Ranking Penn State Football’s top five moments of 2021

Ranking the top moments of the 2021 season for Penn State Football as we count down the final hours of the year before the Nittany Lions take on Arkansas in the Outback Bowl 

As we reach the final few days of 2021 and Penn State Football continues bowl prep for their Outback Bowl clash against Arkansas on New Year’s Day, it is a good time to look back.

It was an up and down rollercoaster season for the Nittany Lions who got as high as number four in the nation at one point, but injuries derailed their season and ultimately led to a 7-5 finish for James Franklin‘s squad.

It is a year we will inevitably look back on and say “what If?” but it did provide Penn State Football fans with some great moments and big wins along the way.

Let’s take a look at the five best moments of the 2021 season for Penn State Football: 

5. Dotson picks up where he left off and breaks a scoreless tie

The offense was sputtering during Penn State Football’s season-opening trip to Wisconsin which led to a scoreless tie at the half.

Despite the tie, it felt like the Nittany Lions were on the ropes, needed a blocked field goal and a Wisconsin fumble inside the ten-yard line to keep them off the board in the first half.

Early in the second half, Penn State Football broke the scoreless tie, putting their first points of the 2021 season on the board. Star wide receiver Jahan Dotson picked up where he left things off in 2020, when he and quarterback Sean Clifford connected on a 49-yard touchdown pass.

Dotson got behind the defense and was wide open as Clifford slid in the pocket to avoid pressure and made sure to not miss an almost too-open Dotson. He strolled into the end zone for the score, and it was the first moment of ecstasy for Penn State Football fans of the year.

The offense has mustered one first down and punted five times in the first half prior to the big play, which made it that much more surprising and that more crucial as this was clearly setting up for a low-scoring affair.

The Nittany Lions would go on to defeat Wisconsin 16-10, picking up a huge road win to start the year.