No. 4 Penn State stays on CFP track with narrow Big Ten win over Minnesota
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Minnesota running back Marcus Major (24) celebrates after running for a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Penn State, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
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Penn State linebacker Dominic DeLuca (0) celebrates after intercepting a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Minnesota, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
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Penn State tight end Luke Reynolds (85) celebrates after running for a first down off a fake punt during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Minnesota, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
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Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton (10) scores a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Minnesota, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
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Penn State quarterback Drew Allar looks to pass the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Minnesota, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
MINNEAPOLIS — Drew Allar passed for 244 yards and a touchdown, rushed for a score and completed a late fourth-down conversion to help No. 4 Penn State fend off Minnesota 26-25 Saturday and stay on track for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Tyler Warren had eight receptions for 102 yards for the Nittany Lions (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, No. 4 CFP), who dodged the upset on an afternoon when three other teams in the projected 12-team playoff were beaten.
Dragan Kesich's third field goal of the game with 5:48 left brought the Gophers (6-5, 4-4) within one after they had first-and-goal from the 7.
Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck trusted his defense enough to elect to kick, and the strategy almost paid off until tight end Luke Reynolds ran 32 yards on a fake punt to make up for two special teams gaffes by Penn State in the first half.
Allar converted another fourth-and-1 on a keeper from the 25 just before the two-minute warning and found his star tight end Warren for an 11-yard gain to end the game on another fourth-and-1 conversion.
Nick Singleton's 12-yard touchdown run with 3:43 left in the third quarter gave the Nittany Lions their first lead at 23-22.
Max Brosmer, who had his streak of 207 passes without an interception end when he was picked off by Dominic DeLuca, lost a fumble on the first play of the fourth quarter to set up Penn State for another kick by Ryan Barker.
Daniel Jackson had six catches for 90 yards, and Marcus Major rushed for a touchdown for Minnesota.
With Penn State's Riley Thompson punting from the back of the end zone, Derik LeCaptain deflected the ball that died at the Nittany Lions' 21. The Gophers dialed up a double-reverse pass on the next play, with a pitch to Darius Taylor who tossed it to Jackson and back to Brosmer for a wide-open TD pass to tight end Jameson Geers with 1:03 left in the first half.
The Nittany Lions cruised 75 yards in six plays, aided by a questionable pass interference penalty on Ethan Robinson, to score on Allar's scramble from 3 yards out. But Jack Henderson blocked the extra point attempt, and Robinson scooped it up and raced 88 yards for two points and a 19-16 halftime lead.
Penn State trailed 10-0 until Allar found an uncovered Omari Evans for a 45-yard touchdown pass with 10:48 left in the second quarter. The Nittany Lions kicked a field goal on their next drive to tie the game at 10.
Penn State: The offense was at its best in no-huddle mode, particularly when getting the ball to Warren, the do-it-all tight end.
Minnesota: The win five years ago against a then-undefeated Penn State team showed what's possible for this program, and the Gophers nearly repeated that feat. The two turnovers by Brosmer loomed in the end.
Penn State finishes the regular season at home against Maryland on Nov. 30, and Minnesota plays at Wisconsin on Friday for possession of Paul Bunyan's Axe.
