Penn State-Purdue highs-lows
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By Neil Rudel
nrudel@altoonamirror.com WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Following are the highlights and lowlights from Penn State's 35-31 victory over Purdue on Thursday night at Ross-Ade Stadium:
Play of the game: Sean Clifford hit Keyvone Lee with a 10-yard touchdown pass with 57 seconds remaining to set the final score.
Offensive player of the game: Penn State receiver Mitchell Tinsley caught seven passes for 84 yards and one touchdown.
Defensive player of the game: Lion cornerback Joey Porter Jr. made a team-high eight tackles, broke up three passes and recovered a fumble.
Most telling statistic: Purdue was flagged nine times for 93 yards.
Most deceiving statistic: The Boilers racked up 456 yards -- 356 through the air.
Best run: How about Clifford's 2-yard quarterback sneak out of full-house backfield that gave the Lions a 14-10 lead?
Best pass(es): Purdue's Aiden O'Connell threw a bunch.
Worst pass: Clifford had Tinsley wide open over the middle and overshot him. Purdue safety Chris Jefferson intercepted and returned it 72 yards for a touchdown that put the Boilermakers up 31-28 with 8:29 remaining.
Catch it, will ya: Porter missed a Pick-6 in the first quarter -- he could have walked in -- and Purdue receiver TJ Sheffield pulled it in for an 11-yard catch to the Boiler 23. Lambert-Smith dropped two passes and Parker Washington dropped one.
Hold it, won't ya: Penn State didn't fumble.
Best tackle: PSU corner Johnny Dixon came on a blitz sacked O'Connell to pin Purdue back on its final possession.
Best block: Kaytron Allen helped pave Penn State's first touchdown, a 12-yarder from Clifford to Mitchell Tinsley.
Best hit: Boilermaker safety Sanoussi Kane came up hard to drill Allen at the Purdue 29 at the end of the first quarter.
Best kick: PSU punter Barney Amor had several. Let's pick his early 52-yarder to the Purdue 9, flipping early field position.
Worst kick: Up 10-7, Purdue's Ben Freehill promptly kicked off out bounds, giving the Lions possession at their 35.
Best call: On fourth-and-2 from the Purdue 29, the PSU staff nixed a long field-goal attempt and instead had Clifford dump off a 12-yard pass in the flat to an open Devyn Ford.
Worst call: The targeting call that ejected Penn State freshman linebacker Abdul Carter for his hit on Tyrone Tracy was highly questionable.
Worst penalty: The low tackle by Purdue's Lawrence Johnson on Clifford in the first half was much more egregious than Carter's targeting.
Best effort: Clifford hit tight end Brenton Strange for a 67-yard touchdown pass with two seconds left in the first half. Strange caught the ball at the 45 and broke two tackles en route to the end zone and a 21-10 lead.
Unsung hero: On third-and-2, PSU safety Zakee Wheatley stripped Sheffield at the Lions' 22 -- after Sheffield had picked up a first down -- and Porter recovered with 30 seconds left in the second quarter, keeping Penn State's lead at 14-10 and setting the stage for Strange's score.