UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State football (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten) was defeated by No. 19/17 USC (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten), 31-23, in the Penn State White Out from West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium Saturday night. The 114,419 fans in attendance set a new Beaver Stadium record.
Penn State and USC traded scores throughout the game before USC pulled away in the fourth quarter.
Penn State’s offense totaled 357 yards, with 309 yards coming from redshirt senior quarterback Rocco Becht. Becht completed 21 passes on 32 attempts to total 289 yards and recorded one touchdown through the air while compiling 20 yards on the ground on 10 carries. His 289 passing yards marks his 34th career 200-yard passing outing.
Redshirt senior wide receiver Chase Sowell led the Nittany Lions in receiving yards with 95, including a 47-yard grab in the first quarter. Junior wide receiver Brett Eskildsen caught four passes for 70 yards, with redshirt junior tight end Andrew Rappleyea adding 63 receiving yards and recording a touchdown. Rappleyea’s seven receptions are a career best.
Senior running back Carson Hansen led the Nittany Lions in rushing, booking 28 rushing yards on 14 carries and posting a touchdown. Junior running back James Peoples added 20 yards on the ground. Redshirt junior kicker Ryan Barker provided an effective kicking game, hitting three field goals, including one from 48 yards, and converting both of his extra-point opportunities.
Redshirt junior linebacker Tony Rojas led the squad on defense with 10 total tackles, including four solo tackles, to go with one forced fumble and one sack. Senior cornerback Zion Tracy and senior safety Jamison Patton followed Rojas with five total tackles each, recording three and two solo tackles, respectively.
HOW IT HAPPENED
USC put points on the board first despite the loud crowd noise inside Beaver Stadium. The Trojans finished off an eight-play drive with a 19-yard pass to the end zone to take an early lead.
Penn State responded with seven points of its own to tie the score with seven and a half minutes remaining in the first frame. Becht completed a 47-yard toss to Sowell to advance the Nittany Lions to USC’s 21-yard line. Penn State kept its offense on the field on fourth down with two yards to go. Becht connected on a 13-yard pass to Rappleyea, who took it to the house.
The PSU defense forced a quick punt on the next drive. The Penn State offense gained 24 yards on its next trip down the field but ultimately could not add points to its total. The Trojans pulled ahead 14-7 in the early minutes of the second stanza, finishing off an eight-play sequence with an 11-yard touchdown reception.
The Nittany Lions had an answer once again. Becht and Sowell connected on another 30-plus-yard pass to move PSU into the red zone, and Hansen found the end zone on a three-yard rush. The Penn State defense came up with a stop on third down, forcing a 56-yard field goal attempt that the Trojans could not convert. After a Penn State punt, USC tacked on three more points using a 37-yard field goal to take a 17-14 lead with just over two minutes remaining in the half.
The Nittany Lions moved quickly, completing five passes before Becht scrambled 10 yards on fourth down. The run set Barker up at the 30-yard line, where he connected on a 48-yard field goal to end the half with a 17-17 tie.
Penn State put up three more points out of the halftime break, with Barker sending a 35-yard kick through the uprights. The Trojans answered back with seven points on their next drive, completing the 10-play sequence with a 13-yard rushing score to give USC a 24-20 lead.
The Nittany Lions extended their next drive into the fourth quarter. Penn State was unsuccessful on its third-down attempt at USC’s 7-yard line, forcing a 26-yard field goal for Barker to narrow the margin to 24-23 at the 14:52 mark in the fourth frame.
The Trojans widened their lead to 31-23 with a passing touchdown to cap off a 10-play drive that covered 71 yards. Both teams were forced to punt on their next offensive possessions, closing in on the four-minute mark in the contest.
A costly turnover for Penn State allowed USC to run out the clock and seal a 31-23 victory.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and tickets for the 2026 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. to 4 p.m.