Pittsburgh Panthers vs Penn State Nittany Lions Match Player Stats On Sep 09, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Sep 9, 2017

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Saquon Barkley racked up 183 all-purpose yards and scored two touchdowns on on 20 touches and No. 4 Penn State beat Pittsburgh 33-14 on Saturday at Beaver Stadium.

Trace McSorley completed 15 of 28 passes for 164 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Mike Gesicki caught two touchdown passes for the Nittany Lions (2-0) who won for the first time over their in-state rivals since 1999. The Panthers (1-1) held on in a shootout last season when the series was renewed after a 16-year dormancy.

This game didn't have the flair or fireworks of the previous one, however.

Penn State's offense, which started and stayed hot in Week 1, was inconsistent in the first half Saturday. Pitt's was nonexistent.

The Nittany Lions scored twice, but ran just 17 plays on four other first-half possessions and punted three times. McSorley had a Hail Mary try at the end of the first half intercepted.

The game started much easier for him.

Thanks to a Grant Haley interception and return that spoiled the Panthers' opening series, Penn State ran its first play inside Pitt's 10-yard line where McSorley threw an easy 8-yard touchdown pass to Gesicki. McSorley hit Gesicki on a 10-yard fade route to give Penn State a 14-0 lead later in the quarter.

Pitt's defense kept Penn State out of the end zone until Barkley hauled in a pass over the middle and outraced defenders for a 46-yard touchdown that put the game out of reach at 21-3 early in the third.

Barkley lowered his shoulder and ran through the Panthers for an 8-yard score to begin the fourth.

Safety Marcus Allen added a safety for Penn State and Tyler Davis kicked a 24-yard field goal.

Backup quarterback Ben DiNucci ran for a touchdown and Alex Kessman kicked two field goals for the Panthers who crossed midfield just five times on 13 possessions.

Max Browne completed 19 of 32 passes for 138 yards. Under pressure for most of the afternoon, he was sacked five times and threw two interceptions.

NOTES: Penn State DE Shareef Miller missed all but a couple of plays last week with an ankle injury. He returned to start this one and recorded two sacks. ... Pitt starters Qadree Ollison and Matt Flanagan were shaken up with apparent lower-leg injuries in the first half. Both returned to play in the game.. ... It was Barkley's 10th career game out of 27 with multiple touchdowns. ... Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye left the game with a leg injury late in the fourth and did not return. ... Penn State recognized its 1982 national championship team at halftime and unveiled 2016 numbering along the suites of the stadium to honor its Big Ten championship from last season.