MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 8 Penn State Nittany Lions showcased their dominance with a 34-12 victory over West Virginia at Milan Puskar Stadium on Saturday, thrilling a sellout crowd of 62,084. This marked Penn State’s first visit to Morgantown since 1992, reminiscent of past encounters where they frequently triumphed over the Mountaineers.
West Virginia head coach reflected on the game, stating, “Bottom line is we played poorly, but credit Penn State. Today was just not good enough to beat a team like Penn State.”
Quarterback Drew Allar excelled, completing 11 of 17 passes for 216 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 44 yards on six scrambles. He made swift work of West Virginia’s secondary, throwing three touchdown passes in the first half, two to Harrison Wallace III. Wallace opened the scoring just seven seconds into the second quarter with a 50-yard touchdown catch from Allar. Although the two-point conversion attempt failed, Penn State quickly gained momentum.
Allar connected with running back Kaytron Allen for a 20-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 13-0. West Virginia managed to get on the board with a 38-yard field goal after a promising 10-play drive, bringing the score to 13-3.
As the half neared its end, West Virginia mounted another attempt to score, only to face a critical moment. After a missed third-down pass, kicker made a 39-yard field goal, narrowing the gap to 13-6.
However, Penn State responded swiftly by capitalizing on a squib kick, with Allar completing a 55-yard pass to Omari Evans, setting up another touchdown pass to Wallace, extending the Lions’ lead to 20-6 just before halftime.
After a lengthy weather delay, when play resumed, Penn State picked up right where they left off. Allar’s efforts included two pivotal scrambles before Singleton rushed for a 40-yard touchdown, increasing the lead to 27-6.
West Virginia finally found the end zone with 12:49 left in the game, as Donaldson scored following a series of offensive plays. However, the Nittany Lions quickly responded as Pribula connected with tight end Tyler Warren for a 19-yard touchdown, solidifying their control of the game at 34-12.
Overall, Penn State’s offense proved overpowering, with 457 total yards compared to West Virginia’s 246. Singleton led all rushers with 114 yards on just 13 carries. Quarterback Greene finished with 161 passing yards before being replaced in the fourth quarter.
This game marked the conclusion of a two-game series with Penn State. The Nittany Lions now hold a commanding 50-9-2 record in their rivalry with West Virginia. West Virginia will look to rebound next weekend against Albany, while Penn State prepares for a home opener against Bowling Green.