Penn State Football Season Rewind: Nittany Lions Come From Behind, Win Big Ten Championship Over Wisconsin

Penn State squeaked by the Wisconsin Badgers in nearly miracle fashion to win the 2016 Big Ten Championship.

Penn State made it clear throughout the 2016 season that it liked to make games interesting in the second half. The Big Ten Championship was the biggest example of the Nittany Lions’ ability to come from behind late.

As the clock hit zero to signal the end of the second quarter, the teams went into their locker rooms with the Badgers leading 28-14. In the second half the Nittany Lions outplayed the Badgers, outscoring them 24 to three. They blanked the Badgers in the fourth quarter to finish off the 38-31 victory.

Coming into the game, few apart from Penn State fans expected anything less than Wisconsin winning the game with a close score.

At first it seemed like it could be a blowout for the Badgers, as the Nittany Lion defense struggled to keep running back Corey Clement contained. Clement was given the ball eight times during the 14-play opening drive by Wisconsin.

Wisconsin’s second drive consisted of two run plays by Clement. The second and final play was a 67 yard touchdown run. Clement ended the game with 21 carries for 164 yards and a touchdown. He also had three catches for 43 yards.

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After going down 14-0 while still in the first quarter, Penn State responded in spectacular fashion. Starting at its own 25, Saquon Barkley charged 22 yards downfield to kick-start the offense. The drive ended on a 33 yard phenomenal, contested catch by Mike Gesicki in the end zone.

After giving up a fumble return touchdown, failing to convert on fourth down, and giving up a touchdown on the ensuing drive, Penn State was down 28-7.

Wisconsin’s defense was stifling the Penn State offense as the experts had predicted and all seemed lost.

The Nittany Lions finally caught a break with two minutes before halftime. With the ball on the 10 yard line to start, McSorley lead the team down the field one pass at a time.

Saeed Blacknall stepped up for the blue and white, catching a pair of passes for 24 yards before the gift that set Penn State free. On first down on the Wisconsin 40, McSorley tossed it up to Blacknall on the far side again. What should have been a nine yard completion turned into a 40-yard touchdown catch for Blacknall thanks to a whiffed tackle. 28-14 to head to the half.

That score cut the deficit to 28-14 going into halftime.

Wisconsin lost all momentum as the second half began with a missed field goal. Penn State, on the other hand, was just getting started.

With a little magic left in him from his last catch, Blacknall ran down field on Penn State’s first play. McSorley heaved it nearly 50 yards in the air where Blacknall broke two defenders’ ankles and saw daylight.

Blacknall ended his career day with six receptions for 155 yards and two touchdowns.

Penn State’s defense had finally figured out quarterback Bart Houston and the Badger offense. They forced a punt to give the offense a chance to tie.

Barkley was the final offensive star for the Nittany Lions. He caught an over-the-shoulder dime from McSorley to give Penn State its first lead of the game.

The defense’s biggest test came with 1:05 left to play. Wisconsin was down by seven on Penn State’s 24 yard line and faced a fourth-and-one.

Enter Grant Haley and Marcus Allen.

Haley had already made one clutch play earlier in the season when he returned the blocked field goal against Ohio State for a touchdown and a upset victory. Marcus Allen blocked that field goal. With the Big Ten Championship on the line they stepped stepped up again.

With the game on the line, Wisconsin rushed Clement to the right. Haley and Allen stuffed him in the line to force the turnover on downs.

Penn State sealed the victory by running out the clock.

Trace McSorley finished the game 22-31 with 384 yards and four touchdowns. His stat line set records for passing yards and touchdowns in the Big Ten Championship. McSorley’s day also broke the school’s single-season passing yards record and earned him the MVP honor for the game.

Next: Penn State Football Commit Breakdown: CB Trent Gordon

The win gave the Nittany Lions nine straight victories, the Big Ten title, and sent them to the Rose Bowl.

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