MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The eighth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions secured a decisive 34-12 victory over West Virginia in front of a sellout crowd of 62,084 at Milan Puskar Stadium Saturday afternoon. This marked Penn State’s first visit to Morgantown since 1992, reminiscent of the dominant performances the Lions often displayed in the past.
West Virginia coach Neal Brown acknowledged his team’s shortcomings, 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 showcased his abilities by completing 11 of 17 passes for 216 yards and three touchdowns, along with 44 rushing yards on six carries. Allar’s performance mirrored his previous outing against the Mountaineers, where he effectively exploited their secondary, throwing three first-half touchdown passes, two of which were caught by Harrison Wallace III.
Wallace opened the scoring in the second quarter, catching a 50-yard touchdown pass from Allar just seven seconds into the quarter. While a two-point conversion attempt by backup Beau Pribula failed, Allar later connected with running back Kaytron Allen for a 20-yard touchdown that extended Penn State’s lead to 13-0.
West Virginia managed to score with a 38-yard field goal following a 10-play, 55-yard drive. After forcing a Penn State punt, the Mountaineers advanced the ball into the Lions’ territory, resulting in another field goal that cut the deficit to 13-6 before halftime.
However, Penn State responded quickly after recovering a squib kick, with Allar completing a 55-yard pass to Omari Evans, positioning the Lions for another score. Allar then threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Wallace, increasing their lead to 20-6 just before halftime.
Following a significant weather delay, which lasted over two hours, play resumed with Penn State continuing its offensive momentum. Nicholas Singleton broke free for a 40-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 27-6.
West Virginia managed to score its first touchdown of the season in the fourth quarter when running back CJ Donaldson crossed the goal line. However, their two-point conversion attempt failed, making the score 27-12.
Despite the Mountaineers’ efforts, Penn State responded with a swift drive, culminating in a 19-yard touchdown pass from Pribula to tight end Tyler Warren. The Lions dominated in total yardage, gaining 457 yards compared to West Virginia’s 246, with Singleton leading all rushers with 114 yards.
West Virginia’s offense struggled with quarterback Garrett Greene completing 15 of 28 passes for 161 yards before being replaced in the fourth quarter. The Mountaineers now stand at 0-1 and will host Albany next Saturday, while Penn State prepares to open its season at home against Bowling Green.