Sean Clifford threw for nearly 300 yards and threw for four touchdowns, and Nicholas Singleton rushed for two scores as Penn State dominated in the third quarter as Penn State dominated “White Out” game over Minnesota by the score of 45-17 on Saturday night at Beaver Stadium.
Minnesota got on the board first when Matthew Trickett kicked a 35-yard field goal after Jalen Walley intercepted a pass thrown by Sean Clifford that was returned to the Penn State 14-yard line.
Minnesota led 3-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Penn State evened the score in the second quarter on a 42-yard field goal by Jake Pinegar on a drive that took nine plays, and 51-yards highlighted by two receptions by Theo Jhonson for 25 yards and for 18-yard reception to get Penn State into field goal range.
After a Minnesota three and out, Penn State took the lead on its next drive when Clifford connected on a 38-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Warren that capped off a seven-play, 76-yard drive.
Penn State scored again on their next drive when Clifford connected on an 18-yard touchdown pass to Theo Johnson that capped off an eight-play, 86-yard drive. The drive featured a one-hand grab by Mitchell Tinsley that reminisced the Odell Beckham catch against the Dallas Cowboys in 2014. Ironically with that catch, he surpassed 10,000 career passing yards at Penn State.
Minnesota answered with a three-yard touchdown run from Mohammed Ibriaham that capped off a nine-play, 90-yard drive that featured a 38-yard connection from Althan Kaliakamanis to Le’Make Brockington, as well as 11 and 16-yard runs from Kaliakamanis.
Penn State led Minnesota 17-10 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Clifford connected in a 35-yard touchdown pass that concluded a four-play,64-yard drive.
On Minnesota’s next drive, Ji’Ayir Brown intercepted a pass from Kaliakamanis when they were driving down the field. That led to a 16-yard to a Nicholas Singleton 16-yard touchdown run to cap off a seven-play, 55-yard drive.
After a Minnesota punt, Mitchell Tinsley caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Clifford to cap off an 11-play, 67-yard drive to put Penn State up 38-10, and that was the score at the end of the third quarter.
Minnesota answered back when Kaliakamanis connected on a two-yard touchdown pass to Brevyn Spann-Ford that concluded a 14-play, 68-yard drive. The drive featured a 28-yard reception from Kaliakamanis to Spann-Ford.
Later in the fourth quarter, Singleton scored his second touchdown of the night when he went from zero to 60 on a 30-yard run for a touchdown to put Penn State up 45-17.
Penn State will host Ohio State next Saturday at Beaver Stadium, while Minnesota will host Rutgers next Saturday at Huntington Park Stadium.
Twitter: @bwalkerdadon
