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JUDGMENT CALLS The best and the rest from the Nittany Lions' loss to Minnesota PLAYER OF THE GAME In a game without many highlights for Penn State, Zach Zwinak bounced back from his disappointing fumble streak with a 26-carry, 150-yard performance. He also added a touchdown Saturday afternoon. PLAY OF THE GAME Armed with an opportunity to cut Minnesota's lead in half during the fourth quarter, Christian Hackenberg fumbled a snap at Minnesota's 1-yard line. The mistake was the last in a game littered with them for PSU, and sealed the final outcome. BEST PASS Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams slipped behind Mike Hull on third-and-10 with just 26 seconds left in the first half. It allowed QB Philip Nelson to float a 24-yard pass to Williams in the end zone. It gave the Gophers a commanding 24-10 halftime lead that they wouldn't relinquish. WORST PASS The wind in Minneapolis n o V e m b e R was particularly unkind to Hackenberg. In a play that would become typical for the afternoon, he had Allen Robinson wide open in the middle of the field at the end of the first half, but fired a bullet that fell incomplete. BEST RUN On his third carry of the game, Zwinak blasted down the left sideline for a key 38-yard carry to set up the Nittany Lions' first scoring drive of the day. BEST CATCH Robinson had a number of them, but none were greater than his 12-yard reception that he pulled in while tiptoeing along the sideline and staying in bounds. BEST SACK With Penn State running out of chances to score at the end of the third quarter, C.J. Olaniyan and Deion Barnes combined for a critical sack. BEST EFFORT Minnesota's Peter Mortell blasted a 62-yard punt that special teamer Logan Hutten was able to down 9 , 2 0 1 3 4 near Penn State's end zone to give the Gophers excellent field position. BEST DECISION In the second quarter, facing a fourth-and-1 at the Gophers' 41, Bill O'Brien called on Zwinak, his workhorse, to gain the easy first down. WORST DECISION In desperate need of a touchdown, Penn State traversed the field from its own 12-yard line to Minnesota's 16 using three plays and a pass interference penalty. Four-consecutive incomplete passes in the red zone, however, ended the Nittany Lions' opportunity to score. MOST TELLING MOMENT Beginning with Bill Belton's fumble to the start the game and ending with Hackenberg's fumble in the redzone, Penn State simply couldn't get out of its own way vs. Minnesota. The Gophers deserve credit for their performance, but this is a game the Nittany Lions will look back on with some disappointment. – NATE BAUER b l u e w h i t e o n l i n e . c o m

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