If you love college football and were not at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to see Penn State take on USC, then you are no doubt out of the loop. It wasn’t just a nice day for a game, an epic fight was had, and the game went wild with a big resurrection, one or more feats of breaking records, and overtime thrill making fans grab their seats tightly.
Penn State entered LA as one of the top-five teams in the nation, but it all seemed to leave them in Happy Valley by halftime. USC was up 20-6 at halftime, dominating offensively and defensively, and Penn State fans were likely biting their nails during the second quarter. Quinten Joyner’s 75-yard scoring run set the tone early, and the Trojans were in full command at halftime.
But if you thought Penn State would break, you obviously haven’t seen enough Big Ten football. The Nittany Lions came out of the locker room with a flame that altered everything. Tyler Warren, Penn State tight end, vowed this was the night to make history. He caught 17 passes for 224 yards and shattered Penn State and Big Ten marks for receiving yards by a tight end in one game. Warren wasn’t just catching passes—he was omnipresent, even rushing four yards and tossing a nine-yard pass in the process.
Quarterback Drew Allar was also very accurate when he threw, as if it were a must-win gam, by the way. He reached the peak of his career for the number of throws, completions, as well as yards, making it a total of 394 yards and 5 touchdowns. True, he did throw three picks, but such a comeback nearly always involves some gambles. Allar made great instant chemistry with War; however, he didn’t hesitate to throw to Harrison Wallace III and Nicholas Singleton for timely receptions, and also Julian Fleming’s two grabs on the fourth down kept Penn State alive when it was getting tight.
The defense really made a huge impact. The interception by Jaylen Reed with only three seconds left in overtime was one for the highlight reel. USC managed only two third-down conversions for the whole game, and Dani Dennis-Sutton’s two sacks stopped the Trojans from getting another chance.
And then, over time. Penn State won the flip and elected to receive first—a bold move that paid dividends when USC had a field goal attempt fail. With all on the line, Penn State’s offense came through. Ryan Barker, who already had three field goals to his credit, nonchalantly booted a 36-yarder to win it.
This wasn’t another victory—it was a declaration. Penn State demonstrated the toughness and firepower that can convert a solid team into an iconic one. Tyler Warren’s outing will be talked about for years to come, and Drew Allar’s pressure leadership demonstrated he is capable of performing in the clutch. For USC, it was agony, but for the Nittany Lions, it was the type of win that may typify their season.