Penn State needed a little time to find its footing in Philadelphia, but once the offense settled in, the Nittany Lions handled Temple and walked out of Lincoln Financial Field with a 27-9 win Saturday afternoon.
The early stretch was messy, the kind of start that leaves a coach muttering into the headset. Penn State had penalties, sloppy decisions and missed chances that kept the first touchdown off the board until late in the first half.
Rocco Becht tried a pass after crossing the line of scrimmage. Center Brock Riker was flagged on a drive that had some momentum.
Chase Sowell had a touchdown catch ripped out by a defensive back. For a while, just about everything was a little off.
But the second half told a different story, and Becht was at the center of it. Through two games, he’s looked less like a solid Big Ten quarterback and more like one of the conference’s best.
The tight-window throws are still part of the package, but he’s hitting them far more often than not. His footwork, which had been a problem at times before, has mostly held up, and that’s given him a much steadier floor.
If this version of Becht sticks, Penn State looks built to stack wins and make a real run at the College Football Playoff.
Becht wasn’t the only reason the offense took off. Ben Brahmer turned into the focal point against Temple and delivered one of the biggest games of his season.
After a quiet opener, when he had one catch for eight yards and a touchdown, Brahmer came away with five receptions for 79 yards and two scores. He added 25 yards after the catch and kept showing why he’s viewed as one of the best tight ends in the country.
The blocking, too, continues to trend the right way. He was described by people around the program as an above average blocker, and that kind of growth matters when the game plan leans his way.
The wide receiver group also gave Penn State something to build on. Koby Howard got things started with a 56-yard play, while Chase Sowell and Zay Robinson combined for eight catches and 92 yards.
That may not jump off the page by itself, but it matters because the position has been begging for this kind of production. Howard, Sowell, Robinson and Brett Eskildsen look like Big Ten-caliber options, and that’s a clear step forward from where the room stood a year ago.
Head coach Matt Campbell deserves credit for bringing in most of that group from Iowa State, and wide receivers coach Kashif Moore deserves his share for helping them keep climbing. Howard and Robinson, especially, have become more consistent and earned more snaps because of it.
Penn State also got strong work from the outside cornerbacks. Audavion Collins and Daryus Dixson haven’t had to live in the spotlight through two weeks, largely because opposing quarterbacks haven’t been willing to test them much.
When the chances did come, both delivered. Collins broke up two passes with tight coverage, and Dixson got a hand on a Temple field goal attempt to record a block.
Their value should only grow once the competition level rises and they’re asked to slow down some of the better receivers in the Big Ten.
Another defensive highlight came from Tony Rojas, who showed exactly why off-ball linebackers still matter when they can cover like he can. He was stuffed on a blitz, but instead of disappearing from the play, he read Temple quarterback Jaxon Smolik’s eyes, dropped into the lane and picked off the throw.
Rojas was everywhere again, moving sideline to sideline and making himself impossible to ignore. That kind of range makes him one of the most valuable off-ball linebackers in the country.
Not everything looked sharp on offense, though, and the ground game remains the biggest concern. Penn State has now gone two games against subpar defenses without much pop in the run game, even if the 4.4 yards per carry figure doesn’t scream disaster.
Carson Hansen has had the roughest time of it, with missed lanes and too many one-on-one chances that haven’t turned into wins. He’s still an above average starting back, but he doesn’t bring the burst Penn State usually gets at the position.
Hansen will keep getting chances, but James Peoples could start cutting into that workload if the production doesn’t improve.
In Other News...
How Penn States Most Iconic Chant Became Part Of Its Identity
Long before it became the kind of rallying cry that can shake Beaver Stadium, Penn States We Are chant started as a direct answer to what the cheer squad heard from Ohio State fans. In 1975-76, looking for something that could match a rivals famous rhythm and energy, the squad worked through the idea by trial and error until it felt right. By the time the Nittany Lions opened the 1976 season against Stanford, the chant was ready for the crowd.
What followed was bigger than a simple game-day gimmick. The line took hold, spread through the fan base and settled into the schools identity, turning into one of those traditions that feels as much a part of Penn State as the colors and the stadium itself. Even now, decades later, the chant still carries the same easy power it did when it was first introduced, a reminder that some of the most enduring college football customs begin as an attempt to keep up with somebody else. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Answered Early Mistakes But One Offensive Concern Remains
Penn State had every chance to let the first half get away at Lincoln Financial Field, but instead steadied itself quickly against Temple and went into halftime with a 10-3 lead. After shaking off the early adversity, the Nittany Lions answered with a field goal and a touchdown drive, giving their offense something to build on even as Temple made things uncomfortable in spots and kept Koby Howard in check after his initial long catch.
The bigger concern for Penn State was inside the red zone, where the ground game found some room but did not finish often enough. The Nittany Lions turned three chances into only one touchdown, leaving points on the field despite moving the ball well enough to create scoring opportunities. For a team trying to clean up its execution, that kind of inefficiency is the detail worth watching as the game moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Showed Exactly How Much Rocco Becht Already Means
Rocco Becht has become one of the defining reasons Penn State has settled in so quickly this season, and the reaction around him against Temple only reinforced it. When the quarterback was hit late out of bounds, his teammates and coaches were quick to step in and make their feelings clear, a flash of protectiveness that spoke as much about the locker room as it did about Bechts role in it.
Matt Campbell pointed to that response as a sign of the teams unity and togetherness, which has been a theme all year as Becht has looked sharper and healthier than he did during earlier injury-plagued stretches. His growth has given Penn State a steadier center of gravity on offense, and the way the group rallied around him in the moment suggested his value goes well beyond the stat sheet. [Read more 🡒]