Penn State Nittany Lions top UCLA Bruins
Photos by Kathy Reed
By Dom Reed
UNIVERSITY PARK – Saturday, the Nittany Lions welcomed in the Bruins for the Stripe Out game at Beaver Stadium over 110,00 were in attendance for today’s game in which the Nittany Lions defeated UCLA 27-11.
The Nittany Lions and the Bruins were all tied up 0-0 at the end of the first quarter. Nothing easy was to come by for both the Lions and the Bruins.
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar helped the Nittany Lions crack the scoreboard first on a 16-play 82-yard drive. Allar took it in himself for a one-yard score to lead UCLA 7-0 with 6:40 left in the second quarter.
Bruins quarterback Justyn Martin silenced the crowd connecting on a deep pass to running back TJ Harden down inside the Nittany Lions territory at the 10.
Penn State would stand strong on defense to only hold the Bruins to three points on a Mateen Bhaghani 25 yard field goal with 2:51remaining in the first half of play.
Penn State wasn’t done and the home faithful would get loud.
The Nittany Lions would cap a big 8-play, 75-yard scoring drive. Allar connected on a pass to Tyler Warren from five yards out to give Penn State a 14-3 advantage with only 20 seconds remaining until halftime.
The Nittany Lions came out of intermission scoring the first points thanks to a Ryan Barker 25-yard field goal with 8:36 remaining in the third quarter.
Penn State had a strong offensive of showing. Liam Clifford led the NIttany LIons totaling 107 yards on three targets.
Harrison Wallace was second in receiving with 46 yards.
Bruins had the running backs in full force really helping out in the receiving game Harden led the afternoon with 59 yards on five targets.UCLA showed toughness on defense getting to Allar Oladejo Oluwafemi would sack the Penn State quarterback.
Jaylen Reed, Zane Durant and Amin Vanover found themselves in the sack column for the Nittany Lions. Penn State would turn the Bruins away twice on fourth down tries. The Nittany LIons also let one slip past earlier in the first half.
Penn State kept it going extending their lead over the Bruins with 2:57 left in the third.
Kaytron Allen found the endzone on a one-yard score. It took the NIttany LIons 5 plays to score on the drive making the lead 24-3.
Penn State scored one more time. Barker knocked through a 40 yard kick to extend the Nittany Lions’ lead to 27-3.
UCLA capped off a 16-play, 73-yard drive. Martin would find Logan Loya to score the only Bruins tuddy of the game with time running out with 16 seconds left in regulation.
The Nittany LIons would win their fifth game of the season. Penn State remains undefeated in Big Ten Conference play with a 2-0 record. The Nittany Lions will travel to USC next week to take on the Trojans UCLA will host MInnestota next week at home.