The Penn State Nittany Lions achieved a decisive 37-10 victory against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday night at Beaver Stadium. This win further solidified their standing in the college football landscape.
In evaluating the performance of the team, the quarterbacks receive an A grade. Ethan Grunkemeyer showcased his development by completing 11 of 12 passes for 181 yards and throwing one touchdown.
As for the running backs, they also earned an A. Kaytron Allen had a standout game, rushing for a personal best of 160 yards along with two touchdowns, while Nick Singleton contributed 95 all-purpose yards and added two touchdowns to his tally.
The receivers matched this impressive performance with an A grade, as five players caught passes of at least 20 yards. Tight end Andre Rappleyea made his mark by securing his first touchdown catch.
The offensive linemen also performed admirably, earning an A for their blocking. They improved upon their previous outing against Michigan State, allowing the Lions to accumulate 412 total yards and average nearly six yards per carry.
On the defensive front, the defensive linemen received a B. Key players like Dani Dennis-Sutton, Zane Durant, and Yvan Kemajou were responsible for all three of the team”s sacks, and they effectively limited Nebraska to just 79 rushing yards following an early 52-yard gain.
The linebackers also earned a B grade. Dominic DeLuca, Amare Campbell, and Alex Tatsch combined for 21 tackles, with Campbell making a crucial fourth-down stop near the goal line.
The defensive backs received a B as well, managing to restrict Nebraska”s receiving corps until after the Lions established a significant lead, allowing only 5.3 yards per pass attempt.
Special teams, however, faced some challenges, leading to a C grade. Ryan Barker improved his field-goal percentage to 13 for 14 but experienced a miss on his first point-after-touchdown attempt. Kickoff coverage did not meet expectations.
Coaching also received high marks with an A. The team has demonstrated a clear identity over the last three games, emphasizing a strong ground game and effective quarterback pressure, highlighted by a successful fake punt during the game.
