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UNIVERSITY PARK - Penn State didn't save its best for last.
Nonetheless, the Nittany Lions were able to close the regular season with a 35-16 victory over Michigan State before 105,154 Saturday at Beaver Stadium.
The win was Penn State's fourth-straight and improved their record to 10-2, their first 10-win season since 2019 and their third in nine years under James Franklin.
The Lions took a while to get going on offense, and they missed a pair of short field goals.
The defense only allowed a field goal in the first half, but Michigan State executed a pair of long drives to pull within 21-16 in the second half.
The Lions used two touchdown passes to Theo Johnson in the first half to go up 14-0 but their late second-quarter drive died when Jake Pinegar missed a 28-yard field goal, his second of the half (the other was an early 37-yarder).
Michigan State's Jake Stone ended the first half with a 51-yard field goal.
The Lions went up 21-3 on Sean Clifford's 15-yard touchdown to Tyler Warren with 5:42 left in the third quarter.
However, Michigan State wasn't done.
Payton Thorne threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Malik Carr and followed that with an 11-play, 70-yard drive that Thorne capped with a 2-yard rushing TD with 10:52 remaining, pulling the Spartans within 21-16 after they missed the 2-point conversion.
The Lions answered with a 75-yard, 11-play drive capped when Clifford -- facing fourth-and-2 from the Michigan State 12 -- hit Nick Singleton in the left flat, and he scampered into the end zone for a 28-16 lead with 4:31 remaining.
PSU cornerback Kalen King sealed it with an interception with 4:04 remaining, which set up Clifford's fourth touchdown pass, a 35-yarder to KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who also threw a TD (Johnson's second score).
Clifford finished 19-of-24 for 202 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
Lambert-Smith caught five passes for 83 yards and a TD.
Freshman backs Kaytron Allen and Singleton combined for 160 yards rushing on 38 carries, Allen going 21-82 and Singleton 17-78.
Penn State now awaits its bowl fate, which likely will be announced next Sunday, Dec. 4 following next weekend's conference championship games.
Bowl tracking websites have the Lions in contention for a New Year's 6 Bowl game and, if not, perhaps a Citrus Bowl date with an SEC opponent.
Michigan State closed its season with a 5-7 record, falling out of bowl eligibility.
The Mirror will have a full report in Penn State Extra on Monday.
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