Sept. 23, 2017
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -The Penn State (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) special teams units helped the Nittany Lions build a four-touchdown lead in the first quarter, as the fourth-ranked Nittany Lions defeated Indiana (2-2, 0-2 Big Ten), 45-12, in Big Ten football action Saturday afternoon in Beaver Stadium. A crowd 107,542 witnessed Penn State earn its 11th consecutive win against a Big Ten foe, 11th consecutive win at home and 13th consecutive in regular season game.
Penn State is off to its first 5-0 start since starting the 2008 season with a 9-0 record.
It was a historic afternoon for senior DaeSean Hamilton, who became Penn State's career receptions leader. With nine receptions for 122 yards and a career-high three touchdowns, Hamilton has 181 career receptions, breaking the record of 179 held by Deon Butler.
Saquon Barkley set the tone, returning the opening kickoff 98 yards for his first return touchdown. Jason Cabinda, who matched a career high with 14 tackles in the game, forced a fumble on Indiana's first offensive drive to setup a touchdown drive for Penn State's second score. Then a pair of punts turned into scoring opportunities, as Irvin Charles forced a fumble on a punt return that was scooped up by Nick Scott for a touchdown, and punter Blake Gillikin absorbed a hit to draw a personal foul for a first down, leading to yet another touchdown drive. It marks the first time since 2001 that Penn State has had two special teams touchdowns in the same game.
Indiana responded with a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter to cut the deficit in half, but the Hoosiers were shutout in the second half, while Penn State added a field goal and a pair of Hamilton touchdowns for the final margin. Turnovers were a factor throughout the game, as Penn State won the battle in the category 4-1, forcing and recovering three fumbles and adding an Amani Oruwariye interception.
Barkley surpassed 200 all-purpose yards for the fourth time this season and added a touchdown pass to Hamilton in the fourth quarter to become the first Big Ten player and sixth in FBS since 1996 to return a kickoff for a touchdown and throw a touchdown pass in the same game. He finished with 205 all-purpose yards with 98 yards coming on the return, 56 yards rushing on 20 carries and 51 yards receiving on four catches.
Trace McSorley had his seventh 300-yard passing game of his career, completing 23-of-36 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns, extending his games with a touchdown streak to 20 games. He also rushed for one touchdown.
Difference Makers
Penn State
- WR DaeSean Hamilton - Hamilton became Penn State's career receptions record holder with nine catches for 122 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. It was his first career multi-touchdown game, and he became the first Penn State receiver with three touchdown catches in a game since Allen Robinson in 2012, also against Indiana.
- RB Saquon Barkley - Barkley totaled 205 all-purpose yards, bolstered by his first career kickoff return for a touchdown. It was the first kick return by Penn State for a touchdown since 2011. He was limited to 56 yards on 20 carries, but added 51 yards on four catches and added a 16 yard touchdown pass to DaeSean Hamilton for 123 yards of total offense. It was the first throw he had attempted.
- QB Trace McSorley - Is now second to only Christian Hackenberg (9) with seven career 300-yard passing games, as he totaled 315 against Indiana on 23-of-36 passing with two touchdowns and an interception. It marks his 10th career game with both a receiving and rushing touchdown and third this season. McSorley also cracked Penn State's top-10 list for completions with 349 for his career, and now has 43 career touchdown passes to rank for a tie for third all-time at Penn State. He became the ninth Nittany Lion passer to surpass 5,000 career passing yards, as well.
- LB Jason Cabinda - Cabinda matched his career high for tackles with 14, and also made one sack, assisted on another tackle behind the line and recovered a fumble.
- Takeaways - Safety Marcus Allen, cornerback Christian Campbell and special teamer Irvin Charles all forced fumbles, while Cabinda, defensive tackle Parker Cothren and special teamer Nick Scott all recovered fumbles, with scooping and scoring for a first-quarter touchdown.
- Passing Defense - In addition to Oruwariye's interception, Penn State broke up five passes and limited Indiana quarterbacks Richard Lagow and Peyton Ramsey to a combined 15-of-32 passing for 175 yards and a touchdown.
- P Blake Gillikin - Gillikin averaged 46.5 yards on six punts with a career-high matching four inside the 20 and three for more than 50 yards. His long for the afternoon was 57.
Indiana
- LB Tegray Scales - Scales led Indiana with 11 tackles and a game-high 3.0 sacks that resulted in 25 lost yards.
- Ground Game - Seven different Hoosier rushers combined for 177 yards, led by quarterback Peyton Ramsey (12 carries) and running back Morgan Ellison (9 carries) with 53 yards each. Cole Gest added 48 yards on 10 carries.
- TE Ian Thomas - Thomas caught five passes for 91 yards, with a game-long 54-yard reception that led to a touchdown in the second quarter.
- WR Simmie Cobbs Jr. - Cobbs caught five passes for 44 yards and a touchdown.
First Quarter (Penn State 28, Indiana 0)
Penn State's special teams and defense helped the Nittany Lions jump out to a 28-0 lead in the opening stanza. The 28 points were the most Penn State had scored in the first quarter since scoring the same against Illinois in 2005.
