- Oregon quarterback Dante Moore threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns in the victory.
- Penn State quarterback Drew Allar led a fourth-quarter comeback to force overtime.
- The game was decided by an interception in the second overtime period.
STATE COLLEGE, PA — No. 5 Oregon hammered away at No. 2 Penn State and parried the Nittany Lions’ furious charge in the fourth quarter to score a 30-24 overtime win in this high-profile matchup of Big Ten favorites.
‘This is a huge growth moment for our entire team,’ said Oregon coach Dan Lanning. ‘The only time we really struggled was when we beat ourselves. We said it was going to be a battle. We had to figure out what worked, but they handled this environment, and it ended up not being a factor for our team.’
Both teams scored only a field goal in the first half. But the Ducks scored touchdowns on their first two possessions coming out of the break before the Nittany Lions rallied to force overtime behind quarterback Drew Allar, who finished with 179 yards of total offense and had two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter.
After the Nittany Lions scored a touchdown and converted the extra point on the first possession of overtime to take a 24-17 lead, the Ducks evened the score on a short touchdown pass. Oregon scored again on the first play of the second extra frame and then failed to convert the automatic two-point try before intercepting Allar on the first play of the Nittany Lions’ ensuing possession.
“Obviously, it’s a really good team. And we’re a really good team. And we’ve got to find ways to win those games,’ Penn State coach James Franklin said.
In the first real test of his first season as the starter, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore completed 29 of 39 throws for 248 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Running back Dierre Hill had 82 yards on 10 carries with a receiving touchdown. Wide receiver Dakorien Moore led the Ducks with 89 receiving yards.
While the score was tied at halftime, the Ducks’ aggressive style on offense and often dominant play on defense showed some signs of eventually wearing down the Nittany Lions.
Oregon outgained Penn State by 120 yards, allowed just 2.8 yards per play and dominated the time of possession in the first half. The Nittany Lions’ issues with moving the ball came after the offense struggled at times in wins against Nevada, Villanova and Florida International.
Even still, the Nittany Lions were giving up just 4.7 yards per play, the Ducks’ second-lowest average in the first half under Lanning. The three points were the Ducks’ fewest in the first half since a loss to Georgia to open the 2022 season.
But the Penn State offense continued to sputter coming out of halftime. A promising drive to begin the third quarter reached the Oregon 36-yard line but ended with Allar stuffed at the line of scrimmage on thrd-and-8 and the Nittany Lions trying to get into more manageable range of a field goal. Instead of still trying a 53-yard attempt, Franklin opted to punt, with the kick going into the end zone and resulting in only a 16-yard net gain.
‘We just didn’t execute the way we were supposed to in the beginning of the game,’ said senior offensive lineman Nick Dawkins. ‘We got it going a little bit at the end, but that’s inexcusable. That’s not our standard.’
Starting at their own 20, the Ducks’ first possession of the second half changed the complexion of the game.
Oregon went 80 yards in 10 plays, including a key 23-yard completion by Moore and a 24-yard run by Hill, to take a 10-3 lead on an 8-yard touchdown pass to Hill with 3:16 left in the third quarter. The drive was extended after a crucial replay reversal of a potential Noah Whittington fumble at the Nittany Lions’ 10-yard line.
Playing from behind for the first time, Penn State went three-and-out and gave the ball right back to the Ducks, who marched downfield for a second touchdown in a row to take a 17-3 lead with 12:25 left in the fourth quarter.
Capped by an 8-yard touchdown run on fourth down by running back Jordon Davison, the scoring drive was highlighted by a completion on third down near midfield that saw Moore buy time against the Nittany Lions pass rush by rolling to his right and then find Dakorian Moore for a 29-yard gain.
That sparked a quick, under-two-minute touchdown drive by Penn State ending with a 35-yard pass from Allar to receiver Devonte Ross. After stopping Oregon thanks in part to a costly unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against offensive lineman Alex Harkey, the Nittany Lions took over at their own 38-yard line with 7:07 to play and the chance to tie the score.
Paced by a 20-yard Allar run and a pair of fourth-and-short conversions, the drive reached the Oregon 10-yard line with 1:15 remaining. After Allen ran for three yards to set up 1st-and-goal, Allar hit Ross on a shovel pass for the game-tying touchdown with 30 seconds left to force overtime.
‘We started to pick it up,’ said Penn State running back Nick Singleton. ‘At the same time, we have to do that earlier in the game.’
Oregon won the overtime coin toss and opted to start on defense.
The Nittany Lions opened the first extra frame with an Allen touchdown run to take a 24-17 lead, their first since going ahead 3-0 in the second quarter. Another key fourth-down conversion extended the Ducks’ following possession and led to a 2-yard touchdown pass.
Oregon scored on a 25-yard touchdown pass to start the second overtime but was intercepted on the two-point try. On the first play of the Nittany Lions’ possession, Allar was intercepted on the left side by safety Dillon Thieneman to seal the Ducks’ win.
‘We’re focused on the next play the entire time. Those guys handled that moment well. They were so locked in and focused,’ Lanning said.
Oregon finished with 424 yards of offense. Penn State had 276 yards on 60 plays, with 137 yards coming on the two scoring drives in the fourth quarter.
‘I’m always very critical of myself,’ Allar said. ‘Our process is our process, and we won’t change that. We have to learn from a lot of stuff from this game. Obviously, the outcome sucks.’
The loss extends the Nittany Lions’ run of failures against top-ranked competition under Franklin. The program hasn’t beaten an opponent ranked in the top five since topping Ohio State in 2016.
‘At the end of the day, we have to find a way to win those games,’ he said. ‘I take ownership and responsibility.’