#10 Penn State (10-3, 7-2 Big Ten) fell, 38-25, to #11 Ole Miss (11-2, 6-2 SEC) on Saturday afternoon in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Penn State put up 510 yards of total offense in the game, its third-highest mark ever in a bowl game. Quarterback Drew Allar completed 19-of-39 pass attempts for 295 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in his first bowl game start. The sophomore also rushed for 40 yards on the ground. Beau Pribula’s touchdown pass was his only pass attempt of the day, although he did convert a two-point conversion try in the fourth quarter with a toss to Nicholas Singleton.
Tight end Tyler Warren led the Nittany Lion pass-catchers, recording five grabs for a career-best 127 yards, including a 75-yard catch-and-run in the first quarter that set up a receiving touchdown for fellow tight end Theo Johnson. Johnson caught two passes for 16 yards and a score. Warren’s 127 receiving yards are the most by a Penn State tight end in a bowl game. Singleton complemented the two tight ends with four catches for 86 yards and a score. His day was highlighted by a 48-yard touchdown reception from Pribula in the second quarter. Harrison Wallace III rounded out the Nittany Lion receivers with four grabs for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Penn State’s defense posted 10 tackles for loss in the game, with nine Nittany Lions each posting a full tackle for loss. Kevin Winston Jr. paced the Nittany Lion defense with nine total tackles. Daequan Hardy followed with seven tackles and Tony Rojas, Kobe King, and Cam Miller each posted five stops in the game. Miller also recorded a career-high three pass breakups in his first collegiate start for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State head coach James Franklin, tight end Tyler Warren, and safety Kevin Winston JR. all spoke about the loss following the game. Video is courtesy of The Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl.