2013 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

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2013 Penn State Nittany Lions football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
DivisionLeaders Division
Record7–5 (4–4 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive schemeSpread option
Defensive coordinatorJohn Butler (1st season)
Base defense4–3
CaptainGlenn Carson, Ty Howle, DaQuan Jones, John Urschel, Pat Zerbe[1]
Home stadiumBeaver Stadium
Seasons
← 2012
2014 →
2013 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Legends Division
No. 3 Michigan State x$   8 – 0     13 – 1  
Iowa   5 – 3     8 – 5  
Nebraska   5 – 3     9 – 4  
Minnesota   4 – 4     8 – 5  
Michigan   3 – 5     7 – 6  
Northwestern   1 – 7     5 – 7  
Leaders Division
No. 12 Ohio State x%   8 – 0     12 – 2  
No. 22 Wisconsin   6 – 2     9 – 4  
Penn State*   4 – 4     7 – 5  
Indiana   3 – 5     5 – 7  
Illinois   1 – 7     4 – 8  
Purdue   0 – 8     1 – 11  
Championship: Michigan State 34, Ohio State 24
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • Penn State ineligible for conference championship game and post-season bowl games due to NCAA sanctions
Rankings from
AP Poll

The 2013 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented

University Park, Pennsylvania. They were a member of the Big Ten Conference and its Leaders Division. Penn State was ineligible to play in a bowl game for the 2013 season, the second season of a four-year ban, due to NCAA sanctions imposed in the wake of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal
.

Before the season, Penn State had an open competition to win the starting

offensive line and linebacker
, while surprise performances from key players could lift them to success.

Penn State opened the season with two non-conference wins, but lost to the UCF Knights, who ultimately went on to a BCS bowl, the Fiesta, in their third game. Entering conference play, the Nittany Lions were 3–1, and in their first conference game they lost to Indiana before defeating Michigan in a quadruple-overtime thriller. They alternated losses and wins for the remainder of the season, losing to Ohio State, Minnesota, and Nebraska, and defeating Illinois, Purdue, and Wisconsin.

Despite the team never being

offensive guard, won the William V. Campbell Trophy—sometimes referred to as the "academic Heisman". Hackenberg was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Additionally, backup quarterback Tyler Ferguson, who lost the preseason quarterback competition to Hackenberg, announced his intent to transfer. Soon after the season, two coaches—Ron Vanderlinden and Charlie Fisher—left Penn State for undisclosed reasons, though there was speculation that O'Brien forced them out. A few weeks later, O'Brien accepted the head coaching position with the Houston Texans, leaving the Nittany Lions after two seasons. Early in 2014, the Nittany Lions hired James Franklin to replace O'Brien as head coach for the 2014 season
.

Recruiting

Despite NCAA sanctions including limited scholarships and a bowl ban, Penn State retained their top recruit: quarterback Christian Hackenberg.[2] They finished with the 24th ranked recruiting class according to ESPN, who cited retention of top prospects Hackenberg and tight end Adam Breneman, as well as adding depth in the secondary, overall giving them a "B" rating.[3] Linebacker recruit Zayd Issah never enrolled at Penn State after several instances of legal trouble.[4] Entering camp, Hackenberg and Ferguson vied for the starting quarterback position; ultimately, Hackenberg won the job, and Ferguson served as the backup.[5]

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight 40‡ Commit date
Christian Hackenberg
QB 		Fork Union, VA Fork Union Military Academy 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 212 lb (96 kg) 4.84 Feb 29, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:5/5 stars   Rivals:5/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 88
Adam Breneman
TE 		Camp Hill, PA Cedar Cliff High School 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 229 lb (104 kg) – Mar 9, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 85
Brendan Mahon
OG
 		Randolph, NJ Randolph High School 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 300 lb (140 kg) – Mar 17, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 83
Andrew Nelson
OT
 		Hershey, PA
Hershey High School
 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 262 lb (119 kg) 5.00 Apr 15, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 82
DaeSean Hamilton
WR 		Stafford, VA
Mountain View High School
 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 4.57 Dec 9, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 81
Garrett Sickels
DE 		Little Silver, NJ Red Bank Regional High School 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 4.68 Mar 4, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 80
Richy Anderson
RB/WR 		Frederick, MD Governor Thomas Johnson High School 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 180 lb (82 kg) – Oct 28, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 77
Brandon Bell
OLB
 		Mays Landing, NJ Oakcrest High School 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 222 lb (101 kg) 4.6 Jun 13, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 77
Tyler Ferguson
QB 		Bakersfield, CA College of the Sequoias (JUCO) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) – Dec 14, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 77
Jordan Smith
CB 		Washington D.C.
Howard D. Woodson High School
 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 180 lb (82 kg) – Aug 11, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 77
Neiko Robinson
S
 		Escambia County, FL Northview High School 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 162 lb (73 kg) 4.51 Jun 4, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 75
Zayd Issah
LB 		Harrisburg, PA Central Dauphin High School 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 4.57 Dec 9, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 75
Kasey Gaines
S
 		Loganville, GA Grayson High School 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 4.5 Sep 19, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 71
Curtis Cothran
DE 		Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania Council Rock High School North 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 240 lb (110 kg) – Mar 26, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 70
Tanner Hartman
OG
 		Lynchburg, VA Liberty Christian Academy 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 255 lb (116 kg) 4.9 Jul 13, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 69
Parker Cothren
DT 		Hazel Green, AL Hazel Green High School 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 265 lb (120 kg) – Nov 20, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 69
Anthony Smith
DB 		Randolph, NJ Cathedral Prep 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) – Dec 9, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 67
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 46   Rivals: 43  ESPN: 24
  • ‡ Refers to
    40 yard dash
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Penn State recruiting - Rivals.com". Rivals.com. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  • "Penn State recruiting - Scout.com". Scout.com. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  • "Penn State football recruits". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  • "2013 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved October 14, 2013.

