Lions toy with Rutgers for a while, then erupt in blowout

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- This isn't one of those things we really need to overthink or overanalyze.

Rutgers never has much chance against Penn State. The games are never close. The talent differential is just too great. And even when things get goofy in games, the Nittany Lions are still never seriously challenged by the Scarlet Knights.

Here's why. This is the best way to describe the difference between these two programs:

Rutgers' punter, Adam Korsak, set the NCAA career record for punts during Saturday's game. He's now at 339 career punts, because Rutgers' offense is terrible and has been terrible for a long time.

Here ya go, ladies and gentlemen. This is Rutgers football in a nutshell:

Penn State, meanwhile, always has a strong defense. So, when you combine that with Rutgers having a terrible offense, you pretty much always know what you're going to get when these teams play.

We got it again Saturday, as the Lions pummeled Rutgers, 55-10, before the largest crowd ever (55,676) at SHI Stadium.

The Scarlet Knights actually jumped out to a 10-7 lead, then No. 11 Penn State woke up and scored 48 unanswered points. Most impressively, the Lions got three non-offensive touchdowns: a 100-yard kickoff return by Nicholas Singleton, a 14-yard fumble return by Kobe King and a 70-yard fumble return by Ji'Ayir Brown.

"We're playing good complementary football," James Franklin said. "We scored three non-offensive touchdowns, which is special."

How predictable was it, even after falling behind early, that Penn State was still going to win easily? How about this little bit of foreshadowing:

There is respect in the Penn State camp for Rutgers. Not just lip service respect, but actual respect for the way the Scarlet Knights play the game and how "hard" they try.

"They're probably one of the toughest teams we play every year. ... They're physical," linebacker Curtis Jacobs said.

Now, Jacobs, when pressed about Rutgers, went a little too far with the hyperbole, trying to show respect for the opponent.

"That's a great team we played today," he said.

Ummm ... yeah, it's not. And Jacobs was reminded the score was 55-10.

Penn State beat Rutgers for the 17th straight time, and ninth straight time in Big Ten play. This was only the second time the Scarlet Knights reached 10 points in those nine meetings (they also scored 10 in 2014).

The issue is that Rutgers simply does not have the talent to compete with Penn State. Not even close.

And it was especially evident on this day. Because on this day, the Lions played without three of their best players and still embarrassed Rutgers.

Wide receiver Parker Washington did not make the trip after suffering what's believed to be a leg injury this past week. His status for the rest of the season is highly questionable, although Franklin didn't give any specifics after the game.

Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (appendicitis) missed his second straight game. Left tackle Olu Fashanu (undisclosed injury) also was out once again, and it's questionable if he'll play again this season.

Porter and Fashanu are potential first-round draft picks. Washington is the Lions' best receiver. Even without those guys, Rutgers stood no chance of beating Penn State.

It goes to show not only how bad Rutgers is, but also how much depth this Penn State team has been able to build.

"It's about the work in the offseason," quarterback Sean Clifford said. "It's about understanding your role. Every guy in the locker room has really made a serious point to make sure that honestly, whatever happens, we're going to have depth. That's a testament to the freshmen. That's a testament to the young guys coming in and setting the setting tone with us."

After Rutgers jumped ahead 3-0, Singleton took the ensuing kickoff back 100 yards for a score.

"That kickoff return was a thing of beauty," Franklin said. "We just invest so much time on special teams."

Rutgers, which had a nice little passing game going early, answered right back with a TD drive for a 10-7 lead. It was stunning, simply because that sort of thing just hasn't happened in these head-to-head meetings.

The rest of the game was not stunning, as Penn State's defense shut out Rutgers and scored the two defensive touchdowns. This was the first, giving the Lions the lead for good.

It was 28-10 at the half, and the Lions later got this defensive score from Brown to keep the rout going.

Penn State's defense had 15 tackles for loss and held Rutgers to 167 yards, one week after holding Maryland to 134 yards in a 30-0 shutout. The Lions allowed just 32 yards rushing.

Penn State's offense, meanwhile, ran for 237 yards -- 117 by Kaytron Allen on 11 carries (with one TD) and 62 by Singleton on nine carries.

This was, as Franklin noted, complementary football at its best, with Penn State impressing in all aspects of the game.

• How's this for some history: Singleton and Allen became the first freshmen running back duo in Big Ten history to each have 700 yards rushing in the same season.

"A great stat," Franklin said.

• Here's another great stat: In Penn State's last four wins (Rutgers, Maryland, Indiana and Minnesota), it has outscored opponents, 175-41.

The schedule certainly got easier after the loss to Ohio State, but the Lions also have remained focused and stepped up their play. For instance, they crushed Maryland last week, 30-0, and the Terps rebounding by giving Ohio State all it wanted Saturday in a 43-30 loss.

"I put it on the backs of our leadership," said Clifford, who singled out Brown, Porter, Jacobs and P.J. Mustipher on defense, as well as Juice Scruggs and Brenton Strange on offense.

"They just bought in, and we said through hell or high water, we're gonna see this thing through and we're gonna make sure that we put Penn State in the best position possible and make them proud," Clifford said.

"We're getting better each week," Franklin said. "And that's really your objective is to try to get better every single week at home on the road, conference opponents, whatever it may be. And I do think we're getting better. We have a ton of guys playing and a ton of guys getting reps, which always makes me feel good as a head coach to know how hard those guys in locker room work."

• Punter Barney Amor had an interesting day. He struggled in the first quarter with some weaker kicks, and then was replaced by freshman Alex Bacchetta in the second quarter.

Bacchetta's turn lasted all of about 2 seconds. He fielded a punt, then dropped it for a fumble that was recovered by Rutgers. However, the Scarlet Knights were offsides, giving Penn State a first down.

The Lions stalled again and had to punt, and this time Amor was back on the field. Amor must have learned his lesson, as he delivered a phenomenal 58-yard punt that pinned Rutgers at its own 3.

"It was great to see Barney handle it the right way," Franklin said. "Come back in and then I think he has (58-yarder), which was huge. So, maybe that was the right thing. Maybe I should have (benched him) earlier."

• Freshman LB Abdul Carter continues to emerge as an impressive force. In this one, he had two tackles for loss and one sack. Wearing the famed No. 11, he looks every part of the next great Penn State linebacker.

"He's made really the splash plays from the very beginning," Franklin said. "The thing that probably is hard for you guys to tell when you're watching the game is his missed assignments are going down every single week. So it gives you a lot more confidence that you can put him in there and not only that you're going to get the good plays, but the plays that we have to eliminate as a young player, those are reducing."

• Freshman QB Drew Allar got more playing time, but once again not until the game was far out of reach. He came in late in the third quarter when the score was 45-10. Allar completed 5 of 10 passes, had a 19-yard scramble and scored a 1-yard TD on fourth down to close the scoring.

• This was the 100th victory of Franklin's coaching career. Athletic Director Pat Kraft delivered him a game ball in the locker room afterward.

• For as hard as Rutgers typically plays -- and to their credit, that is usually the case -- it appeared as though the Scarlet Knights just kind of gave up as the game went on. Penn State started having its way on both sides of the ball, and the competitiveness shown by Rutgers early on disappeared. That's how this turned into a 55-10 game, and surely something coach Greg Schiano won't like seeing when he reviews the film.

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THE INJURY REPORT

Players who didn't make the trip for Penn State: WR Parker Washington, CB Joey Porter Jr., LT Olu Fashanu, RB Keyvone Lee.

THE SCHEDULE

Penn State hosts Michigan State next week in the regular-season finale. It will kick off at 4 p.m. on FS1.

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