Saquon Barkley returned the opening kickoff 98 yards to open the scoring, and then Christian Campbell forced a fumble on Indiana's ensuing possession that Jason Cabinda recovered and returned 4 yards to the Indiana 29-yard line. Using a 24-yard completion to Juwan Johnson and a 7-yard rush by Barkley, Penn State moved inside the Indiana 5, and McSorley scored with a rush from 1-yard out three plays later for a 14-0 lead with 11:41 remaining in the first quarter.
Penn State's next offensive possession ended with a punt, but Irvin Charles forced a fumble on the return at the Indiana 13, and Nick Scott scooped it up and returned it for a touchdown and 21-0 lead with 6:34 remaining in the quarter.
The Penn State defense forced a three-and-out and Penn State took over on its own 27 for its next drive. The Hoosiers forced a three-and-out, but a roughing the punter penalty gave the Nittany Lions a first down and 15 yards to the Penn State 37. Barkley made a one-handed catch in the backfield, made a move to juke All-American linebacker Tegray Scales, and rumbled for 36 yards to the Indiana 27 on the very next play. The nine-play, 73-yard drive concluded with an 8-yard touchdown pass to DaeSean Hamilton for a 28-0 advantage with 41 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Penn State has outscored opponents 73-0 in the first quarter this season.
Second Quarter (Penn State 28, Indiana 14)
Indiana got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter, as Ian Thomas broke free for a 54-yard reception down to the Penn State 2, and Ricky Brookins punched it into the end zone on the next play, cutting the deficit to 28-7 with 14:01 to go in the half.
Both teams would trade punts for the rest of the quarter until McSorley was intercepted at the Indiana 40 by Jonathan Crawford with 2:49 to go in the half. Indiana drove 60 yards on eight plays in 2:05 for a touchdown, which was scored on an 18-yard touchdown throw from Peyton Ramsey to Simmie Cobbs Jr. Cobbs also had a 12-yard reception on the drive to move the ball into Penn State territory.
Third Quarter (Penn State 38, Indiana 14)
Indiana received the opening kickoff, but Ramsey was intercepted on the third play of the opening drive on third-and-6 by Amani Oruwariye at the Indiana 38, and he returned it 17 yards to the Hoosier 21. Penn State reached the Indiana 3 on the ensuing offensive possession, but missed on a 21-yard field goal attempt.
Penn State was able to get a stop on defense though and the Nittany Lions took over on their own 33 after a punt. The Lions moved into deep into Indiana territory on an 18-yard reception by DeAndre Thompkins and a 20-yard reception by Johnson to the Indiana 23. Indiana made two stops behind the line though, including a 3-yard sack by Tegray Scales, but Tyler Davis was able to drill a 45-yard field goal for a 31-14 lead with 5:50 remaining in the third.
Indiana reached midfield in just two plays after Devonte Williams found space for a 23-yard rush to the Penn State 48, but he fumbled on the next carry on a hit from Marcus Allen, and Parker Cothren recovered it at the line of scrimmage to setup a touchdown drive.
Penn State needed just four plays to cover 52 yards. McSorley found Blacknall for 18 on the first play to advance to the Indiana 34, and then McSorley picked up a first down rushing for seven yards and then three to reach the 24. McSorley fired to the end zone on the next play, finding Hamilton for his second touchdown of the day and a 38-14 lead with 3:22 to go in the third.
Fourth Quarter (Penn State 45, Indiana 14)
Hamilton scored his third touchdown of the day on a pass from Barkley. At the 16-yard line, Barkley took a pitch in the backfield from McSorley to draw the defense forward, and Barkley tossed it over the defense to an open Hamilton for the touchdown.
Scoring Drives
1st Qtr
PSU - 14:46 - TD - Saquon Barkley 98 yd KO Return, 7-0
PSU - 11:41 - TD - Trace McSorley 1 yd Rush, 6 plays, 39 yards, 2:45, 14-0
PSU - 6:34 - TD - Nick Scott 13 yd Fumble Recovery, 21-0
PSU - 0:41 - TD - DaeSean Hamilton 8 yd Pass from Trace McSorley, 9 plays, 73 yards, 4:28, 28-0
2nd Qtr
IND - 14:01 - TD - Ricky Brookins 2 yd Rush, 6 plays, 75 yards, 1:40, 28-7
IND - 0:44 - TD - Simmie Cobbs Jr. 18 yd Pass from Peyton Ramsey, 8 plays, 60 yards, 2:05, 28-14
3rd Qtr
PSU - 5:50 - FG - Tyler Davis 45 yd Field Goal, 8 plays, 40 yards, 3:24, 31-14
PSU - 3:22 - TD - DaeSean Hamilton 24 yd Pass from Trace McSorley, 4 plays, 52 yards, 1:36, 38-14
4th Qtr
PSU - 4:13 - TD - DaeSean Hamilton 16 yd Pass from Saquon Barkley, 5 plays, 73 yards, 2:20, 45-14
Up Next
Penn State visits Northwestern for a noon kickoff on the ESPN family of networks.
Single-game tickets for the 2017 Penn State football season presented by PSECU are available for two of the three remaining home games (Rutgers, Nebraska). For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing new 2018 season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 9 a.m-4:30 p.m.