How Penn State dominated Michigan State with long-awaited big plays: Nittany Lions takeaways

DETROIT — No. 11 Penn State secured the Land Grant Trophy and the fifth double-digit-win season of James Franklin’s tenure by beating Michigan State 42-0 on Friday night at Ford Field. Here are some initial takeaways:

• Drew Allar ’s right throwing arm did not look like it was bothering him. After exiting the Rutgers game, the quarterback started and was spelled by backup Beau Pribula only when Penn State went to the specialty package that put both quarterbacks on the field together. The Nittany Lions used the Pribula package for two snaps in the first half and had success with it in the third quarter.

Allar completed 17-of-26 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns. His 60-yard connection with Omari Evans in the third quarter was a reminder of the types of big-time throws he’s capable of.

Pribula threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tyler Warren in the third quarter. It was the fourth time in the game Penn State put both quarterbacks on the field together. Pribula also scored on a 2-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter. This is clearly how Penn State planned to use both quarterbacks this season. Though it’s taken most of the season and parting ways with offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich to get here, eventually Penn State did it.

Pribula replaced Allar when Penn State was leading 35-0 with 10:09 left in the game.

• Penn State didn’t wait to start getting more than two receivers on the field. It’s been a point of emphasis to get more receivers involved in the game plan, something Franklin said he was adamant about last week and this week. It’s been a noticeable change since the firing of Yurcich. During Penn State’s opening drive, KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Dante Cephas saw the most snaps, but Omari Evans, Kaden Saunders and Malik McClain all saw the field too. Liam Clifford played during the second series. This heavy rotation continued all game.

While Penn State certainly needs to find out what it has in this group long-term, the usage of Lambert-Smith has been bizarre. Penn State’s No. 1 wide receiver was not targeted at all in the first half. Seven other players were targeted in the half. Allar connected with him for a 22-yard gain on Penn State’s opening drive of the third quarter. It was Lambert-Smith’s first reception since the Michigan game. Allar then went back to him for a successful two-point conversion in the third quarter. The receiving corps was without Harrison Wallace III again. Wallace last played against Indiana and was ruled out of this game.

• It seems like Nicholas Singleton ’s late-game success against Rutgers might’ve been the spark to get the sophomore rolling. Penn State has been adamant about using Singleton and Kaytron Allen in a rotation, and it continued Friday. Allen started and played the first two series, even ripping off a 50-yard run, the longest run play this season. However, Penn State was able to get Singleton in space, and he turned an Allar pass into a 53-yard reception. These were the kinds of explosive plays many expected to see from the offense this year. Penn State posted 308 yards in the first half even though it had just 13 points to show for it.

Singleton finished with 18 carries for 118 yards for his first 100-yard game of the season. He added a 14-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter and had two catches for 68 yards. Allen had 15 carries for a career-high 137 yards and three catches for 17 yards and a TD. It was the second time this season Allen surpassed 100 yards rushing.

• JB Nelson started at left guard but Vega Ioane played extensively. Ioane was spelled at left guard by backup center Nick Dawkins . Dawkins played center in the third quarter, again a glimpse of the future for this line. Reserve tackle Drew Shelton repped at left tackle spelling Olu Fashanu.

• Cornerback Kalen King , a Detroit native, posed on the field for photos shortly after Penn State arrived. This was a game Kalen and twin brother Kobe had circled since it was announced in the summer. Fellow Detroit native Jaylen Reed spoke earlier in the week about trying to secure as many tickets as possible for family and friends. The safety picked off Katin Houser in the first quarter and immediately celebrated. This was the fourth time Reed played at Ford Field.

The Nittany Lion defense gets an early INT. pic.twitter.com/MrImlq9OWw

— NBC Sports November 25, 2023

• Penn State’s pass rush was able to tee off on Houser. Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac have been disruptive all season, and this was no different. Manny Diaz’s defense finished with seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss.

• Just how dominant was Penn State? The Nittany Lions outgained the Spartans 586 to 68. Michigan State had minus-32 yards in the second half.

• Penn State (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) will find out where it will wrap up the 2023 season next Sunday. The Nittany Lions should be in line for another New Year’s Six bowl game, which would be its fifth since 2016. Whether or not Franklin hires an offensive coordinator between now and then will now take center stage.

(Photo of Nick Singleton: Mike Mulholland / )