The undefeated Penn State Nittany Lions have roared into the Top 5 of the AP College Football Poll for the first time in several seasons.
Penn State climbed three spots to No. 4 in the AP Top 25 College Football Poll after Drew Allar threw for 237 yards with a touchdown and ran for another score to lead the then No. 7 Nittany Lions to a 27-11 win over UCLA on Saturday.
The No. 4 ranking is the highest ranking for the Big 10 school since Penn State was ranked No. 4 in 2021, according to Sport Illustrated.
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Penn State is No. 5 in this week's coaches poll.
Playing without star running back Nick Singleton on Saturday, Tyler Warren caught a touchdown pass in the last minute of the first half and Kaytron Allen ran one in from 1-yard out in the third quarter.
Allar opened the scoring with a 1-yard run of his own in the second quarter. Ryan Barker made two field goals and the Penn State (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) defense turned in another dominant second half to cap a four-game home stand.
“I think our third-quarter defense all year has been ridiculous,” coach James Franklin said — in a good way.
UCLA (1-4, 0-3) made it 7-3 on Mateen Bhaghani's 25-yard field goal, and then Penn State burned nearly the rest of the first half with another long scoring drive that ended with Warren's catch.
“When we get into heavy personnel, it’s hard to match up with us,” said Allar, who completed 17 of 24 passes. “We’re able to spread the formation wide into an open set, it causes a great deal of stress.”
The Bruins scored a touchdown in the last minute of the game on a 1-yard pass from Justyn Martin to Logan Loya and converted the 2-point try.
“Defense came out and played well,” UCLA coach DeShaun Foster said. “Offensively, we just kept putting them out on the field in situations that weren’t exactly ideal.”
The takeaway
UCLA: The Bruins have played hard on defense, but aren’t getting help on the other side of the ball. The UCLA offense entered its first Big Ten road game ranked 127th nationally in total offense. The unit was averaging just 262 yards per game, and without starting quarterback Ethan Garbers, who sat out with a leg injury, couldn’t get anything going.
Penn State: The bullish back Allen moved piles all day, Allar was accurate and timely and the defense forced four punts, two turnovers on downs and held its third-straight opponent to under 100 rushing yards.
Singleton’s absence
Singleton suited up and warmed up with his teammates, but did not play.
Franklin, whose policy is to only announce injuries if they are season-ending, did not elaborate on a timeframe for the junior to return.
This game was the first of the season in which Penn State failed to rush for 100 yards. Allen led the way with 78 of the team’s 85 rushing yards on 21 carries.
“I thought we’d have him Thursday,” Franklin said. “I thought we’d have him Friday. Literally was a last-minute deal.”
The Nittany Lions peppered in talented freshman Quinton Martin Jr. to make up for Singleton’s absence.
Up next
Penn State: Visits unranked USC on Saturday.
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