Moments Like This
Happy New Year Penn State Fam! We sure have a lot to celebrate!
In the last ten days or so, we’ve beaten not one but two top ten teams, and we’re now scheduled for the semi-finals in the college football playoffs. Did anyone think we’d be here three weeks ago? Look at us now, baby: 13-2 and definitively among the top four teams nationwide.
We’ve got the best tight end in the country. Tyler Warren is number one in season receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, receiving yards per game, yards per reception, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, and is the only BigTen tight end with multiple 100-yard receiving games this year. Not to mention he’s the first Mackey Award winner in Penn State history. Against the Broncos, he caught six passes for 63 yards and two touchdowns, and was named Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP.
Katron Allen and Nick Singleton both have over 1000 yards for the season, the first time Penn State has enjoyed two 1000-yard rushers since joining the BigTen. The complementary duo combined for 221 yards on 29 carries on the day; while on the other side, our defense was able to contain the best running back in the country, Heisman runner-up, Ashton Jeanty, limiting him to 104, his lowest of the season.
Running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider said, “Obviously, I’m biased. But these are the best two running backs in the country. You give them 300 carries a game, their stats would look different, too. I didn’t have to say anything all week. They knew what was at stake. [Jeanty] deserved the praise and the credit he got, but I knew what I had in my stable.”
The Nittany Lion defense played lights out. Not only all over Jeanty, but also forcing four turnovers. Zakee Wheatley earned Defensive Player of the Game.
It was certainly not a perfect bowl game. It became a downright nail biter in the third quarter and there were far too many penalties for anyone’s liking. There was a bad punt. Allar fumbled. There were a number of critical drops. This Penn State team is not perfect, but it doesn't have to be. They have found a way to win in a variety of ways, in many different environments, and with an assortment of adversity. “You roll with the punches. You don’t get knocked out and it’s over. You keep going. You keep fighting and keep going in life, in everything,” center Nick Dawkins said postgame.
There’s no denying there is something special about this team and special about this program. Several times in the past few weeks, I’ve heard Coach Franklin point the focus away from his success and toward the experience of his players: “We talked in the beginning of the season about our guys having these types of moments and these types of experiences and these types of opportunities. Love the fact that these guys were able to find a win against a really good opponent here.”
What an exciting time to be a Penn State fan! With this team who knows what magical moments we’ll get to witness next. As Jack Ham said on Penn State Sports Network, “the beat goes on” and we’re headed to the Orange Bowl to take on Notre Dame! What!!
Go State! Beat the Fighting Irish!
