Penn State pummels SMU in 1st round of CFP, using pick-6s to reach quarters

UNIVERSITY PARK — For as much as James Franklin likely subscribes to the coach-talk cliche of disregarding outside noise, he had to be aware of the major reputational implications Saturday’s College Football Playoff game held for him and his Nittany Lions program.

Finally, Penn State was in the CFP, but could Franklin get the job done on the biggest stage of the season?

With the No. 6 Nittany Lions triumphing over No. 11 Southern Methodist, 38-10, Franklin can offer a satisfying answer to Penn State’s fan base, which helped pack 106,013 people into Beaver Stadium.

Behind their first-ever CFP victory in the inaugural 12-team field, the Nittany Lions (12-2) advanced to the quarterfinals for a Fiesta Bowl meeting with No. 3 Boise State Dec. 31 in Glendale, Ariz.

“We’re in a one-game season,” Franklin said after the game. “We just extended our season one more game, 65 more plays. I think we’ve got 10 days or whatever it may be (before the Fiesta Bowl), and every one of them is like gold.”

Penn State moved on by intercepting SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings three times in the first half, two of which were taken to the house for pick-6s.

After linebackers Dom DeLuca and Tony Rojas put six points apiece on the board for the Nittany Lions, Drew Allar and the offense found some rhythm, scoring twice for a commanding 28-0 halftime lead.

Following a botched Mustangs fourth-and-1 try deep in Nittany Lions territory to conclude its opening drive, SMU’s next possession quickly turned disastrous as Jennings threw a pick-6 to DeLuca for the game’s first points with 6 minutes, 8 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Penn State’s defense struck again early in the second, putting another touchdown on the board.

With SMU facing third-and-long at Penn State’s 47-yard line, Jennings scrambled out of the pocket and threw the ball toward running back LJ Johnson, oblivious to Rojas’ presence.

Jennings’ floater was intercepted easily, with Rojas navigating through traffic and taking it 47 yards to the house.

That put the Nittany Lions up 14-0 with 13:09 remaining in the second quarter.

Jennings was intercepted for the third time with 8:14 left before the half, with DeLuca coming down with his second pick of the day at the 11-yard line.

Jennings, known as a dangerous mobile quarterback, was neutralized almost completely by the Nittany Lions.

“That quarterback’s tough to deal with,” defensive coordinator Tom Allen said. “It starts up front. We challenged the D-line the whole week leading up to it, our linebackers, to stop the run and then pressure the quarterback.

“He’s one of those guys where, when you pressure him, you’ve got to be careful what you get when you pressure him. … Just a collective effort at all three levels. Just really proud of our guys.”

On its ensuing drive, the Nittany Lions offense produced points for the first time as Kaytron Allen capped a nine-yard, 75-yard drive with a 25-yard touchdown run with five minutes left in the opening half.

Overall, Penn State had a somewhat modest offensive output against SMU, producing 325 total yards.

Allar completed 13 of 22 passes for 127 yards without a touchdown. Nick Singleton and Allen combined to rush for 160 yards on 25 carries and three touchdowns.

“At the end of the day, we weren’t executing the play calls that were there,” Allar said of the slow offensive start. “I had plenty of missed throws in the first quarter that I need to hit and get the ball to the playmakers in space.”

Penn State got the ball back with about three minutes remaining in the first half and embarked on a short touchdown drive, taking a 28-0 lead after Singleton punched it in from a yard.

On its opening possession of the second half, SMU penetrated into the red zone for the third time, but a pair of false start penalties forced the Mustangs to settle for a 28-yard field goal.

With 10:59 left in the third quarter, Penn State remained ahead 28-3.

The Nittany Lions responded with a 40-yard field goal on their next drive, going up 31-3 at the 8:13 mark of the third quarter.

Southern Methodist’s next offensive possession brought it as far as Penn State’s 2-yard line, but in a continuation of the red-zone frustrations, Jennings was sacked by Abdul Carter for a loss of 18 on third down, prompting a missed 41-yard field-goal try from Collin Rogers.

No doubt cognizant of the furious near-comeback SMU managed in the ACC championship game versus Clemson, the Nittany Lions increased their advantage to 38-3 two minutes into the fourth quarter when Allen scored a short rushing touchdown, his second of the day.

The Nittany Lions got a minor scare when SMU capitalized off an interception, thrown by freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer on his first collegiate pass attempt, scoring a touchdown to make it 38-10 with 7:31 to play.

But the Mustangs’ hole was far too deep.

“Just being able to come out with a win in the first round of the playoff is huge,” DeLuca said. “I’m just excited to celebrate with my brothers.”