Preseason buildup

Coming off an 8–4 season during which, according to USA Today's Paul Myerberg, "Attrition robbed Penn State of everything but the kitchen sink, or so we heard, so it was quite surprising when the sink, a few walk-ons, a mathematician, a local kid and a rookie coach went 8–2 after a sluggish start, pushing back against storm clouds and bringing PSU back from the abyss of life post-NCAA sanctions."[6] Many college football analysts expected the Nittany Lions to perform similarly in 2013, although almost all season outlooks noted that the team could take a major step back from 2012 if they were hampered by injuries, or could surprise everyone and win more games than they did in 2012.[7][8][9]

A solid backfield anchored by

SBNation.com asserted, "If either Hackenberg or Ferguson gets hurt, and the other one stinks ... if either Zach Zwinak or Bill Belton (who missed four games last year) gets hurt ... if basically any linemen get hurt (and linemen often get hurt) ... this house of cards comes tumbling down."[8] ESPN.com reporter Josh Moyer wrote, "In short, like last year, PSU is a bit of a wild card. If it receives strong efforts from its quarterback and the front seven, it should surpass last year's record. If it doesn't, it might be fortunate to get to seven wins."[7]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 313:30 p.m.vs. Syracuse*
ABC/ESPN2W 23–1761,202
September 712:00 p.m.
University Park, PA
BTNW 45–792,863
September 146:00 p.m.UCF*
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
BTNL 31–3492,855
September 213:30 p.m.Kent State*
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
BTNW 34–092,371
October 512:00 p.m.at Indiana
BTNL 24–4442,125
October 125:00 p.m.No. 18 Michigandagger
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
ESPNW 43–40 4OT107,884
October 268:00 p.m.at No. 4 Ohio State
ABCL 14–63105,889
November 212:00 p.m.Illinois
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
ESPNW 24–17 OT95,131
November 912:00 p.m.at
TCF Bank Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN (Governor's Victory Bell)
    		• ESPN2L 10–2448,123
    November 1612:00 p.m.Purdue
    • Beaver Stadium
    • University Park, PA
    		BTNW 45–2196,491
    November 233:30 p.m.Nebraska
    • Beaver Stadium
    • University Park, PA
    		BTNL 20–23 OT98,517
    November 303:30 p.m.at No. 14 Wisconsin
    		ESPNW 31–2478,064
    • *Non-conference game
    • daggerHomecoming
    • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
    • All times are in Eastern time

    Personnel

    Coaching staff

    Name Position Season at
    Penn State    		 Season in
    current role    		 Alma Mater
    Bill O'Brien
    Head Coach
    		 2nd 2nd Brown (1992)
    John Butler
    Defensive Coordinator/Cornerbacks
    		 2nd 1st Catholic University (1994)
    Charlie Fisher Quarterbacks 2nd 2nd
    Springfield College
    (1981)
    Stan Hixon Assistant Head Coach/Wide Receivers 2nd 2nd Iowa State (1979)
    Larry Johnson
    Defensive Line
    		 18th 14th Elizabeth City State (1973)
    Charles London
    Recruiting Coordinator
    		 2nd 2nd Duke (1996)
    Mac McWhorter
    Offensive Line
    		 2nd 2nd Georgia (1974)
    Anthony Midget
    Safeties
    		 1st 1st Virginia Tech (2000)
    John Strollo Tight Ends 2nd 2nd Boston College (1976)
    Ron Vanderlinden Linebackers 13th 13th
    Albion
    (1977)
    Reference:[10]
    Graduate assistants

    Position key

    Back B
    Center
    		 C Cornerback CB Defensive back DB
    Defensive end DE
    Defensive lineman
    		 DL Defensive tackle DT
    End
    		 E
    Fullback
    		 FB
    Guard
    		 G Halfback HB Kicker K
    Kickoff returner
    		 KR
    Offensive tackle
    		 OT
    Offensive lineman
    		 OL Linebacker LB
    Long snapper LS
    Punter
    		 P
    Punt returner
    		 PR Quarterback QB
    Running back RB
    Safety
    		 S Tight end TE Wide receiver WR

    Roster

    2013 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster
    Players Coaches
    Offense
    Pos. # Name Class
    RB 1 Bill Belton Jr
    WR 2 DaeSean Hamilton Fr
    WR 2 Jake Kiley  Fr
    QB 3 Austin Whipple Fr
    QB 5 Tyler Ferguson So
    WR 6 Chris Geiss Fr
    WR 7 Geno Lewis  Fr
    WR 8 Allen Robinson Jr
    WR 10 Deshawn Baker So
    TE 11 Brent Wilkerson  Fr
    QB 12 Jack Seymour Fr
    QB 14 Christian Hackenberg Fr
    WR 15 Alex Kenney  Jr
    QB 17 D. J. Crook Fr
    TE 18 Jesse James So
    WR 19 Richy Anderson Fr
    RB 21 Brian Tomasetti Fr
    RB 22 Akeel Lynch  Fr
    RB 25 Von Walker Fr
    RB 27 Adam Geiger Fr
    RB 28 Zach Zwinak Jr
    FB 32 Jack Haffner  Fr
    RB 33 Chip Chiappialle Fr
    FB 34 Dominic Salomone  Fr
    FB 35 Pat Zerbe Sr
    RB 36 Deron Thompson  So
    C 55 Wendy Laurent  Fr
    G/T 56 Anthony Alosi  So
    G 57 Tanner Hartman Fr
    OT 58 Adam Gress  Sr
    OT 59 Andrew Nelson Fr
    C 60 Ty Howle  Sr
    G 64 John Urschel  Sr
    C 65 Miles Dieffenbach  Jr
    G 66 Angelo Mangiro  So
    OL 67 Andrew Terlingo Fr
    G 68 Bryan Davie  Jr
    G 70 Brendan Mahon Fr
    OL 73 Austin Fiedler Fr
    OL 74 Evan Galimberti Fr
    G 75 Eric Shrive Sr
    OT 76 Donovan Smith  So
    OT 77 Garry Gilliam  Jr
    OL 78 Tom Devenney Fr
    OT 79 Kevin Blanchard  So
    WR 80 Matt Zanellato  So
    TE 81 Adam Breneman Fr
    WR 82 Gregg Garrity Fr
    WR 83 Luke Vadas Fr
    TE 84 Matt Lehman  Sr
    WR 85 Brandon Felder  Sr
    TE 87 Kyle Carter  So
    WR 88 Jonathan Warner  Fr
    TE 89 Tom Pancoast Fr
    		Defense
    Pos. # Name Class
    S 1 Malcolm Willis  Sr
    CB 3 Da'Quan Davis So
    S 4 Adrian Amos Jr
    LB 5 Nyeem Wartman  Fr
    S 6 Malik Golden  Fr
    S/LB 7 Stephen Obeng-Agyapong  Sr
    LB 8 Gary Wooten  Fr
    CB 9 Jordan Lucas So
    CB 10 Trevor Williams So
    CB 12 Jordan Smith Fr
    CB 13 Jesse Merise So
    DB 14 Kasey Gaines Fr
    CB 16 Devin Pryor  So
    DB 17 Dad Poquie Fr
    DE 18 Deion Barnes  So
    LB 22 T.J. Rhattigan  So
    S 23 Ryan Keiser  Jr
    CB 24 Anthony Smith Fr
    LB 26 Brandon Bell Fr
    S 27 Colin Harrop  Fr
    LB 30 Charles Idemudia  Fr
    DE 31 Brad Bars  Jr
    LB 32 Kyle Searfoss Fr
    DB 34 Jordan Dudas Jr
    LB 35 Matthew Baney So
    LB 36 Hunter Crafford Fr
    LB 38 Ben Kline  So
    CB 39 Jesse Della Valle  Jr
    LB 40 Glenn Carson  Sr
    DT 41 Parker Cothren Fr
    LB 42 Carter Henderson Fr
    LB 43 Mike Hull  Jr
    LB 46 Adam Cole  Fr
    LB 47 Brandon Smith Fr
    LB 48 Ryan Ammerman Fr
    LB 49 Garth Lakitsky Jr
    LB 50 Mike Wiand Fr
    LB 51 Drew Boyce  So
    DE 52 Curtis Cothran Fr
    DT 53 Derek Dowrey  Fr
    DT 72 Brian Gaia  Fr
    DT 84 Kyle Baublitz  Jr
    DE 86 C.J. Olaniyan  Jr
    DT 88 Tyrone Smith  Jr
    DE 90 Garrett Sickels Fr
    DT 91 DaQuan Jones Sr
    DE 92 Albert Hall  Fr
    DE 94 Evan Schwan  Fr
    DE 95 Carl Nassib  So
    DE 98 Anthony Zettel  So
    DT 99 Austin Johnson  Fr
    		Special teams
    Pos. # Name Class
    P
    		 37 Chris Gulla Fr
    SN 44 Tyler Yazujian  Fr
    P
    		 45 Alex Butterworth Sr
    SN 54 Sean Corcoran Fr
    SN 61 Zach Ladonis Fr
    PK 97 Sam Ficken Jr
    Head coach
    Coordinators/assistant coaches
    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (S) Suspended
    • (I) Ineligible
    • Injured Injured
    • Redshirt Redshirt

