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By Neil Rudel
nrudel@altoonamirror.com
Throughout the past decade, against the biggest brands in college football, Penn State has had more come-from-ahead losses than come-from-behind wins.
That changed Saturday as the Nittany Lions repeatedly rallied back and defeated USC in overtime, 33-30, at the Los Angeles Colesium.
The victory improved Penn State to 6-0 on the season and elevated them to No. 3 in the Associated Press poll.
The Lions got off to yet another slow start, falling behind 14-3, 17-6 and 20-6 in the first half and 23-20 and 30-23 in the fourth quarter before tying the game with 2:53 to play in regulation and winning it on walk-on Ryan Barker's 36-yard field goal in overtime.
Either to get back in the game, stay in it or win it at the end, Penn State excelled in the clutch throughout and displayed a clinic on complementary football.
"When the offense needed the defense to have their back, they did, and when they defense needed the offense to have their back, they did," James Franklin said.
It added up to what may have been Penn State's best regular-season road win in Franklin's 11 seasons. Yes, USC is 3-3, but the Trojans have "one of the most talented rosters in the country," Franklin said.
Certainly they have one of the fastest.
USC bolted to a 14-3 lead because the Lions couldn't contain the Trojans' perimeter speed, but once again defensive coordinator Tom Allen overcame his suspect pre-game preparation with halftime adjustments.
Down 20-6, the PSU defense toughened, and Drew Allar, Tyler Warren and the Lions' offense cashed touchdowns to tie the game with 4:42 left in the third quarter.
Warren wound up with a PSU and Big Ten tight end record 17 catches for 224 yards and, as the Lions' best overall player who also rushed, passed, blocked and even snapped the ball Saturday, has entered the room reserved for precious few TEs in Penn State history, joining names like Kwalick and Brady.
"He's the best tight end in college football and could be one of the best players in college football," Franklin said.
When Allar threw two interceptions -- the third was a Hail Mary -- the Lions' defense bowed up, coaxing field goals.
Southern Cal went up 23-20, but the Lions answered with Barker's third field goal, and after the Trojans took a 30-23 lead with 5:59 remaining, Allar moved the Lions 75 yards - his third 75-yard plus TD drive on the day - to eventually force overtime.
Twice on fourth down on the game-tying drive, Allar found transfer Julian Fleming for conversions of 17 and 16 yards. Talk about a clutch gene.
Allar finished with a career-high 391 yards.
"He does a really good job working through progressions," Franklin said, adding praise to the offensive line for allowing zero sacks.
Tied at 30, the Lions' defense held USC's last and tentative possession to gain overtime.
Penn State won the toss and put its defense on the field, and the unit that allowed two touchdowns on USC's first three possessions but just one on the Trojans' next nine, got a tackle for loss and survived a missed field goal.
That left USC vulnerable, and the Lions seized the moment, gaining 6 yards on two plays to make Barker even more comfortable.
"I tried to visualize how I was going to celebrate," Barker told the PSU Radio Network.
The win was an important step toward keeping the Lions in prime position for a College Football Playoff berth, regardless of how they fare vs. Ohio State on Nov. 2.
NIL has brought more parity than ever to the college game, evidenced by the upsets and scares that occur every weekend.
Road games at Wiscsonin, following this week's open date, and at Minnesota later in November can't be construed as givens. Obviously, Ohio State -- smarting from a one-point loss at Oregon -- has owned the Franklin-led Nits.
But Penn State showed at the Colesium, before a crowd that was practically split 50-50 - "we felt that," Franklin said - it has what it takes when all is not perfect.
And because of that, its record still is.
Rudel can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.