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Penn State returned to State College, Pennsylvania, looking to bounce back from last week’s upset loss against the UCLA Bruins. But the Northwestern Wildcats had other plans Saturday.
Wildcats running back Caleb Komolafe rushed for 72 yards and scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter to help lead Northwestern to a 22-21 victory at Beaver Stadium. The narrow victory secured Northwestern’s third straight victory, while Penn State lost its third straight victory.
“I really think our football team expected to win today,” Northwestern coach David Braun said. “Ultimately, the message was that we have a football team that has its back against the wall, but also a football team that may be questioning who they are.”
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Northwestern quarterback Preston Stone, left, celebrates his team’s victory over Penn State on Saturday in State College, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
The Wildcats ended their 11-year windless drought at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State got the ball back with just under five minutes left after Komolafe’s touchdown, but quarterback Drew Allar suffered an apparent leg injury on a third-down play.
After the game, Penn State coach James Franklin confirmed that Allar would miss the remainder of the season with an unspecified injury. Substitute Ethan Grunkemeyer replaced him, was stopped on a fourth down and the Wildcats ran out of time.
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Reserve Ethan Grunkemeyer replaced him and was immediately stopped on a fourth down and the Wildcats ran out of time from there.
Allar finished 13 of 20 for 137 yards passing and added 25 yards rushing and a touchdown. Allar returned for his senior year to improve on the interception he threw late in the season in last season’s College Football Playoff semifinal against Notre Dame.
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar sits on the field during an injury timeout Saturday at Beaver Stadium. (Isaías Vázquez/Getty Images)
The Nittany Lions committed six penalties for 71 yards in the first half.
Franklin took responsibility for Penn State’s recent struggles. “I take full responsibility for all of this,” Franklin said. “I hired all the staff, I recruited all the players. I believe in all of them. But we’re not getting it right now.”
Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin is on the field after the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium on Saturday in State College, Pennsylvania. (Matthew O’Haren/Imagn Images)
Iowa hosts Penn State next week and Grunkemeyer is expected to start at quarterback for the Nittany Lions.