    Roster

    Depth chart

    Game summaries

    August 31 vs. Syracuse

    See also: 2013 Syracuse Orange football team
    Penn State vs. Syracuse – Game summary
    Period 1 2 34Total
    Penn State 0 6 71023
    Syracuse 0 3 7717

    at MetLife Stadium

    • Date: August 31
    • Game time: 3:30 p.m.
      Jeannine Edwards (sideline)
    • ESPN Box Score
    Game information

    Note: Though the game was held at a neutral site, Penn State wore white uniforms and was considered the away team.[16]

    Prior to the game, Penn State coach Bill O'Brien hoped to keep his choice between Tyler Ferguson and Christian Hackenberg as starting quarterback a secret until the first snap.[17][18] However, the night before the game, media reports began to surface that Hackenberg was going to be the starter.[19][20] Hackenberg did start for the Nittany Lions, while Oklahoma transfer Drew Allen started for Syracuse, who had a quarterback competition as well. After Hackenberg played the first two drives for Penn State, Ferguson came in and promptly fumbled the football for a turnover and did not return. Allen Robinson, the Big Ten's leading receiver in 2012, did not start for what O'Brien said was, "between me and Allen", but he did play in the second half.[21][22]

    After a scoreless first quarter, the second quarter featured three turnovers, and at half time, Penn State led 6–3 with two field goals from senior kicker Sam Ficken. On Penn State's first drive in the second half, Allen Robinson returned and caught a screen pass, which he ran for 25 yards, and then a 51-yard touchdown pass to make the score 13–3.[22] On the ensuing drive, however, Syracuse came right back and scored a touchdown via a Jerome Smith 10-yard run. Early in the fourth quarter, Ficken made his third field goal of the day, a career-long 46 yards.[23] Later in the quarter, Hackenberg threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Eugene Lewis to make the score 23–10.[24] When only down by 6 points, Syracuse got the ball around their own 45-yard line with a little over two minutes left, but turned the ball over via an interception with under two minutes to play.[25]

    Hackenberg was named the Big Ten freshman of the week after totaling 278 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, and Ficken was named Big Ten special teams player of the week, redeeming himself from the 2012 season,[26] after kicking three field goals including a career-long 46-yard kick.[27] Seniors DaQuan Jones and Stephen Obeng-Agyapong led the team defensively with nine tackles, including three for a loss, and a sack at defensive tackle, and eight tackles, a sack, a forced fumble that he recovered, and an interception at safety and linebacker respectively.[28][29] After it was announced that Penn State lost senior tight end Matt Lehman for the season with a knee injury during the game, O'Brien announced that Obeng-Agyapong might practice with the tight ends to help replace him.[30]

    Penn State starting lineup

    September 7 vs. Eastern Michigan

    See also: 2013 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team
    Penn State vs. Eastern Michigan – Game summary
    Period 1 2 34Total
    Eastern Michigan 7 0 007
    Penn State 7 10 72145

    at Beaver Stadium

    Game information

    Prior to the game, Penn State was predicted to have the advantage on both sides of the ball at every position,

    Safety Stephen Obeng-Agyapong was expected to step up and take snaps at linebacker, in addition to speculation he could end up on offense.[26][35] At half time, the Nittany Lions honored the 1973 Penn State Nittany Lions football team and retired the number of Penn State's only Heisman Trophy winner, number 22 John Cappelletti.[38]

    An image of Beaver Stadium from the side on a sunny day.
    Penn State played all of its home games at Beaver Stadium

