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PSU-Indiana highlights, lowlights

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Following are the highlights and lowlights from Penn State’s 33-28 victory over Indiana on Saturday at Memorial Stadium:

Play of the game: On a Penn State punt with 12 minutes remaining, with the Nittany Lions up 26-21, Jonathan Sutherland forced a fumble by returner J-Shun Harris, and it was recovered by Nick Scott at the Hoosiers’ 32. Five plays later, the Lions took a two-score lead.

Offensive player of the game: Trace McSorley completed 19-of-36 passes for 220 yards. He also rushed for 107 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns. His streak of 34 straight games with at least one touchdown pass, the longest streak among active FBS quarterbacks and the fifth longest ever among Power-5 teams, came to an end.

Defensive player of the game: Lion backup defensive end Shaka Toney had six tackles, including four sacks for 29 yards in losses. He also forced a fumble.

Most telling statistic: The Hoosiers committed all three of their turnovers in the second half.

Most deceiving statistic(s): Indiana racked up 554 total yards and ran 100 plays in defeat.

Hidden statistic: Indiana had three first downs, each after advancing into PSU territory, wiped out by holding penalties in the first half.

Best run: With PSU trailing 14-7 in the second quarter, McSorley went up the middle on the read-option for 44 yards to the Indiana 24, setting up the Lions’ second touchdown.

Best pass: On third-and-5 from the Indiana 24, McSorley threaded a slant to KJ Hamler for an 8-yard gain and first down, setting up a field goal and 20-14 lead in the third quarter.

Worst pass: McSorley, who wasn’t sharp early, missed a wide-open Hamler on an out pattern late in the first quarter.

Best return: Jonathan Thomas busted a 94-yard kickoff return to the Indiana 5, setting up the touchdown that gave the Lions a 26-21 lead in the third quarter.

Best catch: Indiana’s Ty Fryfogle made a leaping 25-yard reception in the second quarter.

Catch it, will ya: Penn State’s case of the drops continued. Juwan Johnson dropped another one early. Brandon Polk dropped two in the third quarter, including a touchdown. Mac Hippenhammer also dropped two.

Hold it, won’t ya: Hamler fumbled two punts but recovered them both.

Hey, that ball’s yours: Koa Farmer was slow to field a kickoff that Thomas alertly recovered.

Get out of the way, please: Tariq Castro-Fields bumped into Lion punt returner DeAndre Thompkins during a fair catch, causing a first-quarter fumble that Thompkins alertly recovered.

Best block: Thomas sprung Hamler’s 58-yard game-opening kickoff return.

Best tackle: PSU backup defensive tackle P.J. Mustipher rattled a fumble out of Ronnie Walker Jr. in the third quarter, and Garrett Taylor recovered.

Best hit: Sutherland. See play of the game.

Best kick: Would have to be the Hoosiers’ Justice Logan, whose onside kick with 49 seconds remaining was flubbed by Nick Scott and recovered by Jonathan Crawford.

Worst kick: Jake Pinegar had an extra point blocked, keeping the PSU lead at 26-21 in the third quarter.

Worst penalty: Take a seat in the Indiana film room.

Best call: McSorley shifted to the right, and Tommy Stevens moved behind center, rolled right and then found tight end Pat Freiermuth up the left sideline for a 24-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 14-14 with 10:08 left in the second quarter.

Worst call: On fourth-and-1 from the PSU 10 in the second quarter, with the Hoosiers down 17-14 but having success on the ground, IU quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw a low-percentage fade into the end zone to Nick Westbrook. It was incomplete and turned the ball over on downs.

Best effort: PSU defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos led the Lions with 10 stops, including two sacks.

Unsung hero: Thomas had the 94-yard kickoff return, sprung Hamler’s return and recovered a fumble.

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