UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State cruised to a 79-7 win over Idaho in its season-opening football contest Saturday afternoon in Beaver Stadium.
Penn State (1-0) rolled for 673 total yards on offense – the third-most in program history - while holding Idaho (0-1) to just five first downs and 145 total yards. The Nittany Lion ground game led the offensive charge with five different running backs combining for seven rushing touchdowns and a total of nine different rushers combining for 331 yards on 45 attempts. Freshman Devyn Ford (Stafford, Va.) ran his second career carry for an 81-yard touchdown en route to a 107-yard day, while classmate Noah Cain (Baton Rouge, La.) and sophomore Journey Brown (Meadville, Pa.) both added two scores each.
Making his first career start, sophomore quarterback Sean Clifford (Cincinnati, Ohio) threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns on 14-of-23 passing and rushed seven times for 57 yards in a little more than a half of action. KJ Hamler (Pontiac, Mich.) led the receivers with four catches for 115 yards and both of Clifford's passing touchdowns.
The Vandals were limited to just four yards rushing as Penn State totaled seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss, led by 2.5 sacks by junior defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos (Spotsylvania, Va.)
How It Happened
Penn State jumped out to a 20-0 lead in the first quarter behind a pair of field goals by Jake Pinegar (Ankeny, Iowa) (28 yards) and Jordan Stout (Cedar Buff, Va.) (53 yards), respectively, and a rushing touchdown each from Brown and Ricky Slade (Woodbridge, Va.)
The Nittany Lions added 24 points in the second quarter to take a 44-0 lead into halftime. Hamler caught a 36-yard pass from Clifford in the back of the end zone early in the frame, and then in the final five minutes, Ford broke free for 81 yards on his second career carry, Hamler hauled in a 21-yard touchdown, and a quick three-and-out setup a successful 38-yard field goal conversion by Pinegar as time expired.
Brown and Cain added rushing touchdowns in the third quarter for a 58-0 lead. In the fourth, quarterback freshman quarterback Will Levis (Madison, Conn.) threw his first career touchdown pass to rookie tight end Brenton Strange (Parkersburg, W.Va.) to put the Nittany Lions up 65-0.
Idaho's lone score came with 12:35 remaining, as a mishandled punt reception gave the Vandals a short 25-yard field, and quarterback Mason Petrino eventually connected with fullback Logan Kendall from a yard out.
Penn State added a pair of rushing touchdowns from Cain and Nick Eury (Shavertown, Pa.) in the final eight minutes to cement the 79-7 victory.
Up Next
Penn State returns to action next Saturday evening with a primetime showdown against Buffalo in Beaver Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. on FOX.
Single-game tickets are available for the 2019 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU. 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.
No. 15/14 Penn State Routs Idaho In Opener, 79-7
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