UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 8/8 Penn State (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten) defeated Bowling Green (1-1, 0-0 MAC), 34-27, in its 2024 home opener on Saturday afternoon at Beaver Stadium. Penn State senior tight end Tyler Warren set a new school record for receiving yards in a game by a Nittany Lion tight end. His 146 yards surpassed Matt Kranchick’s record of 136 yards set in 2003 against Wisconsin.
After a high-scoring first half from both sides, the Nittany Lions outscored Bowling Green 14-3 in the second to pull away with the victory. In the second half, Penn State outgained the Falcons 202-89 and forced two crucial fourth quarter turnovers.
Through the air, Drew Allar completed 13 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns. In addition to Warren’s record, he set a new career-high with eight receptions. Omari Evans hauled in a 29-yard touchdown in the second quarter and Nicholas Singleton snagged the second of Allar’s touchdown passes from 14 yards out to give Penn State its first lead in the third quarter.
The dynamic backfield duo of Singleton and Kaytron Allen proved to be effective all game. Singleton accounted for 119 rushing yards on 13 carries, while Allen contributed 101 rushing yards on 14 carries. Singleton’s 41-yard touchdown with just over four minutes left sealed the win for Penn State. Additionally, Allar’s rushing score on a quarterback keeper in the first quarter gave him three total touchdowns on the day. For the game, Penn State out-rushed Bowling Green 234-121.
The Nittany Lions’ defense buckled down in the second half, holding the Falcons to just three points. Penn State held Bowling Green to 89 yards in the half, an average of three yards per play. Tony Rojas dove for an interception in the fourth quarter before Zakee Wheatley snatched an interception of his own on the following drive. Jaylen Reed led the squad with a career-best 10 total tackles. Abdul Carter and Kobe King made seven stops each, with Carter adding a tackle for loss. Dvon J-Thomas and Coziah Izzard were the other Nittany Lions to make plays in the backfield, each recording tackles for loss. As a unit, the NIttany Lions broke up five Falcon passes.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Bowling Green scored first on a six-play, 75-yard drive, culminating in a six-yard touchdown pass. The Falcons took a 7-0 lead at the 12:39 mark of the first quarter. The Nittany Lions answered with a touchdown of their own on a six-play, 75-yard drive that included a 26-yard run by Allen. Penn State tied the game on a six-yard touchdown run by Allar with 10:14 left in the first quarter.
The Falcons knocked a 33-yard field goal through the uprights on their next drive, taking a 10-7 lead with 4:50 on the clock in the opening quarter. Bowling Green scored again, increasing its lead to 17-7 early in the second quarter. The Falcons drove 73 yards in 10 plays and scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Bazelak to Johnson Jr.
Penn State followed with an explosive three-play touchdown drive that was capped off by a 29-yard touchdown pass from Allar to Evans. The Bowling Green lead was cut to just three with 11:48 to play in the second quarter.
A fourth down stop by the Nittany Lion defense gave Penn State the ball at the Bowling Green 45-yard line. Sander Sahaydak delivered a 43-yard field goal to knot the score at 17 with 5:28 on the clock in the second quarter.
The Falcons took the lead again, this time on a 41-yard rushing touchdown by Jamal Johnson. With 3:32 to play in the second quarter, Bowling Green led Penn State 24-17.
Another Penn State field goal cut the Falcon lead to four points with 10 seconds left in the first half. The Nittany Lions drove 64 yards on 10 plays and Sahaydak connected on a 28-yard field goal to make the score 24-20 Bowling Green heading into halftime.
Penn State took its first lead of the game on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Allar to Singleton with 6:13 on the clock in the third quarter. The Nittany Lions marched 85 yards down the field on eight plays to go ahead 27-24. Warren had three catches for 62 yards on the drive alone, making catches of 29, 23, and 10 yards to help the Nittany Lions up the field.
Penn State’s defense stepped up down the stretch, recording interceptions on two consecutive Bowling Green drives, the second of which Penn State was able to tack on another touchdown thanks to a 41-yard run by Singleton. The Falcons added one field goal with less than a minute to play, but the Nittany Lions recovered the onside kick attempt and ran the clock out, hanging on to a 34-27 victory.
Penn State will have a bye week before hosting Kent State on September 21. Kickoff and network is to be determined.
The 2024 Penn State football season is presented by PSECU.