Penn State Welcomes Fans Back to Beaver Stadium with Win Over Ball State

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: September 12, 2021

Photos by Tim Weight

Story Courtesy of GoPSU Athletics

No. 11/13 Nittany Lions Defeat Ball State 44-13

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – For the first time in 22 months, fans filled the seats of Beaver Stadium as the Penn State football team opened its home schedule with a 44-13 victory over Ball State on Saturday.

The crowd of 105,323 saw a strong offensive performance from the No. 11/13 Nittany Lions, as Penn State complied 493 yards of total offense on the day.

Quarterback Sean Clifford completed 21 of 29 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown. He also added 66 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The passing score came on a 25-yard connection with Jahan Dotson in the second quarter. Dotson has now reached the end zone in four consecutive games dating back to last season.

Penn State was also strong on the ground, as the Nittany Lion rushing attack compiled 240 yards with three different players tallying 60-plus yards. Noah Cain was the team’s leading rusher with 69 yards and his second touchdown of the season.

After a three-takeaway day in the team’s season-opener against Wisconsin, the ball-hawking Penn State defense added two more interceptions on the day, highlighted by a 16-yard interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Jesse Luketa.

The Nittany Lions now turn their attention to No. 25/RV Auburn as the two teams are set to meet next Saturday night at Beaver Stadium for the annual White Out game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Nittany Lions methodically marched down the field on their opening possession, driving 13 plays on 78 yards resulting in a Noah Cain 5-yard touchdown run.

Penn State would double its lead on its ensuing drive, highlighted by 20-plus yard completions by Clifford to Parker Washington and Keyvone Lee to set the Nittany Lions up inside the five-yard line. Clifford completed the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to give Penn State a 14-0 lead.

Ball State would get on the board in the opening minute of the second quarter on a Jake Chanove 24-yard field goal.

Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week Jordan Stout would follow with a field goal of his own, connecting from 45-yards to extend the Penn State lead to 17-3.

The Nittany Lions would score once more in the first half, when Sean Clifford found Jahan Dotson for a 25-yard catch and run to make it 24-3. Ball State would end the half with a 23-yard field goal by Chanove as time expired.

The Penn State defense got the scoring started in the second half with 5:56 remaining in the third quarter when Jesse Luketa intercepted a Drew Plitt pass and returned it 16 yards for a touchdown. It was Penn State’s first pick-six since John Reid intercepted a pass for a touchdown in 2019 against Buffalo.

Stout would add three more to the scoreboard in the closing minutes of the third on a 26-yard field goal to give Penn State a 34-6 lead.

The Nittany Lions got another takeaway on Ball State’s next drive on Daequan Hardy’s first-career interception.

Penn State would add another field goal with 9:59 to go in the fourth when Stout connected on a 22-yarder.

Ball State scored its first points of the second half on a 6-yard touchdown run by Carson Steele with 6:58 to go.

Penn State would add one final score with 2:10 remaining in the game when Ta’Quan Roberson tossed his first career touchdown pass, a 23-yarder to Theo Johnson to cap off the 44-13 victory.