The first College Football Game in Penn State history turned into a joyus occassion for Penn State football and its fans.
Penn State not only beat SMU to punch its ticket to Phoenix, Arizona, it destroyed the Mustangs, 31-3.
Penn State got the party going in a big way with a Pick 6 by Dom DeLuca, which he ran in for a 23-yard score. Ryan Barker’s extra point made it 7-0.
Penn State held that 7-0 lead through the end of the first quarter.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.In the second quarter, Penn State got another pick six, this one a 59-yard return by Tony Rojas, which put Penn State ahead by two scores. The two pick sixes marked the first time Penn State had two piayers run interceptionds back for touchdowns since November 1998 against Michigan State.
It didn’t get any better for SMU. Another pick– again, by DeLuca– opened the gates for Penn State to drive 75 yards in nine plays, capped by a 25-yard TD run by Kaytron Allen. SMU turned it over on downs on the next possession, with a Dani Dennis-Sutton sack setting Penn State up at the SMU 38. Seven plays later, Penn State scored on a 1-yard run by Singleton. That made it 28-0 and effectivley put the game to bed.
The win tied a single-season school record for Penn State, with the total of 12 matching the 1973, 1986 and 1994 teams. Penn State will have a chance to break the record in a litte more than a week. PSU takes on No. 3 Boise State at the Fiesta Bowl in Arizona. Kickoff is scheduled for New Year’s Eve at 7:30 on ESPN.
