Tyler Warren caught 17 passes to tie the FBS single-game record for tight ends, Ryan Barker hit a 36-yard field goal in overtime and No. 4 Penn State rallied from a 14-point deficit in the second half for a 33-30 victory over Southern California on Saturday.
Drew Allar passed for a career-high 391 yards and two touchdowns despite three interceptions for Penn State (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten), which didn't lead in the final 49 minutes of regulation. The Nittany Lions came back three times to tie it in the final 20 minutes, including Nicholas Singleton's 14-yard TD reception with 2:53 left.
Quentin Joyner scored two early TDs for the Trojans (3-3, 1-3), who have lost three of four. USC hasn’t beaten a top-five team since the Trojans held off No. 5 Penn State in a 52-49 thriller of a Rose Bowl in January 2017.
Warren racked up 224 yards and a touchdown, although his only catch after the third quarter was a 3-yarder in overtime. The senior set a record for the most receptions by an opponent in USC’s 137-year football history.
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The Nittany Lions started slowly on their long road trip, but finished impressively. After going up 3-0 on its first drive, Penn State didn’t lead again in regulation and trailed 20-6 at halftime before its offense got moving.
USC’s Kyron Hudson caught a go-ahead touchdown pass from Miller Moss with 5:56 left, but Allar converted two fourth downs with desperate passes for Penn State before Singleton was left all alone for his tying catch.
USC drove to midfield in the final seconds, but Lincoln Riley curiously used no timeouts extend the Trojans' drive before Jaylen Reed picked off Moss with 5 seconds left.
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USC went 3 yards backward on its first three plays of overtime before Michael Lantz missed a 45-yard field goal attempt. Penn State advanced to the 19, and Barker buried the winner.
Moss passed for 220 yards and two scores, while Joyner rushed for a 75-yard TD in the first quarter and caught a 9-yard TD pass in the second quarter for the Trojans. Woody Marks rushed for 111 yards for USC.
Penn State had a healthy contingent of fans at the Coliseum for its first lengthy road trip in the new Big Ten and its longest trip for any regular-season game since 1991.
But USC's defense kept Penn State out of the end zone in the first half despite playing without injured linebacker Eric Gentry, its sacks leader and second-leading tackler, and starting cornerback Jacobe Covington.
Joyner put the Trojans ahead early when he faked a reverse and rumbled 75 yards through the heart of Penn State's defense. He added his first career TD catch moments later.
Penn State responded to its 14-point halftime deficit with Allar's TD throw to Warren on a double pass. The Nittany Lions made a 90-yard march to tie it moments later, with Kaytron Allen taking it in.
Easton Mascarenas-Arnold's interception led to USC's third field goal late in the third, but Penn State tied it again with 10:50 to play after its next drive stalled at the 3.
The takeaway
Penn State: The Nittany Lions celebrated vehemently after a victory that was thrilling, but not stunning. Their slow start and rough overall defensive performance don't bode well for Ohio State or other opponents with less inconsistency than mercurial USC.
USC: The Trojans responded impressively from last week's embarrassing loss, but still can't finish. The bottom line is that Riley has lost eight of his last 13 games, and the Trojans are out of the Big Ten and CFP races at midseason.
Up next
Penn State: Bye week.
USC: At Maryland on Oct. 19.
