Penn State-UMass first thoughts: Lions cruise to another home shutout ahead of Ohio State

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — No. 6 Penn State paid UMass $1.6 million for its participation on Saturday in a game that turned out to be as lopsided as expected — and then some. Here are my initial thoughts on the Nittany Lions’ 63-0 win on a rainy day in Happy Valley, which improved them to 6-0:

• It was a positive and historic day for Penn State’s special teams. Kaden Saunders, the usual starter, and Daequan Hardy both worked as punt returners. Hardy was electric and became the first Penn State player to return two punts for touchdowns in the same game. He returned a punt 56 yards for a touchdown for Penn State’s first score of the afternoon and another 68 yards for a score in the third quarter.

Hardy spent time in previous years and in the spring as a returner, and I wondered at what point he’d get a crack back there in a game this season. Sure enough, Hardy was a difference-maker. Saunders, who has been praised for being sure-handed, also returned a punt 37 yards. So, who is the punt returner next weekend?

😮‍💨 @PennStateFball just keeps 'em coming
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 14, 2023

• As expected there was a serious mismatch in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Early in the game, as Adisa Isaac made his presence felt with 2.5 of Penn State’s six sacks in the first half, it was clear the defense was ready to feast. It felt like Penn State was going to push for the school sack record — 11 in 1999 vs. Illinois — but the Nittany Lions ended up with seven sacks. Still, they were absolutely dominant. Isaac (2.5), Chop Robinson (2) and Dani Dennis-Sutton (0.5) were a handful, just as they’ve been all season.

• UMass ran 62 plays and finished with just 109 yards, averaging a paltry 1.8 yards per play. The Minutemen had just 26 yards in the first half.

• Sophomore cornerback Cam Miller was a game captain and showed why he’s one of the key future pieces of the defense. Miller had two sacks and three tackles.

• Wide receiver Harrison Wallace III is back, but it wasn’t the sharpest start from him. He was targeted four times and finished with three catches for 44 yards. He fumbled on the opening drive, and the ball was recovered by former Nittany Lions safety Tyler Rudolph. It was the Penn State offense’s first turnover of the season. Wallace was also targeted on a deep shot in the first quarter and had the ball slip out of his outstretched hands.

However, Wallace looked really smooth and quick during a 21-yard catch and run in the second quarter. It was a nice bounce-back moment for a receiver who is going to be a critical piece of this offense the rest of the way.

• Drew Allar completed 16-of-23 passes for 162 yards and had four total touchdowns. He threw touchdowns of 7, 30 and 18 yards and also scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. Allar remains turnover-free in a Penn State uniform.

The only part of the game that some might take issue with was the first two drives. It was a slow start. The Wallace fumble ended the opening drive, and Allar was sacked to end the second drive. Allar exited the game after the final scoring drive of the third quarter with Penn State leading 49-0. Beau Pribula played the fourth quarter and rushed six times for 59 yards and a touchdown.

• The weather was a major factor, as it poured for stretches and was constantly raining. Both teams had a few balls that they couldn’t hang on to, likely because of the elements. Tight end Tyler Warren dropped what would’ve been a wide-open touchdown in the third quarter.

• Kaytron Allen looked like the most explosive back in this one, as he averaged 7.6 yards per carry. Allen’s 9-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was one of the better runs we’ve seen this season. He was patient, the line was dominant and Allen kept churning until he hit the end zone. Interestingly, it was Nick Dawkins at right guard on the touchdown. Dawkins played the following series at right guard and Drew Shelton at right tackle. Shelton worked at left tackle later in the game, too.

The Nittany Lions are ROLLING 🔥@kaytron_allen punches it in for @PennStateFball 👊
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 14, 2023

• Allen finished with nine rushes for 68 yards and one touchdown. Nicholas Singleton started and finished with 15 carries for 79 yards. Singleton, whose longest rush went for 10 yards, has yet to rush for 100 yards in a game this season. Allen’s long run went for 18.

• Penn State came close to blocking a few punts. I’ll have to go back and look at it, but Dominic DeLuca appeared to get a hand on one before halftime.

• Starting left guard JB Nelson was listed as out on the pregame availability report. Vega Ioane, as expected, started in his place. The timetable for Nelson’s return remains unclear. Franklin said the past two weeks after Nelson exited the Northwestern game that if Nelson’s injury was season-ending he would’ve said as much.

• Freshman tight end Andrew Rappleyea appeared in his second collegiate game with Khalil Dinkins ruled out. In the second quarter when Penn State lined up in the T-formation, the freshman Rappleyea took Dinkins’ place. Rappleyea is someone who has caught my eye during media viewing sessions at practice. He won a 1-on-1 rep a couple weeks ago and had much to say after it. He was certainly jacked up running off the field after Allar’s 1-yard rushing touchdown.

He’s going to have a big role in this offense in the years to come, and the early results look promising. Rappleyea saw the field ahead of redshirt freshman Jerry Cross.

• Kicker Sander Sahaydak entered to make three extra points in the second half. Certainly it should be a bit of a confidence boost for Sahaydak after Alex Felkins has taken a strong hold on the job.

• The 63-0 margin was Penn State’s second consecutive home shutout after a 31-0 win against Iowa on Sept. 23. It also marked the Nittany Lions’ largest shutout since the 81-0 win against Cincinnati in 1991.

• Scouts from the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers were at the game. Expect a much larger contingent next Saturday at Ohio State. One has to imagine the collection of talent on both rosters will make that one of the most important games for scouts. There are plenty of intriguing matchups of future NFL players (Kalen King and Johnny Dixon vs. OSU’s superb receiving corps, among them) that we’ll be writing about all week.

• Yes, it’s finally Ohio State week. Lean into it. Enjoy it. The countdown to the showdown between unbeaten teams in Columbus is officially on. Noon on Saturday can’t get here soon enough.

GO DEEPER

Snyder: Ohio State week is here, and Penn State looks ready for the moment

(Photo of Daequan Hardy: Matthew O’Haren / USA Today)