    After both teams' first drives ended without points, Eastern Michigan got good field position to start their second drive, and attempted a 35-yard field goal, but after a low snap, Penn State defender Jordan Lucas tackled the holder for a loss, and the kick never got off, for a turnover on downs. Penn State failed to capitalize, however, as Hackenberg threw another incomplete pass on third down, starting the game with one completion in five attempts. Eastern Michigan scored first after the ball slipped from Hackenberg's hands and was returned for a touchdown by Hunter Matt for 11 yards, giving Eastern Michigan a 7–0 advantage with 4:01 in the first quarter. Penn State responded on their next drive scoring a touchdown on a 2-yard

    hurry up offense, which Penn State calls "NASCAR",[39] included 15+ yard completions to Jesse James and Matt Zanellato, and culminated with two consecutive runs by Bill Belton, the latter of which went for a 5-yard touchdown making the score 14–7. Eastern Michigan's ensuing drive had some success, as they got to Penn State 25-yard line prior to kicker Dylan Mulder pushing a 42-yard field goal attempt to the right of the goal posts. At the end of the first half, Penn State got into field goal range with under a minute to go, and Sam Ficken converted a 39-yard field goal, his Penn State record 14th straight,[40] to make the score 17–7 with 17 seconds in the half. Penn State got the ball to start the second half, but exchanged punts with Eastern Michigan for their first three drives, both teams punting the ball away on their first three drives.[41] On their fourth drive of the half, Penn State got to the board – on a six play drive that included a 20-yard run by Zwinak on 3rd and 24 (after two sacks) and a subsequent fourth down conversion, and then culminated with a 7-yard touchdown run by Zwinak making the score 24–7. After a quick punt, Penn State began to grind it out offensively prior to Hackenberg finding Robinson for a 45-yard touchdown pass to make it 31–7. Later in the quarter, Belton broke loose for a 51-yard touchdown run, putting him over 100 rushing yards on the day making the score 38–7. After Eastern Michigan punted for the 10th time in the game, Penn State brought in Tyler Ferguson at quarterback to replace Hackenberg, who had already amassed 311 passing yards, a Penn State single game freshman record.[42][43] On that drive, Akeel Lynch became the third Nittany Lion to rush for a touchdown, an 18-yard run with under five minutes to go.[38] That would be the final scoring play of the game; Penn State won 45–7.[44][45]

    The Penn State defense struggled with defending the bootleg play early on,[40] but recorded a shut out (the seven points for Eastern Michigan were off an offensive fumble) and limited Eastern Michigan to 183 total yards.[38] They were led by senior defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, who recorded nine tackles and two sacks, Glenn Carson, who recorded 10 tackles, and Nyeem Wartman, who recorded six tackles and three pass deflections.[40] On offense, the "running back by committee" approach proved successful – the two non-starters, Belton and Lynch, each recorded 108 rushing yards. One problem offensively was third down efficiency; the Lions were just 1 of 10 on third downs, bringing them to 2 of 26 on the season.[46] One writer called Jones the game's MVP, noting his statistics, plugging holes opened by the offensive line, and overall "dominance", noting that he "put on an absolute display".[47]

    Penn State starting lineup

    September 14 vs. UCF

    See also: 2013 UCF Knights football team
    Penn State vs. UCF – Game summary
    Period 1 2 34Total
    UCF 7 14 10334
    Penn State 7 3 71431

    at Beaver Stadium

    Game information

    This was the two teams' first meeting since 2004, and the meeting reunited O'Brien and

    Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).[51] UCF, who was 2–0 coming into the game, went 10–4 in 2012, and was led by their running back Latavius Murray, who graduated. As such, their top offensive player was quarterback Blake Bortles. Defensively, they had only allowed one scoring play all season.[52] Penn State students organized a "whiteout", in which the entire student section dons white.[53] Outside linebacker Mike Hull returned after missing the prior game against Eastern Michigan.[54]

    UCF got the ball to start the game at their nine-yard line after a penalty on the kickoff return, and their junior quarterback Blake Bortles orchestrated an efficient drive in which he converted two third downs and was 6/7 passing for 65 yards and a 4-yard touchdown pass to Storm Johnson. Penn State took over and got two first downs, the latter of which as a fourth down conversion, before a 44-yard pass to

    three-and-out, and though they punted the ball deep into UCF territory, the Knights marched down the field with a strong running game and scored another touchdown to go up 21–7. On Penn State's ensuing drive, Sam Ficken kicked a career-long 47-yard field goal.[56] UCF got some decent yardage on their next drive, but Bortles threw his first interception since October 27, 2012 with 1:17 in the half, but they ran down the clock and Ficken missed his first field goal attempt of the season, a 57-yard try as time expired. At the half, UCF had 290 total yards including 170 rushing yards, compared to 220 total yards for Penn State with only 89 rushing yards. Penn State got the ball to start the second half, but punted on their first drive. UCF responded with a touchdown via a 25-yard pass. Penn State came right back with a touchdown of their own. UCF's ensuing drive brought them to the one yard line, but Penn State held them to a field goal, making the score 31–17. Zwinak rushed for his third touchdown of the game on Penn State's next drive, and Shawn Moffitt kicked his second field goal of the game. Penn State drove 51 yards on their next drive before Zwinak lost a fumble with 5:43 remaining in the game.[57] UCF went three-and-out, and on their punt, the snap went over the punter's head, and Penn State got the ball at the UCF 25. Penn State took advantage, scoring on a 5-yard touchdown pass to Allen Robinson with 57 seconds left.[58] Penn State needed to regain possession of the ball after the score, and failed to do so, so ultimately UCF held on to win by three.[59]

    Penn State's defense had excelled in their first two games, but regressed significantly against Central Florida, particularly with poor tackling, which some attributed to their practice strategy of "thud" tackling, in which one does not actually take a player to the ground, instead making a "thud" to stop a player. Several media outlets speculated that the Lions used this due to their lack of scholarship players in the wake of sanctions imposed due to the

    John Butler renounced that assertion, commenting he employed "thud" when he coached at South Carolina.[60] Penn State's linebackers were also criticized; Glenn Carson and Nyeem Wartman received criticism for not being as strong as the 2012 team's Michael Mauti and Gerald Hodges. In addition, 2012 Big Ten Freshman of the Year defensive end Deion Barnes "barely wreaked any havoc", and DaQuan Jones, whose strong play had previously compensated for Barnes' weak play, was held to just five tackles.[61] The offense, however, was considered a "bright spot"; they gained 455 total yards, though receiver Allen Robinson commented that a fast start would have helped them gain more early momentum: "We are in the Big Ten playing against some great offenses and people are going to put points up early, so we need to get going early and start off fast."[62] Freshman quarterback Christian Hackenberg earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades for the second time in the first three weeks of the season.[63]

