Penn State Football Report Card After an Important Win Over Minnesota

The Nittany Lions continued righting the ship, winning their third consecutive game with a huge first half.

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht (3) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

STATE COLLEGE | Penn State coach Matt Campbell noticed the "shirtless guys" scattered around Beaver Stadium on Saturday night, so he must have been happy. The Nittany Lions gave him reason to be, playing one of their better games this season in a 42-14 win over Minnesota.

Penn State wasn't perfect, notably in another third quarter that has spiked Campbell's cortisol levels this season. But the Nittany Lions made life difficult for an already frustrated Minnesota team, which spent about 13 hours in State College and left with its fifth loss.

The Nittany Lions, meanwhile, won their third straight, improving to 6-4 and creating more bowl options for the postseason. That said, here's the Penn State football report card following its win over Minnesota.

Penn State offensive grade: B+

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Carson Hansen (21) scores a touchdown against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Carson Hansen finally is becoming the running back Campbell cultivated at Iowa State. He rushed for 126 yards on just 12 carries in the first half, looking as confident and assertive as he has all season.

But for an injury late in the second quarter (something to monitor this week), Hansen might have produced Penn State's first 200-yard game since Kaytron Allen against Rutgers last year. Hansen even looked like Allen at times Saturday, running behind an offensive line that was outstanding in the run game (particular kudos to right guard Cooper Cousins).

Earlier this season, Hansen appeared both impatient and static, running into linemen instead of past them. Now, he's a cutback master, biting through holes carved by his vastly improved line and dancing past safeties. His 46-yard touchdown run was as good as anything a Penn State back has produced in the open field this season.

Interestingly, Campbell said that Hansen wasn't the problem earlier this season; the offensive line was. But Hansen didn't help his cause by taking himself out of so many runs. If healthy, he's poised for a big finish.

Also, welcome back Ben Brahmer. The tight end caught two touchdown passes and had a third overturned because he juggled the ball in the back of the end zone (Brahmer thought it should have stood). The tight end had not scored since the Temple game two months ago. Finally, quarterback Rocco Becht made him a red-zone priority.

Oddly, receiver Chase Sowell was shut out for the first time this season (aside from not playing against Purdue). He really wanted a second chance at Becht's lovely deep ball in the first half that hit him in the chest, with a Minnesota defender's hand tangled in there just enough.

Penn State defensive grade: B

Penn State Nittany Lions linebackers Kooper Ebel (8) and Cam Smith (26) tackle Minnesota Golden Gophers running back TJ Thomas during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn needs to breathe fire or something at his group at halftime. The Nittany Lions continued their third-quarter sabbatical, giving up two touchdowns to a Minnesota offense that flailed through the first half.

The Nittany Lions blew three separate coverages, one on a fourth-and-six, to give Minnesota hope. Otherwise, quarterback Drake Lindsey was a frantic mess, fumbling a snap, losing track of his squeezed pockets and throwing balls behind both defenders and receivers.

Last week, Lynn suggested that his defense gets "bored" playing with leads. He needs to address that looking ahead toward next season. Otherwise, Penn State played some different three-linebacker sets with Cam Smith, who made a team-high five solo tackles (eight overall) and was right-place-right time often.

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Alexander McPherson (two tackles for loss) has emerged as the defensive line's best player and really strained Lindsey. Tony Rojas, whose snaps were limited in the second half, looked fine after the game.

Penn State special teams grade: A-

Penn State Nittany Lions receiver Zay Robinson (2) breaks a tackle from Minnesota Golden Gophers' Mike Gerald at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tyrell Chatman was credited with a first-quarter punt block, getting a fingertip on a Minnesota punt that went just 18 yards. The Nittany Lions turned that into a touchdown and a 14-0 lead.

That was a strong start for Penn State's special teams. Punter Nathan Tiyce had a strong game in difficult conditions, averaging 45.3 yards per attempt and putting two inside the 20. Zay Robinson nearly busted a punt return, taking his second attempt 19 yards. He also looked calm making fair catches in the wind.

Minnesota's Quayd Hendrix, who leads the Big Ten in kickoff returns, did average 23 yards on three attempts, though he really didn't improve the Gophers' field position.

Penn State coaching grade: B+

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks on from the sideline against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Campbell and his staff excelled at keeping the Nittany Lions tuned to the potential that Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck would turn the travel issues into a rallying cry. "If anybody was going to get his team to use that as their advantage, PJ is the guy that would do it," Campbell said.

The Nittany Lions beat that right out of the Gophers, scoring on four of their first six possessions to take a 28-0 lead. And even with that advantage, Campbell decided not to take three timeouts into halftime as he did last week at Washington.

He called a pair of timeouts on Minnesota's last drive, hoping to force the Gophers to punt and keep the pressure on. We'll forgive the timeout after a delay-of-game penalty later.

Offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser got away from the run in the second half (albeit without Hansen) but otherwise called a solid game. He really did some nice things with backup quarterback Alex Manske late in the game, and Manske responded with his first career touchdown pass.

Penn State overall grade: B+

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht (3) and offensive lineman Dominic Rulli (52) hold the Governor's Victory Bell trophy following the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was entertaining watching a former Iowa State quarterback smile while holding the Governor's Victory Bell, which he probably didn't know existed until this week. Rocco Becht seemed to enjoy it, as he did the game.

Penn State has clawed its way out of the four-game pit into which it dug itself. With games against Rutgers and Maryland remaining, the Nittany Lions should have 8-4 in their sights.

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