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By Neil Rudel
nrudel@altoonamirror.com
UNIVERSITY PARK -- Following are the highlights and lowlights from Penn State's 33-24 victory over Indiana on Saturday at Beaver Stadium:
Play of the game: Drew Allar found KeAndre Lambert-Smith up the right sideline for a 57-yard touchdown with 1:46 remaining, giving the Nittany Lions a 31-24 lead.
Offensive player of the game: Lambert-Smith caught six passes for 96 yards and the TD.
Defensive player of the game: Lion safety Jaylen Reed made a team-high eight tackles (seven solo) and returned an interception 17 yards.
Most telling statistic: Indiana averaged 20.7 yards on 13 completions.
Hidden statistic: For the second straight week, Penn State had a touchdown called back via penalty. This one, a block in the back by Kolin Dinkins (31), negated (or paved the way for) an 86-yard punt return by Daequan Hardy late in the first quarter.
Most deceiving statistic: PSU owned time of possession, 35:19-24:41.
Best run: Sorry. Penn State's longest run was 12 yards.
Best pass: Other than the play of the game, Allar feathered a 16-yard touchdown pass to Theo Johnson with 8:39 left in the third quarter, extending the Lions' lead to 24-14.
Worst pass: IU's Brendan Sorsby tried to do too much late in the first half, throwing across his body and into traffic over the middle. Reed intercepted and gave the Lions possession at the IU 43.
Best catch: IU's Omar Cooper juggled one at the sidelines.
Catch it, will ya: Lambert-Smith botched a nicely-thrown ball over the middle in the second quarter. Trey Wallace missed a catchable ball in the first quarter. Ditto Nick Singleton late.
Hold it, won't ya: With Penn State's offense yet again listless, down 7-0, Indiana's Camden Jordan fumbled a punt that Kevin Winston recovered at the IU 32. The Lions cashed the turnover into a 7-7 tie with 1:37 left in the first quarter. Singleton also fumbled early but it was recovered by Wallace.
Best tackle: Dani Dennis-Sutton sacked Sorsby with 1:33 left, forcing a safety to set the final score.
Best hit: Hardy decked Sorsby on a corner blitz in the third quarter.
Best kick: Alex Felkins nailed a 50-yard field goal put the Nits up 17-14 at the half.
Worst kick: IU's Chris Freeman missed a 37-yard field goal in the third quarter, keeping the score at 24-14.
Best call: On fourth-and-2 from the Hoosiers' 9, Penn State released tight end Khalil Dinkins on a crossing route for a wide-open touchdown that tied the score at 7.
Worst call(s): Hard to believe down 24-21 with first down at the 21, Tom Allen ran three straight times and kicked a field goal.
Worst coverage: Already having given up a 90-yard TD, the Lions followed that a quarter later by allowing a 69-yard score to Donaven McCulley. After cornerback Johnny Dixon blitzed, there was no PSU defender in the same zip code with McCulley.
Best effort: Sorsby found Dequece Carter up the right sideline for a 90-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Carter ran away from a couple Lions to make it 7-0.
Unsung hero(es): Hakeem Beamon and Abdul Carter combined to stop IU's Trent Howland on third-and-1 with six minutes left, forcing a punt.
Best moment: Penn State did a nice job with its pre-game (and in-game) military recognition.