    Penn State starting lineup

    September 21 vs. Kent State

    See also: 2013 Kent State Golden Flashes football team
    Penn State vs. Kent State – Game summary
    Period 1 2 34Total
    Kent State 0 0 000
    Penn State 7 7 71334

    at Beaver Stadium

    Game information

    Penn State came into the game 2–1, while the Kent State Golden Flashes entered 1–2, including 0–1 in conference play, though this was a non-conference matchup. Kent State was expected to be without their star offensive weapon, wide receiver and running back Dri Archer, who suffered lingering effects from an ankle injury sustained in week one.[64] In 2012, Archer rushed for 1,429 yards and scored 16 touchdowns, led the Golden Flashes in receptions and receiving yards, and recorded three kickoff returns for touchdowns; he even received some Heisman hype (he did not win).[65] Without Archer, Kent State would have to more heavily rely on their freshman quarterback Colin Reardon, who had "not exactly dazzled" in Kent State's first three games, but had yet to throw an interception.[66] Picking up the slack in the running game was Trayvion Durham, who had a total of 152 rushing yards in their first three games.[10] The game also featured two top sophomore defensive ends – NFL prospects Roosevelt Nix for Kent State and Deion Barnes for Penn State, neither of whom had gotten off to a particularly strong start to the season, but both of whom had won their conference's freshman of the year award in 2012.[65][67][68] Penn State also looked to rebound from sloppy tackling the previous week against UCF that underscored an overall poor defensive performance.[66] Offensively for Penn State, a quarter of the way through the season, one ESPN writer projected Allen Robinson to win the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year award, and Christian Hackenberg to win the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award for their strong performances through the first three games.[69] That duo along with the running back trio of Zach Zwinak, Bill Belton, and Akeel Lynch led Penn State's offense,[70] which was coming off a performance in which they had scored 31 points, into the game.[71][72]

    In heavy rain that announcer

    Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape.[10] After Penn State went three-and-out to start the game, Kent State got excellent field position at the opposition's 36-yard line after Penn State committed kick catching interference on the punt, but failed to capitalize as their kicker, Anthony Melchiori, missed a 31-yard field goal.[73] Penn State's next drive stalled, and on fourth down, quarterback Christian Hackenberg executed a "pooch punt", in which the quarterback lines up in the shotgun formation, and punts the ball, for 44-yards pinning Kent State inside their 10-yard line.[74] Penn State drove down the field late in the first quarter getting it to the five-yard line, when Hackenberg had the ball slip from his hand backing Penn State up to the 15-yard line, but on the subsequent play, Hackenberg completed a 15-yard pass to Bill Belton for a touchdown to culminate a 9-play, 87-yard drive encapsulating 3:39.[73] Kent State's offense again proved ineffective, and Penn State's proved strong, as they drove down the field on a 10-play, 82-yard drive ending with Zach Zwinak running for a 2-yard touchdown. Towards the end of the first half, the teams began to exchange punts, and the half ended with Penn State ahead 14–0. In the third quarter, Hackenberg threw an interception, but on the next drive, Kent State threw an interception and Penn State got the ball back. Later in the quarter, Penn State ran a 51-yard drive that got them inside the ten-yard line down to the one, at which point Zwinak ran for a touchdown, his second of the game. Later in the quarter, Penn State began another drive that spilled into the fourth quarter on which Akeel Lynch was the primary running back for the Lions, running for a total of 78 yards en route to Sam Ficken booting his first field goal of the game, a 25-yarder. In the middle of the fourth quarter, Penn State embarked on a drive that milked over five-and-a-half minutes off the clock and culminated with Zwinak rushing for his third touchdown of the game, a one-yard score with 6:42 to play. After another lackluster drive by Kent State, they punted for the ninth time, and on Penn State's ensuing drive, Tyler Ferguson entered at quarterback, and Von Walker, a member of Penn State's "run-on" program,[70] entered at running back,[75] and on the drive, Ficken kicked a personal record 54-yard field goal, the longest by a Penn State player since 1979,[76] which was the final scoring play of the game, whose final score was 34–0.[77][78]

    Penn State's defense excelled, shutting out an opponent for the first time since the

    John Butler for his hard work in practice the previous week to rebound from an embarrassing performance against Central Florida.[80] Defensive end Deion Barnes recorded his first sack of the season, and safety Ryan Keiser made his first career interception, while linebacker Glenn Carson led the team with seven tackles.[79] Offensively, Penn State was led by their tandem at running back – trio Zach Zwinak, who had three touchdown rushes, excelling in the grind-it-out style of play Penn State employed in the rain, Bill Belton rushed for 90 yards on 13 carries and had a receiving touchdown,[81] and Akeel Lynch had a "career day", rushing for 123 yards on just 14 carries.[82] The passing game faltered in the rainy conditions, as Christian Hackenberg frequently forced the ball to Allen Robinson for incomplete passes – Robinson finished with 3 receptions, and Hackenberg with 22 incomplete passes and an interception.[83] Penn State did improve on third downs, converting 7-of-18, but remained in the bottom of the FBS, 120 out of 123 teams.[84]

    Penn State starting lineup

    Bye week #1 – September 28, 2013

    After their first four non-conference games, Penn State had their first of two mid-season bye weeks, this one heading into conference play.

    The Patriot News on whether Penn State achieved an "unequivocal" bye week victory, perhaps even their biggest victory of the season.[87]

    On the field, several keys for improvement were identified within the media, including finding a secondary receiver to Allen Robinson, strengthening the secondary, and continuing improvement on third downs.[84] Also, Penn State's tight end tandem, which struggled during non-conference play, needed to improve, particularly as Penn State had a young quarterback in Christian Hackenberg who would face tougher defenses in conference play.[88]

    October 5 vs. Indiana

    See also: 2013 Indiana Hoosiers football team
    Penn State vs. Indiana – Game summary
    Period 1 2 34Total
    Penn State 0 7 10724
    Indiana 7 6 82344

    at

    Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana
    Game information

    In their second game away from Beaver Stadium of the season, the Nittany Lions traveled to Bloomington, Indiana for their game against the Indiana Hoosiers, their first conference opponent. This was the teams' 17th meeting, with Penn State owning a 16–0 record coming into the game.[89] Indiana featured the Big Ten's best passing offense in 2012, led by quarterback Chase Coffman, who returned in 2013.[90] Indiana entered the game with a record of 2–2. As they had in 2012,[90] struggled defensively in their first four games, averaging giving up nearly 33 points per game.[91] Their offense however, had shined thus far, and had come into their previous game, a 45–28 loss to Missouri, averaging 50 points per game, but sputtered against the Tigers.[92] A preview on SB Nation noted that Indiana's pass first offense might "cause problems" for Penn State, though it expressed some optimism, as Mike Hull finally returned and Adrian Amos moved from safety to cornerback.[93] Offensively for Penn State, balancing the running game with the passing game was a key – in the previous season's game against Indiana, Penn Statewide receiver Allen Robinson caught 10 passes for 197 yards and 3 touchdowns[94] – as this was expected to be a developmental game for freshman quarterback Christian Hackenberg. There was no conclusive advantage on special teams.[93]

