Penn State Blown Out by Northwestern, Drops Second Game in a Row
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The Penn State Nittany Lions were on upset alert coming into their game tonight against the Northwestern Wildcats, and the outcome wasn't what anyone in Happy Valley was hoping for.
Penn State fell to Northwestern by a score of 34-13, with the Nittany Lions getting blown out by the Wildcats. From the opening kickoff, it wasn't pretty for Penn State, with Northwestern taking a 10-point lead after the first quarter.
Once again, the Nittany Lions offense couldn't muster up too much, and it caused all sorts of issues for this team. Penn State was only able to generate 291 yards of total offense, with quarterback Rocco Becht throwing two interceptions.
Overall, Becht threw for 243 yards with one touchdown and the two giveaways. It was his second straight game underperforming, and Penn State couldn't overcome the issues.
The running attack was almost non-existent, with Penn State only gaining 48 yards on the ground in this game. In total, this was a recipe for disaster for the Nittany Lions, seeing Penn State fall to a record of 3-2 on the year.
On the other side of the ball, Penn State's defense was gashed by the Northwestern running attack. The Wildcats rushed for 413 yards on the ground, with Caleb Komolafe going for 188 yards and a touchdown.
Joseph Himon II followed up that performance by rushing for 162 yards and two touchdowns to lead Northwestern to the win. The Nittany Lions couldn't do much of anything to stop the running game of Northwestern, and ultimately this was the downfall of the game.
Penn State held the Wildcats to 93 yards passing, keeping quarterback Aidan Chiles in check for the game. But this contest was decided on the ground, and Penn State couldn't keep up in the end.
After a promising 3-0 start to the season, Penn State has now dropped two games in tough fashion. The Nittany Lions will be looking to regroup next week, but the schedule doesn't do them any favors.
Penn State will be welcoming in the USC Trojans to town, offering the team a chance to take down a ranked squad. If the Nittany Lions want any hope of salvaging this season, grabbing a win over the Trojans will be needed.
Head coach Matt Campbell and his staff will try to have their guys ready to go next week, with the hope of getting a win. But this game against Northwestern was a brutal loss for this program, and now the hopes of making the College Football Playoff may be over.
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