Following a setback against UCLA, Penn State aimed to regain momentum at home in State College, Pennsylvania. However, the Northwestern Wildcats disrupted those plans, securing a 22-21 victory at Beaver Stadium.
The decisive play came in the fourth quarter when Wildcats running back Caleb Komolafe broke free for a 72-yard touchdown run. This score propelled Northwestern to its third consecutive win, while Penn State suffered its third straight loss.
Northwestern coach David Braun acknowledged the significance of the win for his team, stating, “I truly believe that our football team expected to win today. Ultimately, the message was you’ve got a football team that’s got their back up against the wall, but also a football team that may be questioning who they are.”
The victory marked the end of Northwestern’s 11-year losing streak at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State’s opportunity to respond was hampered when quarterback Drew Allar sustained a leg injury on a third-down play with under five minutes remaining.
Post-game, Penn State coach James Franklin confirmed that Allar would be sidelined for the rest of the season due to the injury. Ethan Grunkemeyer stepped in as quarterback but was stopped on a fourth-down run. Northwestern then ran out the clock, sealing their victory.
Allar completed 13 of 20 passes for 137 yards, adding 25 rushing yards and a touchdown before his injury.
In the first half, Penn State was penalized six times for a total of 71 yards, further hindering their performance.
Franklin took responsibility for the team’s recent struggles, saying, “I take full responsibility for all of it. I hired all the staff, I recruited all the players. I believe in all of them. But we’re not getting it done right now.”
Looking ahead, Penn State is scheduled to play Iowa next week. Ethan Grunkemeyer is expected to start as quarterback for the Nittany Lions.
