Here’s how No. 4 Penn State rallied to win an overtime thriller on the road against USC

No. 4 Penn State rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit behind a monster game from tight end Tyler Warren with a cherry on top provided by a game-winning field goal in overtime to capture a 33-30 victory over Southern California on Saturday at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

USC (3-3, 1-3 Big Ten) had the first possession in overtime, and missed a 45-yard field goal attempt. That meant the Nittany Lions needed only a field goal to win it, and Ryan Barker hit his attempt from 36 yards to secure the improbable victory that left Penn State’s record unblemished at 6-0, 3-0.

Here are three observations that led to the Nittany Lions’ clutch win in California.

The senior tied the FBS record for catches by a tight end in a single game with 17. He also set the school record for most receiving yards by a tight end with 224

He also tied the FBS record for catches by a tight end in a single game and finished second in receiving all-time for Penn State (Jahan Dotson leads at 242.).

He got his usual snaps at quarterback, but he also got one at center. As the snapper in an unbalanced formation, Warren released for a touchdown, receiving a double pass from Drew Allar.

He also completed a pass as well as offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki continued to dial up different ways to use Warren, ones the Trojans’ defense had no answers for.

Penn State’s QB1 didn’t look comfortable at all against the Trojans defense.

Allar threw two picks in blanketed coverage, a third one on a Hail Mary for his first multi-interception game of his career. He was a key part of the Nittany Lions’ second-half surge and totaled 394 yards and two touchdowns on 30-for-43 passing.

The supporting cast that was Penn State’s run game was no help, totaling a mere 4 yards per carry.

“This is what I love the most about Drew,” Franklin said. “It was probably reflective of our whole team because it didn’t go perfect for him today, and he just grinded through it, and he pushed through it, and he flushed the bad plays and moved on. And that’s what we got to do in college football.”

Penn State’s defense got gashed all game long, but it stepped up in a pivotal second-half stand.

Defensive ends Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton combined for 3.5 tackles for loss, demonstrating that Tom Allen’s defense still had an impact within the trenches. Cornerback A.J. Harris gave up his first touchdown of the year, but Penn State did get solid efforts from the secondary room, namely safety Jaylen Reed, who was all over the field, but credited with a crucial interception of USC quarterback Miller Moss late in the fourth quarter.

“I’m a real passionate player, and that’s how I play,” Reed said. “Before that drive, [safeties coach Anthony Poindexter and 49ers safety Ji’Ayir Brown] came up to me, and they were like, ‘big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games.”

Penn State will now get to enjoy another bye week before heading back out on the road to take on Big Ten foe Wisconsin on Oct. 26.

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