Penn State beats SMU in College Football Playoff with defensive results

No. 6 Penn State scored two defensive touchdowns and made a big statement in the College Football Playoff with a 38-10 win over No. 11 SMU in the first round.

The Nittany Lions advance to the quarterfinals in the Fiesta Bowl against No. 3 Boise State and star running back Ashton Jeanty.

Penn State took a 28-0 halftime lead thanks to two defensive points off interceptions and another touchdown on a short field with less than two minutes left in the second quarter. Against one of the Bowl Subdivision’s highest-scoring offenses, the Nittany Lions’ defense allowed just 252 yards and 1.6 yards per carry.

SMU was held out of the end zone until a touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter. The Mustangs had scored at least 28 points in all but one game during the regular season.

Combined with No. 7 Notre Dame’s convincing win Friday night over No. 10 Indiana, this blowout will add to the brewing controversy over the selection committee’s decision to award the Hoosiers and Mustangs to the three-loss SEC teams at Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina is preferable.

Big mistake: Indiana should never have been in the playoff field

After failing to pick up wins against Ohio State and Oregon during the regular season, the Nittany Lions’ 28-point victory bolsters their case for being considered one of the top contenders for the national championship.

Offensively, however, the Nittany Lions struggled to get anything going behind quarterback Drew Allar. The junior completed 13 of 22 attempts for 127 yards but was effective on third downs, extending plays with his mobility.

While Allar struggled to make explosive plays through the air, Penn State relied on elite defense and a strong running game. Led by Nicholas Singleton’s game-high 90 yards and a touchdown, the Nittany Lions ran for 189 yards on 40 carries, an average of 4.7 yards per touchdown. Kaytron Allen added 70 yards and two scores.

As expected, SMU was unable to handle All-America defensive end Abdul Carter and Penn State’s pass rush.

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