and two TDs, and he also ran for a 31-yard score. He was PSU’s leading rusher with 48 yards, and backup QB Will Levis ran for 36 yards.
Michigan State QB Payton Thorne completed 22-of-39 for 325 yards, three TDs and one INT in the loss. Jordan Simmons led the Spartans’ ground game with 72 yards on 14 carries.
Scoring summary and video highlights
Penn State 39, Michigan State 24: Jahan Dotson turned in a tremendous punt return for an 81-yard TD with 11:24 remaining.
Jahan “✌🏼” Dotson pic.twitter.com/qyJNbajTMU
— 𝙿𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚝 (@fatpoust) December 12, 2020
Penn State 32, Michigan State 24: Clifford hit Parker Washington deep down the right side, and Washington turned it into a 49-yard catch-and-run TD with 12:18 to go.
tFR WR Parker Washington’s 2nd TD of the day. #Devy pic.twitter.com/XvjfzCGyuQ
— Greg Brandt (@devywarehouse) December 12, 2020
Penn State 25, Michigan State 24: Sparked by the defensive stop, Penn State’s offense went 69 yards for a TD on the ensuing possession, highlighted by a 37-yard pass from Clifford to Dotson over the middle. A 26-yard pass to Washington took PSU to the 7, and Will Levis scored from a yard out two plays later to give the Lions the lead with 2 seconds left in the third.
Jahan Dotson gets hang time on a key catch for @PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/4pFObHyUAe
— Mark Brennan (@MarkXBrennan) December 12, 2020
Michigan State 24, Penn State 18: The Spartans had first-and-goal at the 4 but had to settle for a FG after a good stop by the PSU defense. Matt Coghlin kicked a 23-yarder with 1:59 left in the third.
Michigan State 21, Penn State 18: PSU took the second-half kickoff and drove 75 yards for a score, with Clifford finding Parker Washington for an 8-yard TD. The Lions went for 2, and Clifford hit Jahan Dotson for the conversion with 10:07 left in the third.
Parker Washington snags an 8 yard TD to cut the Penn State (-15.5) deficit to 21-18
pic.twitter.com/uIOOPT95QR— Bet The Pigskin (@betthepigskin) December 12, 2020
Michigan State 21, Penn State 10: The Spartans took over at their own 13 late in the half and went right down the field for a score. Thorne connected again with Nailor for a 7-yard TD with 1:26 to go in the half.
More Jalen Nailor 4-71-2 #Devy pic.twitter.com/pRr89yioMX
— Greg Brandt (@devywarehouse) December 12, 2020
Michigan State 14, Penn State 10: Thorne threw a beautifull ball to Tre’von Morgan for a 26-yard TD with 6:24 left in the half.
Tre'Von Morgan and Michigan State (+14.5) and dominating Penn State…
LIVE NCAAF ODDS ▶️ https://t.co/J6qlkB8xB9#MSUvsPSU #Sparty #WeAre #B1G
— OddsTrader (@OddsTrader_) December 12, 2020
Penn State 10, Michigan State 7: Sean Clifford scored on a 31-yard run up the middle with 10:00 left in the half.
TD SEAN CLIFFORD!
Live by the QB Draw – Die by the QB Draw…The 2020 Penn State football story pic.twitter.com/gd7uk3LPTG
— Barstool Penn State (@PSUBarstool) December 12, 2020
Michigan State 7, Penn State 3: Payton Thorne threw a 45-yard TD pass to a wide-open Jailen Nailor.
DEEP ball touchdown from @payton15thorne to @SpeedyNailor! 🎯@MSU_Football takes the lead. pic.twitter.com/B902lYU1XQ
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) December 12, 2020
Penn State 3, Michigan State 0: The Lions drove to first-and-goal at the 9, and Keyvone Lee scored from 9 yards out. But Will Fries was called for holding, pushing PSU back 10 yards. The penalty was costly as the Lions had to settle for a field goal by Jake Pinegar with 6:06 to go in the first.
Stay on top of all the news, notes and analysis throughout the game right here.
Update: 11:47 a.m.
On this bizarre senior day at Beaver Stadium, Penn State came up with cool idea of having players' families record videos to congratulate the players as they are introduced to an empty stadium.
Very nice touch.— Cory Giger (@CoryGiger) December 12, 2020
Here are some pregame reads:
Losing is an option, but PSU’s culture helped right ship
This is James Franklin at his very best
