Penn State roars back for Big Ten championship
INDIANAPOLIS — Penn State trailed by two touchdowns at halftime in its eventual 38-31 Big Ten championship win over Wisconsin.
It's hard to imagine a more fitting finish to a season defined by Nittany Lions comebacks.
The Lions (11-2, 9-1) started the season 2-2, hitting rock bottom in their 49-10 loss to Michigan on Sept. 24 before winning their next nine games. Their final contest, the conference title game against the Badgers (10-3, 7-3), felt strikingly familiar for coach James Franklin's team.
“I don't like the fact that we don't get started as quickly as I think we can, but I do like the fact that I'm able to come in at halftime and say to our guys that we're a second-half team,” Franklin said. “We've been in that situation a number of times and handled it well.”
The first half looked ugly. A Badgers scoop-and-score touchdown on a high snap from Penn State's Brian Gaia, a few costly penalties and two questionable fourth-down gambles left the Lions no more room for error. They trailed 28-14 at the half.
Then the comeback began.
It started on Penn State's first offensive play of the second half. Trace McSorley slung a pass over the middle to Saeed Blacknall, who snagged it and ran more than 25 yards in for the score.
The play was Blacknall's second of his two touchdown catches Saturday night. The first one, a 40-yard grab, came on the final drive of the first half when he crossed the goal line with 58 seconds remaining on the clock.
McSorley, the game's MVP, completed 22 of his 31 passes for 384 yards and four touchdowns, despite feeling the heat of the Badgers defensive front for much of the game. He threw just one incompletion in 15 second-half attempts.
“This is definitely a great offense,” McSorley said. “If you ask everyone in this locker room if we have the best offense in the Big Ten, they'd say we do.”
The Lions followed the quick punch with a more methodical series on their next offensive drive, which ended in a 1-yard plunge from running back Saquon Barkley. The touchdown and ensuing extra point tied the score 28-28.
Wisconsin responded with a field goal to go up by three. But the Badgers' final lead was short-lived.
McSorley fired to Barkley on an 18-yard wheel route to put Penn State ahead 35-31.
The fate of the Lions' postseason will be determined Sunday afternoon.
NOTE: This story has been updated from the original to add quotes.
Matt Martell is a freelance writer.
