Penn State spent its final nonconference Saturday at Beaver Stadium doing exactly what it was supposed to do: rolling past Buffalo 55-13 and showing that this offense has more than one way to beat you.
The headline, though, was how many different players kept flashing. Koby Howard kept building on the buzz he created in Week 1, finishing with three catches for 115 yards.
His biggest grab came in the second quarter, when he hauled in a 15-yard pass from Rocco Becht, turned it into 55 yards after the catch, and finished in the end zone. He also found the end zone on the ground for the first time in his career, taking an end-around 20 yards for a score.
Howard was the featured name, but not the only one making noise. Tight end Andrew Rappleyea opened the scoring for the Nittany Lions with a 3-yard touchdown catch, and wide receiver Chase Sowell added a 35-yard grab over a defender. That variety is the real story here: if one player gets bottled up, Penn State has shown it can lean on somebody else and keep moving.
The run game had that same feel. Hansen got the start again, but after just one drive, James Peoples and Quinton Martin Jr. took over.
Peoples made his first touchdown as a Nittany Lion count, barreling 16 yards down the right side after Penn State managed only six yards on its opening possession and went three-and-out. Martin then made his first appearance of the day after not recording a snap at Temple, and he wasted no time turning heads with a 61-yard burst that featured a stiff arm before he was finally tripped up at the Buffalo 7-yard line.
Hansen finished with five carries for 37 yards and a touchdown, while redshirt junior Cam Wallace later added Penn State’s fifth rushing touchdown of the day on a 59-yard run in garbage time.
There was some concern mixed into the blowout, though. Defensive ends Max Granville and LaVar Arrington II were the only players ruled out before kickoff, and linebacker Cam Smith was questionable but did not dress.
Defensive tackles Alijah Carnell and Armstrong Nnodim did return after dealing with injuries. During the game, however, Rappleyea and center Brock Riker both went down and did not return.
Riker started the first two drives, then was replaced by redshirt freshman Vaea Ikakoula at center on the third possession while standing on the sideline with his helmet on. Rappleyea made an 8-yard catch early in the second quarter on the same drive that ended with Howard’s first career rushing touchdown, then limped off after the tackle and went to the locker room before returning without pads.
Even with those injuries, the depth showed. Penn State’s tight end group is deep enough to absorb a hit, with Benjamin Brahmer and Gabe Burkle both starting alongside Rappleyea. At center, redshirt senior Dom Rulli has also seen time behind Ikakoula.
Penn State got the win it was expected to get. More important, it walked away with another reminder that this offense can come at opponents from a lot of different directions.
In Other News...
Penn State Already Has A New QB Question Fans Can't Ignore
Penn States non-conference tune-up slate against Marshall, Temple and Buffalo did not leave the quarterback picture any clearer, even with Rocco Becht opening all three games. The starter showed he can push the ball downfield, but the offense never got fully settled with him, and the red zone remains a problem area the staff still has to sort through.
Redshirt freshman Alex Manske also got his chances, and he looked capable enough to keep the conversation going with a handful of accurate throws and a few near completions that hinted at more upside. Connor Barry even saw the field, which only added to the sense that this is more than a one-man evaluation, and Manske appears to be positioning himself as the name to watch when Penn State starts thinking about next year. [Read more 🡒]
Bill OBrien Just Added Weight To Penn States Matt Campbell Bet
Bill OBriens take carried a little extra weight because he knows both sides of this equation. The former Penn State head coach, now at Boston College, publicly backed Matt Campbell as the Nittany Lions new leader, praising the hire and pointing to the scale of the job in State College. OBrien has lived the pressure and the expectations that come with that chair, so his approval is the kind of detail Penn State fans notice.
Campbell also has a small connection point through one of his past staffing moves, having hired a former Boston College assistant. Its another reminder that big college football decisions are rarely made in a vacuum, and Penn States new coach is stepping into a job with real history attached to it. OBriens endorsement does not settle every question, but it does add another layer to the early read on how Campbell fits the role. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Suddenly Has A Backfield Question Fans Will Notice
Quinton Martin Jr. was back in the conversation against Buffalo after sitting out Penn States game against Temple, and the change did not happen by accident. The young back responded by putting in the work on the practice field, caught the attention of coach Matt Campbell, and then earned meaningful snaps when the Nittany Lions got another look at their rotation. His payoff came with 10 carries for 100 yards, a strong reminder that opportunities in the backfield can come quickly when a player keeps pressing.
Martin has also drawn notice from teammates, which matters in a room where every rep is evaluated closely. The bigger question now is how Penn State sorts out those carries going forward, especially with Martin making it clear he wants to keep improving and force his way into more playing time. For a team still shaping its backfield pecking order, his response to one missed game has only made the next decisions more interesting. [Read more 🡒]