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Penn State Football: Players of the game against Michigan State

By Barry Leonard Jr.

STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 13: Miles Sanders #24 of the Penn State Nittany Lions rushes for 78 yards against Khari Willis #27 of the Michigan State Spartans and David Dowell #6 of the Michigan State Spartans on October 13, 2018 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 13: Miles Sanders #24 of the Penn State Nittany Lions rushes for 78 yards against Khari Willis #27 of the Michigan State Spartans and David Dowell #6 of the Michigan State Spartans on October 13, 2018 at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /
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Penn State football dropped another heartbreaker, but there were still some individual performances that stood out. 

Deja vu struck Penn State football on Saturday with yet another meltdown in the fourth quarter. Just like last season, the Nittany Lions were unable to hold a lead against Michigan State and dropped a heartbreaker that crushed their dreams of a spot in the College Football Playoff. Also like last season, the loss to the Spartans followed a one-point loss to Ohio State.

The Nittany Lions were coming off a bye this year against Michigan State, but never seemed to get things rolling. They struggled from the start and only managed a slight lead for the entire game. Ultimately, the Nittany Lions collapsed late on both sides of the ball and were unable to hold a three-point lead in the end.

The defense couldn’t get a much-needed stop, while the offense failed to get a first down that would have likely iced the game.

Although the game was ugly for the Nittany Lions, and there are several issues to work on, there were some positives to focus on. Bad overall team performance aside, it’s time to check out the best individual performances for the Nittany Lions against the Spartans.

Offense: Miles Sanders, Running Back 

One of the lone bright spots for the Nittany Lions was the play of junior running back Miles Sanders. After having spent the last two years playing in the shadow of Saquon Barkley, Sanders has had the opportunity to handle the load in the Penn State backfield this season.

Facing a rush defense that was allowing just over 30 yards per game, Sanders had a surprisingly strong performance.

Aside from a huge 78-yard run, Sanders sped 48 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. He broke several tackles and showed some nifty moves en route to the end zone. That run brought about memories of a former Penn State running back — Saquon Barkley. Ironically, Barkley was on the sideline as part of the Homecoming crowd.

Sanders finished the day with 17 carries for 162 yards and a touchdown. It was a big performance for Sanders, but it wasn’t enough to help propel the Nittany Lions to victory.

Honorable Mention: WR KJ Hamler, TE Pat Freiermuth

Defense: Garrett Taylor, Safety 

Just like two weeks ago against Ohio State, the defense did not have the best game. The unit looked good for a while, but couldn’t get it done when it counted. Michigan State, just like the Buckeyes previously, drove the ball down the field at will late in the game and shocked the home crowd at Beaver Stadium.

Though the defense as a whole really struggled, particularly late, there were some performances that stood out — the best being from safety Garrett Taylor.

Taylor recorded his second interception in as many games and finished tied for the team lead with six total tackles. He also had a forced fumble and a team-high five pass breakups.

It was certainly a forgettable performance from the Penn State defense, but it was not due to the play of Garrett Taylor.

Honorable Mention: LB Koa Farmer, LB Micah Parsons 

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