Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/86430
POSTGAME REPORT WEEK 6 PENN STATE 39, NORTHWESTERN 28 ESCAPE FACTOR McGloin hurt the Wildcats with both his arm and legs, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another. Matt McGloin leads PSU on a gutsy comeback vs. Northwestern RISKY BUSINESS MATT HERB | M A T T@B L U EW H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Penn State isn't going to be playing for a na- tional championship, a Big Ten title or even a bowl invitation this year. The regular season is all it's got, so is it any wonder this team has fully embraced a seize-the-day mentality? After years spent playing the percentages, adhering to the conventional wisdom, taking as few risks as they could get away with, the Nittany Lions have become gamblers this fall in their first season under Bill O'Brien. And not just gamblers, but really good gamblers. Case in point: Saturday's 39-28 homecom- ing victory over 24th-ranked Northwestern. Six times, the Nittany Lions went for it on fourth down. Five times they succeeded. The biggest of those conversions came on fourth-and-2 with about three minutes left to play and the Nittany Lions trailing, 28-25. Matt McGloin rolled right and with the game on the line and the crowd urging him to tuck it and run, he saw Brandon Moseby-Felder pop open and flipped a 13-yard pass to extend the drive. The Lions could have attempted the tying field goal and played for overtime but opted instead to go for the big score. Why not? Said McGloin, "I'm a firm believer that you get four downs for a reason, as is Coach O'Brien. I guess I don't have to tell you that." No, he certainly didn't. And O'Brien's bravado paid off three plays later, as McGloin O C T O B E R 6 , 2 0 1 2 1 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M John Beale THE GAME AT A GLANCE GOOD NEWS Penn State's fourth-down brinksmanship pays big dividends, as the Lions eschew field goal attempts on two fourth-quar- ter drives, get the first down both times and turn those drive-extend- ing plays into TDs. BAD NEWS A couple of special teams lapses give Northwestern momentum while giving the Lions something to focus on during the off- week. THE TAKEAWAY Penn State's most impres- sive victory of the season raises hopes going into the bye week that this team will be able to chal- lenge for the Lead- ers Division crown. That said, the back- stretch looks a lot more daunting than the season's first half.