UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — No. 3/2 Penn State’s (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) comeback attempt fell short in double overtime, with the Nittany Lions falling by a 30-24 margin to No. 6/5 Oregon (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) in front of 111,015 fans, the second-most in West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium history.
Trailing 17-3 midway through the fourth quarter, Penn State outgained the Ducks 142-71 in total yardage over the final 15 minutes of regulation. Senior wide receiver Devonte Ross came up with two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 17 apiece.
Ross led the way offensively with four catches for 48 yards and two touchdowns. The rushing attack for Penn State was highlighted by senior running back Kaytron Allen, who had 12 carries for 54 yards and the first touchdown in overtime. Senior quarterback Drew Allar finished the game 14-for-25 with 137 yards and two touchdowns through the air.
Junior linebacker Amare Campbell led the way for the Penn State defense with a career best 15 tackles, including eight solo tackles. Redshirt senior safety Zakee Wheatley followed with 10 tackles. Senior defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton came up big in overtime with an interception to go along with his seven total tackles.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Oregon advanced the ball 20 yards before the Penn State defense halted its efforts, forcing the Ducks to punt on their opening drive. Similarly, the Nittany Lions punted after three plays on their opening possession.
The visitors inched closer to the red zone on the ensuing offensive attempt following the PSU punt. The Ducks offense moved as far as the Penn State 38-yard line where they remained on the field on fourth down. A combination of Campbell and Harris stopped the quarterback’s scramble up the middle, forcing a turnover on downs. The Nittany Lions concluded the first quarter with possession of the ball, both teams held scoreless.
Penn State added the first points to the board in the second quarter. After the offense maneuvered into Oregon territory, Barker sent a 49-yard kick through the uprights to match his career long field goal and put the Nittany Lions ahead by three.
The Ducks threatened on their next trip down the field, moving the ball to the Penn State 29-yard line. The PSU defense stifled Oregon’s offensive efforts, making a stop on third down. The Ducks attempted a 47-yard kick that traveled wide left of the posts, holding the score at 3-0 in favor of the Nittany Lions.
On their next offensive drive, the Ducks put up their first points of the game using a 42-yard field goal to tie the score at 3-3.
Oregon put up its first touchdown of the game to cap off a 10-play drive encapsulating 80 yards following a call reversal on a fumble and Penn State recovery. The Ducks pulled ahead by seven points with a score of 10-3.
Oregon forced a three-and-out on the next Penn State offensive possession to earn an opportunity to extend the margin as the game headed into the final quarter of play. The Ducks took advantage, capping off a 10-play drive with and eight-yard rushing touchdown to take a 17-3 lead to begin the fourth stanza.
The Nittany Lions offense quickly responded with a four-play drive, ending with a 35-yard touchdown reception from Allar to Ross to climb back within seven points. The possession consisted of three 12-plus yard plays, including a 19-yard run for Allen and a 12-yard reception for Trebor Peña from Allar.
Penn State made a game-changing stop defensively forcing the Ducks to punt on the next drive. Oregon lost all momentum it gained following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty before sending its punt out of bounds at the PSU 38-yard line.
The run game was crucial for the Nittany Lions on their next possession, with 12 carries throughout the drive. The possession was capped off by a seven-yard touchdown catch from Allar to Ross. Barker’s extra point knotted the score at 17-17.
The Penn State offense had the first possession in the overtime period. Three plays was all it took for the Nittany Lions to add points to the board, with Allen capping the drive off with a four-yard rush. While the PSU defense held off the Ducks’ offense, forcing them to convert on fourth down, Oregon managed to find the endzone to tie the score once again.
The Ducks added another touchdown on their first play of the second overtime stanza, completing a 25-yard touchdown pass. Oregon attempted a two-point conversion but was unsuccessful with Dennis-Sutton’s interception, leaving the door open for PSU to win the game on the following drive. Allar’s first pass on the next offensive opportunity for Penn State was intercepted, finalizing a 30-24 final score in favor of Oregon.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and ticket information for the 2025 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU, as well as club seating in West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.GoPSUsports.com, or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.