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What We Learned From Penn State's Win at Michigan State

The Nittany Lions end a six-game losing streak behind Kaytron Allen and an aggressive second-half defense.
Mark Wogenrich|
Penn State running back Kaytron Allen (13) celebrates a touchdown against the Michigan State Spartans.
Penn State running back Kaytron Allen (13) celebrates a touchdown against the Michigan State Spartans. | Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

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Penn State Nittany Lions

Kaytron Allen played a career game, Terry Smith got a Gatorade bath and Penn State won its first Big Ten game of the season Saturday, scoring a 28-10 win over Michigan State. The Nittany Lions scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and held the Spartans scoreless in the second half to win their first game for Smith, the team's interim head coach.

Penn State (4-6) continued its path toward bowl-eligibility with a strong second half in which quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer threw exactly two passes but the offense outrushed Michigan State 182-11. Here's what we learned about the Nittany Lions on Saturday.

Kaytron Allen is finishing strong

Penn State's superb senior back ran for a career-high 181 yards, punishing Michigan State for 131 of them in the second half. Allen bored through the Spartans on Penn State's nothing-but-run touchdown drive in the fourth quarter, then punctuated the game with a 26-yard touchdown run against a Spartans defense with nothing left.

At Iowa, Allen spoke openly about how difficult this season has been for him from a personal perspective. On the field, though, Allen hasn't given in. He ran 25 times for two touchdowns at Michigan State, including a 26-yarder in a back-breaking second half.

The CBS broadcast caught the fact that Penn State snapped the ball after the play clock had expired on Allen's second touchdown run, which should have negated the play. But the way Allen was running, he likely would have scored anyway.

Allen finished the game with 3,794 career rushing yards, drawing him closer to Saquon Barkley and Evan Royster on Penn State's career-rushing list. Allen is 50 yards from passing Barkley for No. 2 on the list and 139 from breaking Royster's all-time record.

Penn State wins the game on the ground

Penn State put together its most physicially punishing run-based drive of the season in the second half for the eventual game-winning touchdown. The Nittany Lions ran 13 plays, 12 of them staying on the ground, before Ethan Grunkemeyer flipped an end-around toss to Devonte Ross for their second touchdown connection of the game.

To that point, Penn State's run game had been uneven beyond a series of assertive carries from Allen. But on the scoring drive, he and Nicholas Singleton combined for 49 of the 65 yards on the ground. Coordinator Andy Kotelnicki's favorite play on the drive was the toss into a three-receiver formation that Michigan State labored to defend.

Grunkemeyer did drop back on the drive but found no open receivers and tucked three times for 23 yards. His 10-yard gain on a first down was a smart play to set up Penn State inside the 10-yard line.

Dani Dennis-Sutton has an NFL future on special teams

Penn State's defensive end has a unexpected stat line this season. Through the first half against Michigan State, Dennis-Sutton had as many blocked as many punts (three) as quarterbacks he has sacked. Quite a unique combination, which Dennis-Sutton rectified.

Dennis-Sutton blocked his third punt of the season in the second half, shifting his alignment against Michigan State's formation and running around a defender to get the punt. Penn State didn't get anything out of the punt, though, as Grunkemeyer was sacked on 4th-and-2.

Dennis-Sutton tied Penn State's single-season record with three blocks, previously set by Jack Ham (1968) and Andre Collins (1989). With one more, Dennis-Sutton would tie the career record both players share.

Dennis-Sutton made his fourth and fifth sacks of the season on consecutive plays in the second half. The first prevented a potential big play as Michigan State had an open receiver downfield late in the third quarter.

Penn State brought the pressure again

Smith said last week that defensive coordinator Jim Knowles' blitz pressure the past two games has allowed Penn State's defenders to play more freely and aggressively. So Knowles kept up the pressure he showed last week against Indiana against Spartans quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, who made his second career start.

Penn State's pressure was consistent and relentless. Dennis-Sutton had two of the team's five sacks and added a quarterback hurry. The Nittany Lions made Milivojevic tremendously restless and forced a turnover in the fourth quarter.

Even back-to-back roughing-the-passer penalties couldn't stop the pressure. Cornerback Zion Tracy blitzed on the next play, forcing a fumble that led to Allen's second touchdown of the game. After its second-quarter field goal, Michigan State punted on five straight possessions before the fumble.

Up next

Penn State concludes its home schedule Nov. 22 against Nebraska at Beaver Stadium. Kickoff is TBA.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.

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