Game Coverage

Sluggish Nittany Lions pull away from Bowling Green, 34-27

UNIVERSITY PARK — This W didn't come with style points.

Penn State overcame an extremely flat first half and eventually put Bowling Green away, winning 34-27, before 103,861 at Beaver Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Lion defense, torched and booed by the home crowd in the first half, came up with two fourth-quarter interceptions to clinch the victory.

Ranked No. 8 entering the game, Penn State improved to 2-0 on the season.

Leading 27-24, Nick Singleton's 41-yard touchdown run put on the exclamation point with 4:09 remaining.

Singleton finished with 119 yards -- his second straight 100-yard game -- and backfield mate Kaytron Allen added 101 on 14 carries.

Singleton also caught a 14-yard touchdown pass.

Drew Allar completed 13-of-20 for 204 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted once.

Tight end Tyler Warren caught eight passes for 146 yards, both career highs.

Down 24-20 at halftime, Penn State got its crowd back in the game by taking its first lead (27-24) on a 14-yard TD from Allar to Singleton with 6:13 left in the third quarter.

The defense made that stand up as linebacker Tony Rojas and safety Zakee Wheatley made second-half interceptions.

Bowling Green opened the game strong as Connor Bazelak gunned a 30-yard pass up the seam of the Lions' defense to Harrold Fannin and punched in a 7-0 lead via a six-play 75-yard drive.

Penn State quickly answered with a six-play, 75-yard drive of its own as Allar scored on a 5-yard touchdown run.

Bowling Green took a 10-7 lead on Jackson Kleather's 33-yard field goal later in the first quarter and increased that to 17-7 when Bazelak threaded a 15-yard TD to an open Malcolm Johnson in the endzone with 12:48 remaining in the second quarter.

Again, the Lions responded through the air, going 75 yards on three plays that was capped by Allar's 29-yard touchdown pass to Omari Evans. Allar had hit Warren for 22 yards and Singleton busted a 24-yard run on the drive.

Sander Sahaydak's 43-yard field goal tied the game at 17 with 5:28 left in the half.

On their next series, though, the Falcons went up 24-17 by going 75 yards on just four plays — this time mainly on the ground as Jamal Johnson busted a 41-yard TD with 3:32 left in the half.

Penn State pulled within 24-20 on Sahaydak's second field goal of the half, a 28-yarder after the Lions couldn't finish a drive in which they advanced to a first down at the Bowling Green 12.

Bazelak completed 25-of-39 for 254 yards but he was 16-of-20 for 192 and two touchdowns in the first half.

Penn State is idle next week before hosting Kent State on Sept. 21.

Bowling Green, now 1-1, is also off next week before visiting Texas A&M on Sept. 21.

The Mirror will have full coverage in Monday’s Penn State Extra.