PSU gets away USC behind Warren’s 17-catch day

Paolo Uggetti, ESPNOct 12, 2024, 07:57 PM ET LOS ANGELES– Almost seven years earlier, James Franklin watched a USC kicker split the uprights in Pasadena as the clock hit no and Penn State misused a 17-point fourth-quarter lead to lose the Rose Bowl Game.On Saturday, simply a handful of miles west of the storied location, Franklin discovered himself doing the very same. This time, nevertheless, it was at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and it was his kicker, Ryan Barker, who converted a 36-yarder in overtime to beat USC 33-30 and keeping No. 4 Penn State’s undefeated season alive.The kick topped

the Nittany Lions ‘comeback after they tracked 20-6 at halftime.”We discovered a method to get a difficult win on the roadway,” Franklin stated.”I’m going to take it and go to the airport. “Though Barker’s laces sent out the Nittany Lions on the long trip back to Happy Valley with a smile on their faces, it was tight end Tyler Warren who carried the offense– and group– on his back Saturday.Editor’s Picks 2 Related “Video game saver, “cornerback A.J. Harris said of Warren.

“We really needed him today.”To be able to save the game from an upset, Warren required to break

it. And he did, capturing 17 passes for 224 backyards, tying the FBS record for many catches by a tight end in a game and posting the second-most receiving backyards in school history.Coming into this game, Warren had actually never had double-digit receptions in a game.”I have actually been speaking about him being the best tight end in college

football,” Franklin stated. “But the truth is, he’s now part of a conversation on among the best players in all of college football.” Warren gave the Trojans’revamped defense fits all game long. When they didn’t cover him, he made them pay. When they attempted to cover him, he still found his method to the ball like a magnet. There was no stopping Warren on Saturday, however the Trojans couldn’t even begin to include him. And that’s simply what he did in his typical role– a position he had actually only begun playing once he reached Penn State. Penn State’s Tyler Warren’s 17 catches connected the FBS single-game record for a tight end, while his 224 receiving backyards were the second-most in school history. Image by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images In other places, Warren was a Swiss Army knife. In what was perhaps the play of the game, Warren lined up as the center. He snapped the ball to backup quarterback Beau Pribula, who lateraled it to starter Drew Allar, who then discovered Warren in the end zone for a 32-yard goal.”In fact, my first position I ever played in football was center my first year of flag, “Warren stated postgame.”I have actually thrown the ball 17 times in high school, however I never ever [had 17 catches]. So yeah, it was fun. “Warren likewise ran the ball for 4 lawns on one play and even had a pass himself– a 9-yard completion that led to a first down for the Nittany Lions.While the Penn State offense left to a slow start versus the Trojans, scoring just 6 points by means of two field goals in the first half, there wasn’t excessive that was conservative about offensive planner Andy Kotelnicki’s game plan Saturday. He tried technique plays at will, moved ability position players around like chess pieces and left the revamped USC defense under D’Anton Lynn looking, at times, puzzled. Warren was at the center of Kotelnicki’s insanity and in the second half, the unit discovered their stride, acquiring over 300 backyards and scoring 24 points. Allar, who had tossed two second-half interceptions, amounted to 391 backyards and two touchdowns by the end of the game. “Coach K, Coach Franklin, they never ever despaired in me, “Allar said. “We constantly talk in the QB room, to keep shooting. Keep shooting no matter what. Some things aren’t going to go your method. However it’s about how you get better. “” I feel like our offense has actually stepped up a lot considering that in 2015,”Warren stated. “Playing to win was something we preached on all week, not playing conservative, being aggressive. We did a fantastic job” It helped, too, that as Franklin and Co. made their method west, a lot of Penn State fans who were either local or made the trip peppered the arena in bright white Saturday

.” As soon as we began making some plays, you might feel our Penn State existence in the arena,”Franklin said.USC coach Lincoln Riley took duty for the Trojans blowing a 14-point halftime lead. With his Trojans falling to 3-3, Riley stated they have had a possibility to win all six games despite playing among

the hardest schedules in the country”To put yourself in position to win these games is friggin’ hard to do to begin with,” he stated. “I get it. We need to do a much better task at the end of games, I have to do a much better job. We’ve got to be able to finish, and it all falls on my shoulders. That’s why they call me the head coach. “Before the game, Riley had asked Trojans fans to bring the energy. However by the time Barker, a previous walk-on, had actually won the game with his left foot and the stands had mostly emptied out of cardinal and gold, a gleeful Franklin and his team commemorated as if they were right in your home.