Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1531683
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 5 2 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M TOP FIVE PLAYERS 1. Nicholas Singleton | RB | Jr. Singleton's 58-yard touchdown burst in the fourth quarter slammed the door on Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, and he was even better against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. The junior run- ning back had 84 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground, while also catching 2 passes for 33 yards. He could easily have had a fourth score but wasn't able to scoop up a low pass from junior quarterback Drew Allar at the goal line. In Penn State's three College Football Playoff games, Singleton totaled 261 yards and 5 touchdowns on 41 attempts, averaging 6.4 yards per carry. 2. Kaytron Allen | RB | Jr. Everyone was talking about Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty prior to Penn State's matchup against Boise State in the quarterfinals, but Allen was the most impressive running back in the Fiesta Bowl. The junior showcased his strength and contact balance in rushing for a game-high 134 yards on 17 carries. Allen finished the playoffs with 286 yards and 2 touchdowns on 47 attempts, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. 3. Tyler Warren | TE | Sr. In Penn State's three CFP games, Warren totaled 16 catches for 171 yards and a pair of touchdowns, with both of his scores coming in the Fiesta Bowl against Boise State. Against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl — a game in which the Irish secondary completely neutralized PSU's wide receivers — the senior had 6 catches for 75 yards while adding 21 yards on a pair of rushes. It was a valiant end to the best season ever by a Penn State tight end. 4. Zakee Wheatley | S | R-Jr. Wheatley had a remarkable postseason for the Nittany Lions, capped by a performance against Notre Dame in which he totaled 16 tackles, the most by a Penn State player in a bowl or CFP game since linebacker Lance Mehl had 17 stops in the 1979 Sugar Bowl. The redshirt junior safety also intercepted passes against the Irish and Boise State. 5. Dani Dennis-Sutton | DE | Jr. Dennis-Sutton was dazzling in the Orange Bowl. In addition to his 2 sacks, he had a lunging inter- ception in the fourth quarter that set up Penn State's go-ahead touchdown. The former five-star prospect from Millsboro, Del., finished PSU's three-game playoff run with 16 tackles, includ- ing 6 for loss and 4.5 sacks, along with a forced fumble and the pick versus Notre Dame. KEY MOMENT There are some obvious candidates from the Orange Bowl, a list headed by the late pick that Allar threw, setting up Mitch Jeter's winning field goal. But let's rewind the tape a little further. Just be- fore halftime, Dennis-Sutton slammed into Notre Dame backup quarterback Steve Angeli from behind, jarring the ball loose. Junior defensive end Abdul Carter seemed to be in position to col- lect the fumble and give Penn State possession, with a chance to build on its 10-0 lead. But he wasn't able to corral it, and Notre Dame's drive continued, eventually resulting in a 41-yard field goal by Jeter. Following Penn State's 27-24 loss, James Frank- lin cited the sequence of events late in the first half and early in the second as "significant in the game." Indeed, it was. If Penn State's halftime lead had been 13 or 17 points instead of just 7, it would have made a world of difference. BEST HIGHLIGHT Redshirt junior linebacker Dominic DeLuca had already returned a first-quarter interception for a touchdown in Penn State's playoff opener against SMU. Not to be outdone, sophomore linebacker Tony Rojas bolted upfield after picking off Kevin Jennings in the second quarter. Flashing the moves that had prompted The Washington Post to name him its Offensive Player of the Year as a senior at Fairfax (Va.) High, Rojas sidestepped a couple of would-be tacklers and ran 59 yards for a touchdown to give the Lions a 14-0 lead en route to a 38-10 victory. BOLD PREDICTION The Nittany Lions will vie for a spot in next sea- son's College Football Playoff, but they will not have a chance to host a first-round game without a win over Oregon at home on Sept. 27 or at Ohio State on Nov. 1. The Lions' nonconference slate is devoid of Power Four opponents. Nevada and Florida In- ternational combined to go 7-18 this past year, and Villanova is an FCS foe. If Penn State is 10-2 in December with losses to the Ducks and Buckeyes, its schedule is going to be a factor that pushes it to the bottom of the bracket — and maybe even further depending on how teams like Michigan, LSU, Florida, Texas A&M and a few others bounce back in 2025. — Matt Herb PENN STATE FOOTBALL SUPERLATIVES C O L L E G E F O O T B A L L P L A Y O F F Linebacker Tony Rojas returned an interception 59 yards for a touchdown in Penn State's playoff opener against SMU. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS