In Reply to: TIme of possession was also huge. We had the ball for 40ish posted by azbruin on October 06, 2025 at 10:09:13
The ability to use the running game was crucial in helping out the defense. Grabbing the lead, and maintaining that 2(ish) possession lead most of the game really helped the defense.
The worst matchup for us defensively was to try to stop Penn St's running game. Singleton and Allen only had 19 carries for 89 yards. The drives when Penn St was able to lean on them, we really didn't get a stop, BUT -
The 17 play, 75 yd, 8+ minute drive for the TD in the 2nd quarter ate a ton of time and then we were fortunate that Penn St called back to back passing plays on the 3& out. We then took another 3+ minutes off of the clock and their final possession of the half didn't have enough time to pound the rock.
Then, in the 4th, up only 6, we went on another clock eating drive of 12 plays, 75 yards and 7:45 off of the clock, leaving them down 14 with not enough time on the clock to pound the rock again (tho Allar did a ton of damage that drive with his legs, they were all scrambles).
Getting over 150 yards on the ground from the Running backs, while eating clock and keeping the lead at (generally) two possessions was HUGE, especially when adding how clutch Nico was with his legs and in getting offsides with his clap cadence, etc.