    Penn State got the ball to start the game, and drove down the field with relative ease (facing only one third down) prior to stalling at their 26-yard line and turning the ball over on downs. After an Indiana three and out, Penn State ran another drive at the end of which they turned over on downs. Each team ran one more drive before Indiana attained first downs on three consecutive plays, ultimately culminating their possession with a five-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Nate Sudfeld to Isaiah Roundtree, making the score 7–0 at the end of the first quarter.

    safety.[95]

    Dubbed the "low point ... of the

    fourth down conversion attempts, a few of which they attempted while in Sam Ficken's field goal range, and on two field goal attempts, there were two botched snaps, the first of which led to a blocked kick, the latter getting past the holder and rolling 31 yards by the time Ficken fell on the ball for a turnover on downs.[96] O'Brien also conceded that poor coaching did not help the Lions, and that he tried to "manufacture" momentum at several points in the game: "We coached very average today." − Bill O'Brien[97]

    Penn State starting lineup

    October 12 vs. Michigan

    See also: 2013 Michigan Wolverines football team
    Michigan vs. Penn State – Game summary
    Period 1 2 34OT2OT3OT4OTTotal
    #18 Michigan 10 0 177030340
    Penn State 7 14 310030643

    at Beaver Stadium

    • Date: October 12
    • Game time: 5:00 p.m. EDT
    • Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C), partly cloudy
    • Game attendance: 107,884 (sellout)[98]
    • Referee: Todd Geerlings
    • TV announcers (ESPN): Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Matt Millen (analyst), Maria Taylor (sideline)
    • ESPN Box Score
    Game information

    In the teams' first meeting since the 2010 season, the Nittany Lions looked to achieve their fourth consecutive win in the series, however even a hometown paper, the York Daily Record, predicted the Lions would lose, albeit in a close game, citing Michigan's superiority on both offense and defense, as well as coaching, compared to Penn State's superiority on special teams and intangibles.[99]

    "Coming off a loss like (Indiana) is just going to motivate us harder. I see more focus in our team after losses ... gets us to work harder in practice, in the film room in order to get a win because we're hungry. We're just more determined – we're hungry for a win. We really want it. We really need it. ... The best way to get over that loss, that feeling of a loss, is to win a game. So we're really searching for this one."

    Glenn Carson, Penn State senior middle linebacker, October 11, 2013[98]

    Penn State's edition of

    color commentary on Penn State's homecoming weekend.[31] Michigan, coming off a 42–13 victory over Minnesota, entered the game with a win–loss record of 5–0, one of two remaining undefeated teams in the Big Ten (the other was Ohio State, who was 6–0, and whom the Lions are scheduled to play on October 26).[101] Michigan's defense, led by their star cornerback Blake Countless, who was tied for the NCAA lead with four interceptions entering the game, had yet to allow a rushing touchdown,[99] and was expected to receive a boost from the return of their 2012 All-Big Ten linebacker Jake Ryan, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) the prior season. As such, a key for Penn State was to match Michigan's physicality in strong offensive line play and establish the line of scrimmage, both on offense and defense, as the game would be won in the trenches.[101] The game was described as a "critical juncture".[102] Before the game, Penn State realized that, due to a Ticketmaster glitch, it had oversold student section tickets, and was forced to offer several alternate packages in order not to have to boot students.[103]

    With a

    Goodyear blimp overhead,[104] Michigan got the ball to start the game, and on their first play from scrimmage, they lost three yards when DaQuan Jones made a tackle for a loss stopping Fitzgerald Toussaint; the loss decimated the drive, which ended in a three-and-out. Penn State's drive was no more successful – after one first down, Christian Hackenberg threw an interception. On Michigan's ensuing drive, however, they were set up on another third down and long, and Penn State's Jordan Lucas picked off Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner's pass, setting Penn State up in the red zone. Penn State capitalized, as Hackenberg threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Brandon Felder. Michigan struck right back, getting two first downs in the running game prior to Gardner throwing a 59-yard touchdown pass to Devin Funchess to tie the game. Penn State did not get a first down on their next drive and tried to convert fourth down deep in their own territory, but failed, setting Michigan up with excellent field position. Penn State's defense, however, responded, with Glenn Carson sacking Gardner to put Michigan out of field goal range, forcing a punt that Michigan downed around the five yard line. On Michigan's next drive, their kicker Brendan Gibbons made a 47-yard field goal.[105] After Penn State again punted, Michigan embarked on a drive that included a third-and-long conversion, but ultimately ended when Gardner threw an interception to Penn State defensive end Anthony Zettel, who started over Deion Barnes.[106] It took Penn State only one play to capitalize; Hackenberg threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Jesse James to put Penn State back up 14–10.[104] Penn State struck again later in the quarter, again via a touchdown pass from Hackenberg to Felder. Late in the first half, Penn State defensive end C. J. Olaniyan sacked Gardner for the second time, forcing a fumble, which Penn State recovered, but their drive stalled, and they punted. Penn State held a 21–10 advantage at halftime.[104][105][107][108]

