Northwestern stuns Penn State; Nittany Lions lose key player to injury
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Penn State returned to State College, Pennsylvania, hoping to bounce back from last week’s upset loss to the UCLA Bruins. But the Northwestern Wildcats had other plans on Saturday.
Wildcats running back Caleb Komolafe rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter, helping Northwestern earn a 22-21 victory at Beaver Stadium. The narrow victory secured Northwestern’s third consecutive victory, while Penn State earned its third straight victory.
“I truly believe our football team expected to win today,” Northwestern coach David Braun said. “The message ultimately was that you have a football team with their backs against the wall, but you also have a football team questioning who they are.”
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Northwestern quarterback Preston Stone (left) celebrates his team’s win over Penn State on Saturday in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
The Wildcats ended an 11-year windless drought at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State got the ball back with less than five minutes remaining on Komolafe’s touchdown pass, but quarterback Drew Allar suffered an apparent leg injury on the third-down play.
After the game, Penn State coach James Franklin confirmed that Allar would miss the remainder of the season with an unspecified injury. Backup Ethan Grunkemeyer replaced him, was stopped in the fourth, and the Wildcats ran out the clock.
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Backup Ethan Grunkemeyer replaced him and was immediately stopped on the fourth down run, and the Wildcats ran the clock from there.
Allar completed 13-of-20 passing for 137 yards and added 25 yards rushing and a touchdown. Allar returned for his senior season to improve on his season-ending interception against Notre Dame in last season’s College Football Playoff semifinal.
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar sits on the field during an injury timeout at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. (Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
The Nittany Lions committed six penalties for 71 yards in the first half.
Franklin took responsibility for Penn State’s recent struggles. “I take responsibility for all of this,” Franklin said. “I hired all the staff, I hired all the players. I believe in all of them. But we can’t do that right now.”
Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin stands on the field after the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pa., on Saturday. (Matthew O’Haren/Imagn Images)
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Iowa hosts Penn State next week and Grunkemeyer is expected to start at quarterback for the Nittany Lions.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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