UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State football (6-4, 3-4 Big Ten) scored the game’s first 35 points and beat Minnesota (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten) by a 42-14 score on Saturday night inside West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium. The win is the Nittany Lions’ third straight and makes Penn State bowl eligible.
Penn State controlled the game on the ground, running for 229 yards on 41 carries while holding the Golden Gophers to 41 rushing yards on 27 attempts. Senior running back Carson Hansen led the way with 126 yards on just 12 carries, including a 46-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The Lakeville, Minnesota, native averaged 10.5 yards per carry against his home-state program. Junior running back Cam Wallace added 82 rushing yards and caught a 1-yard touchdown pass with 33 seconds left in the first half.
Redshirt senior quarterback Rocco Becht accounted for four touchdowns. He completed 9-of-15 passes for 84 yards and three scores, and his 1-yard touchdown run opened the scoring. Senior tight end Benjamin Brahmer caught two of the touchdown passes, from 19 and 4 yards out. Redshirt junior Andrew Rappleyea was the top target for Penn State, hauling in four catches for 45 yards. Redshirt freshman Alex Manske recorded his first career touchdown pass with a 22-yard connection to junior running back James Peoples. Manske completed both of his passes for 38 yards and rushed once for four yards.
Senior linebacker Kooper Ebel led the Penn State defense with nine tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss and his first career fumble recovery on the first drive of the game. Redshirt freshman linebacker Cam Smith compiled a career high eight tackles including five solo. Redshirt junior linebacker Tony Rojas followed with six tackles. Sophomore defensive end Alexander McPherson produced a career outing with two tackles and one sack, both personal best marks. Redshirt sophomore safety Ibn McDaniels and junior defensive tackle Dallas Vakalahi each posted a sack for a loss of 11 yards. The Penn State defense combined for 8.0 tackles for a loss of 49 yards and three sacks for a loss of 32 yards.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Nittany Lions forced a takeaway to end Minnesota’s opening drive. A fumbled snap was recovered by Ebel, allowing Penn State to take over at Minnesota’s 44 yard-line. On second and eight, Hansen exploded for a 34-yard run down to the Minnesota 8 and followed that with a 7-yard run to the one yard-line. Becht snuck it in on third down to give PSU a 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing drive, Penn State forced a three-and-out and then an errant punt by Minnesota gave the Nittany Lions the ball at the Minnesota 33. The Nittany Lions capitalized on the great field position with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Becht to Benjamin Brahmer. Penn State led 14-0 with 5:15 remaining in the opening frame.
Early in the second quarter, a 19-yard punt return by Zay Robinson setup PSU at its own 47. On the third play of the drive, Hansen took a carry 46 yards up the sideline and into the end zone. The Nittany Lions held a 21-0 advantage.
Penn State extended its lead late in the second quarter. After a kick-catch interference call on a punt return, PSU took over at the Minnesota 36 with 3:07 left in the half. After a nine-yard run by Becht, Hansen broke through with a 22-yard rush up the middle to the one yard-line. Three plays later, Becht rolled out to his right and found a wide-open Cam Wallace for a one-yard score. PSU took a 28-0 lead into halftime.
The Nittany Lions opened the second half with a 10-play, 75-yard drive. The drive took 6:27 and culminated with a four-yard touchdown pass from Becht to Brahmer. A 23-yard run by Wallace and a 32-yard reception by Andrew Rappleyea boosted the drive. Penn State led 35-0 at the 8:33 mark in the third quarter.
Minnesota answered with a four-play, 74-yard drive. After a 58-yard reception along the left sideline by Darius Taylor, the Gophers scored on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Drake Lindsey to Javon Tracy. Penn State held a 35-7 lead.
After Minnesota put together a 6-play, 42-yard scoring drive to make it 35-14, Penn State was unable to convert any points on offense.
McDainiels came up with a big sack on the Gophers’ next sequence, resulting in a second and long situation. Following a penalty that moved the Minnesota offense back five more yards, the PSU defense forced a turnover on downs allowing the offense to take over at the 50-yard line with 10:45 remaining in the fourth frame. Both teams had quick, three-play drives before each punter made an appearance.
Manske took the field with just under seven minutes remaining in the game. The Nittany Lions used a balanced attack to find their sixth touchdown of the day, including a 16-yard reception from Manske to freshman wide receiver Amarion Jackson. The 6-play drive covering 52 yards was finished off by a 22-yard toss to Peoples, solidifying the 42-14 Penn State win.
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.