    On Penn State's first play from scrimmage in the second half, Zach Zwinak fumbled, and it was returned for a touchdown by Frank Clark to pull within four points. After another Penn State drive stalled, Michigan drove down the field, and was faced with a third-and-short before a freshman offensive lineman committed a dead ball unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to back up Michigan to face a third and long; on that play Olaniyan recorded his third sack of the day, and Michigan punted. On Penn State's ensuing drive, they turned the ball over again, this time via a Hackenberg interception; Michigan capitalized by kicking a field goal. When Penn State got the ball back, they ran a sustained, balanced drive (4 run plays, 5 pass plays, 50 yards) down the field during which they went to Bill Belton in the running game (as Zwinak had fumbled previously in the half) that culminated with Sam Ficken kicking a 45-yard field goal to go up by 4 points. Michigan promptly drove right back down the field, and Gardner threw a touchdown pass to Jeremy Gallon to take the lead for the second time, 27–24. In the fourth quarter, Ficken attempted a 47-yard field goal, but missed, and Penn State's 10-play 45-yard drive came up empty. Michigan took advantage of their ensuing field position and ran a quick drive that ended with a 37-yard touchdown pass from Gardner to Funchess, putting them on top by 10 with 10:28 to go. On Penn State's ensuing drive, they converted a fourth down and one near midfield prior to a penalty and then a sack setting up a third and long on which Hackenberg threw an incomplete pass, so they were forced to settle with pulling within 7; Sam Ficken kicked a 43-yard field goal. Michigan tried to run out the clock on their next drive, and Penn State burned all three of their timeouts. Though they were at one point within field goal range, they committed a five-yard delay of game penalty that pushed them out of range, and they had to punt. Penn State got the ball with 50 seconds left and no timeouts at their own 20-yard line. Needing a touchdown to tie the game, Penn State's first play of scrimmage was a pass from Hackenberg to Robinson along the sideline that was ruled incomplete on the field, but was reviewed and overturned and counted as a 14-yard gain. The next play was an acrobatic catch by Felder for 29 yards, and then a pass down the sideline to Robinson for 36 yards to put the ball inside the one yard line with 29 seconds remaining. Michigan then called their final timeout. Hackenberg then attempted a quarterback sneak over the right side for a touchdown; the play was reviewed and the call was confirmed, and Ficken made the extra point to tie the game with 27 seconds left. Michigan took the ball at their own 35, drove it to the other 35, and lined Gibbons up to attempt a 52-yard field goal, which he missed short. Penn State got the ball with two seconds left, but downed the ball to send the game into overtime.[105][108]

    Penn State got the ball to start overtime, but went three-and-out and Ficken missed a field goal. Michigan used their entire possession to try to center the ball for Gibbons, and then they attempted a field goal, but it was blocked, to send the game into a second overtime.[109] Michigan got the ball to start the second overtime, achieved one first down, and Gibbons redeemed himself, kicking a 25-yard field goal. Ficken responded, tacking on a 36-yard field goal to tie the game at 37, headed into a third overtime. Penn State got the ball to start the third overtime, but on their first play, an end-around to Robinson that he fumbled and was recovered by Clark to set up Michigan with a chance to win the game with any score. Gibbons had an opportunity to win the game, but missed wide, and sent the game into a fourth overtime. Michigan got the ball to start the fourth overtime, and stalled, leaving Gibbons to attempt a 40-yard field goal, which he made to put the Wolverines on top 40–37. Penn State then needed a field goal to tie, or a touchdown to win. Faced with a fourth down and one, O'Brien sent his team out on the field to go for it, and they converted via a two-yard run by Belton. Three plays later, Hackenberg threw an incomplete pass intended for Robinson in the end zone, but officials called pass interference on the play, which occurred in the end zone, resulting in the ball being placed at the two yard line. On Penn State's next play, Hackenberg handed the ball off to Belton, who ran it in for a two-yard touchdown, winning the game for Penn State.[105][107][108]

    The four-overtime game was the longest in

    Sports Center's Top Ten.[112]

    Penn State starting lineup

    Bye week #2 – October 19, 2013

    After Penn State's quadruple overtime win against Michigan, they tried to get healthy, with veterans being held out of a scrimmage that occurred during the week of practice, instead working on

    Lancaster Newspapers concurred with ESPN, awarding their first half offensive and defensive MVPs to Robinson and Jones respectively as well, adding Sam Ficken as special teams MVP. The column also called sophomore defensive end Deion Barnes the biggest disappointment of the first half, noting that he had even been relegated out of the starting lineup.[116] Quarterback Christian Hackenberg, who had started the first six games and had a "halftime" in the bye week, as there were still six games to play, viewed the bye week as a bonus: "We have a couple more days to prepare, get a good game plan and get ready to go to a hostile environment and play a really good football team. I think it's more of a bonus for us." Coach Bill O'Brien concurred, asserting that Penn State's win against Michigan gave Hackenberg confidence and development.[117]

    October 26 vs. Ohio State

    See also: 2013 Ohio State Buckeyes football team and Ohio State–Penn State football rivalry
    Penn State vs. Ohio State – Game summary
    Period 1 2 34Total
    Penn State 0 7 0714
    #4 Ohio State 14 28 14763

    at The Horseshoe

    Game information

    In Penn State's second nationally televised, prime time game, which was to be called by Nittany Lion alumnus Todd Blackledge,[118] the Lions entered the game underdogs, even according to their local media.[119][120] The opening line put Ohio State 14.5 point favorites.[121] Pre-game buildup focused on Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller, for whom there "is no good way to stop",[118] and who Bill O'Brien called one of the top five players in the country.[120] In tandem with star running back Carlos Hyde, Ohio State was expected to score a lot of points, even against Penn State's improved defense; a preview from York Daily Record writer Frank Bodani gave Ohio State the edge on offense, citing the tandem of Miller and Hyde, defense, citing playmaking game-changers Noah Spence and Ryan Shazier, who play defensive end and linebacker respectively, special teams, noting their punt blocking ability and return game, coaching, noting that Ohio State had not yet lost under Urban Meyer, and intangibles, citing the sold-out crowd in prime time.[122] Keys to the game for Penn State were to contain Miller, not get beaten over-the-top in coverage, and running the ball, so as to avoid becoming one-dimensional offensively. Ohio State needed to contain Penn State receiver Allen Robinson with their star cornerback Bradley Roby, "ride Hyde" (run the ball with Carlos Hyde), and get pressure on freshman quarterback Christian Hackenberg.[121] Penn State made a few changes on their depth chart for the game, including placing Bill Belton and Zach Zwinak on the first team separated with an "OR". Also, Deion Barnes and Anthony Zettel were listed with an OR between their names; Zettel started the previous week against Michigan.[123]

