No. 12/11 Penn State Stifles Purdue, 35-7

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: October 5, 2019

Courtesy of GoPSU Athletics

Nittany Lions register 10 sacks and hold Boilers to minus-19 rushing yards

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A fast start on offense and a voracious pass rush that totaled 10 sacks led Penn State to a 35-7 victory over Purdue in Big Ten football action Saturday afternoon in Beaver Stadium.

In the game’s first 16 minutes, Penn State (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) built a 28-0 lead as quarterback Sean Clifford (Cincinnati, Ohio) was responsible for four touchdowns, rushing for one and throwing three, while the defense held Purdue (1-4, 0-2 Big Ten) to just 1 yard. For the game, the Nittany Lions held the Boilers to 104 total yards and minus-19 rushing yards – the fewest rushing yards allowed by Penn State since 1978 and fifth-fewest since 1947.

Clifford completed 11-of-14 pass attempts for 205 yards three touchdowns and an interception in the first half and finished 20-for-29 with 264 passing yards. Freshman running back Noah Cain (Baton Rouge, La.) paced the Nittany Lions’ run game with 105 rushing yards on 12 carries and a touchdown.

Penn State sacked Purdue quarterback Jack Plummer 10 times, led by the defensive end duo of Shaka Toney (Philadelphia, Pa.) with three and Yetur Gross-Matos (Spotsylvania, Va.) adding two, and also limited him to 13-of-27 passing for 119 yards. The Lions’ sack total was one shy of the school record.

Additionally, safety Lamont Wade (Clairton, Pa.) finished with 11 total tackles, including one sack, and one pass breakup.

How It Happened
A Toney sack secured a Purdue three-and-out to start the game, and the Nittany Lion offense responded with a six-play, 56-yard touchdown drive that concluded a 23-yard touchdown reception by KJ Hamler (Pontiac, Mich.) on a fade to the left corner of the end zone.

Toney forced another three-and-out on Purdue’s next possession with a third-down sack, and Hamler returned the punt 26 yards to the Purdue 33 to set up another Penn State touchdown drive. Clifford ultimately rushed into the end zone from the 3-yard line on third-and-2 with 7:04 remaining in the first quarter.

After kicking off, Penn State forced its third-straight three-and-out and then needed just two plays to score again. Jahan Dotson (Nazareth, Pa.) scored on a 72-yard reception, catching the pass at midfield and weaving through the Boiler defense with the help of some downfield blocking.

The Nittany Lions’ next offensive drive was keyed by a 48-yard reception by tight end Nick Bowers (Kittaning, Pa.) to the Purdue 9. After switching ends after the first quarter, Clifford connected with Pat Freiermuth (Merrimac, Mass.) on a 7-yard touchdown reception.

Penn State’s touchdown streak was halted by an interception by Simeon Smiley with 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter, which was returned 15 yards to the Purdue 38. The return setup a touchdown drive as Plummer connected with Amad Anderson for a 15-yard touchdown catch. The drive featured Plummer’s first three completions of the game after starting 0-for-7.

The third quarter was scoreless, as was the fourth quarter, until Cain’s rushing touchdown up the middle from 2 yards out with 5:41 remaining. Eighty-two of Cain’s 105 yards on the ground came in the fourth quarter alone.

Penn State’s defense allowed just 55 total yards and held Purdue to 0-of-6 on third down in the second half.