    The game marked just the 14th night game in Ohio Stadium history

    Ohio State got the ball to start the game, and promptly drove down the field on a 7-play, 75-yard drive culminating with a touchdown run by Carlos Hyde. Penn State responded with a solid drive of their own, running 12 plays and getting to the 12-yard line before Christian Hackenberg threw an interception in the end zone. The two teams exchanged punts, and then Ohio State scored, this time via a 39-yard run from their quarterback Braxton Miller. Hackenberg threw another interception late in the quarter, and Ohio State, early in the second quarter, capitalized with another touchdown. After scoring again, Penn State scored points for their first time to make the score 28–7, off a 12-yard touchdown reception by Brandon Felder. Ohio State scored twice more, and the halftime score was a 42–7 Ohio State advantage. After exchanging punts to start the second half, Zach Zwinak lost a fumble in Penn State territory for the second consecutive week, and for the second consecutive week, he did not carry the ball after it. It took Ohio State only two plays to take advantage, scoring a touchdown on a Miller pass to Dontre Wilson. On Penn State's next drive, Tyler Ferguson replaced Hackenberg at quarterback due to an injury he sustained earlier in the game,[124] Ferguson was no more effective, as Penn State ultimately punted. Ohio State scored once more in the third quarter, and they led 56–7 headed into the fourth quarter. After another touchdown for Ohio State, Ferguson threw a touchdown pass to Allen Robinson in which Robinson caught the screen pass behind the line of scrimmage, "runs around, weaving thru traffic from one sideline to the other, and finishes in the end zone for a touchdown".[125] That would be the final scoring play of the game, which ended 63–14.[126][127]

    In what linebacker Mike Hull described as "the worst game I've experienced", Penn State allowed the most points it had since 1899, when they lost to the Duquesne Country and Athletic Club on November 25, 1899 64–5. Ohio State totaled 686 total yards, whereas Penn State totaled 357.[128] The game thrust the Buckeyes into consideration to play in the 2014 BCS National Championship Game, while it subjugated Christian Hackenberg, who "wasn't ready for Ohio State or the 'Shoe", according to an article on Bleacher Report.[129] An article from SBNation.com noted, "This Penn State one is a talented but extremely flawed one, flawed, especially defensively, in ways that are blatant and clear and easy for any well-coached offense to exploit, and flawed on offense with youth and with inexperience, destined to repeat the past because they must before it gets any better."[130]

    Penn State starting lineup

    November 2 vs. Illinois

    See also: 2013 Illinois Fighting Illini football team
    Penn State vs. Illinois – Game summary
    Period 1 2 34OTTotal
    Illinois 0 3 77017
    Penn State 7 7 03724

    at Beaver Stadium

    Game information

    Coming off a shellacking against Ohio State, Penn State looked to rebound behind a strong defensive effort against Illinois. Linebacker Mike Hull noted, "Practice Monday and (Tuesday) was real energetic and we were smacking people out there. We’re ready to play another game on Saturday and get that taste of losing out of our mouth."[131] Keys to the game included moving on from the prior Saturday's defeat, limiting big plays on defense, containing Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, and protecting quarterback Christian Hackenberg.[132] A pre-game analysis of statistical comparisons between the two squads gave Penn State an advantage in most offensive and defensive stats, while it gave Illinois an advantage on special teams. The analyst blamed sanctions imposed by NCAA president Mark Emmert in wake of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal for that disparity, citing scholarship reductions hampering depth.[133]

    Illinois got the ball to start the game, and on their opening drive, Scheelhaase threw an interception, setting up Penn State at their own 16, from which they ran a 7-play, 84-yard drive highlighted by a 47-yard pass to Allen Robinson, and culminating with Bill Belton rushing for a 1-yard touchdown. Penn State scored on their second drive as well, a lengthy 17-play drive that encapsulated 7:15, and resulted in Christian Hackenberg running for a 9-yard touchdown early in the second quarter to take a 14–0 lead. After another Illinois punt, Penn State again drove down the field, but

    three-and-out. Taking the field in Illinois territory, Penn State drove into field goal range, at which point Ficken made a 37-yard field goal to tie the game at 17 with 0:41 remaining. Illinois got the ball back, but after a false start penalty on them and a subsequent off-sides penalty on Penn State, they called timeout, and ran one additional play, on which Penn State recorded their first sack of the game. Time expired. In overtime, Penn State's second overtime game in their past three, they got the ball to start, and were faced with a third-down situation needing 11 yards to convert at the 15-yard line. Coming out of a timeout following a holding penalty that brought back a touchdown,[135] Kyle Carter made his first and only reception of the day, a 15-yard touchdown pass thrown into a tight window by Hackenberg on one of Penn State's "favorite" plays known simply as "pearl".[136] Illinois did not achieve a touchdown on their subsequent drive, as Ryan Keiser intercepted a pass on its first play, ending the game with Penn State emerging victorious, 24–17.[137]

    In a victory that coach Bill O'Brien refused to describe as either "ugly" or "fortunate" despite a variety of media sources doing so,

    Lancaster Newspapers described the game by saying,

    This was some bad football played by two teams going nowhere, both ailing mentally and emotionally over having been beaten on the road in their previous outings by a combined 88 points. And after a long day of players and coaches and officials throwing up all over each other, the truth that Illinois has not won a Big Ten game since Nov. 8, 2011 ... Which is to say, it came down to Illinois doing what it does, which is finding a way to lose, and Penn State doing what it (more often than not) does, which is to find a way to win.[113][140]

    Offensively, Penn State totaled 25 first downs, two fewer than Illinois, but 490 total offensive yards, exceeding Illinois by 79. Allen Robinson caught 11 passes, and was the only Penn State receiver with more than three catches. The shuffled offensive line on which Donovan Smith did not start, "yes, allowed a sack, and yes, committed a few penalties, but generally opened up gaping holes in the run game, gave Hackenberg plenty of time to throw, and controlled the line of scrimmage".[138] Running back Bill Belton set career highs with both 36 rushes and 201 yards, and was named Big Ten co-offensive player of the week. It was the first time a Penn State player had rushed for over 200 yards since Larry Johnson in 2002.[141] Defensively, Penn State stopped Illinois for a loss of yardage on only four plays, and though linebackers Mike Hull and Glenn Carson combined for 24 tackles, they had no interceptions, forced fumbles, sacks, or tackles for loss between them.[142] The secondary struggled, though did record two interceptions, mitigating their overall ineffectiveness, much of which, however, stemmed from defensive coordinator John Butler's incessant third-down blitzes, leaving one-on-one coverage for overmatched cornerbacks such as Jordan Lucas.[138]

    Penn State starting lineup

    November 9 vs. Minnesota

    See also: 2013 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team and Governor's Victory Bell
    Penn State vs. Minnesota – Game summary
    Period 1 2 34Total
    Penn State 7 3 0010
    Minnesota 10 14 0024

    at

    TCF Bank Stadium

    Game information