Inside the box score: Key stats from Penn State’s win over Ohio

Penn State improved to 2-0 following a 46-10 victory over Ohio on Saturday in Beaver Stadium. The 36-point victory was fueled in large part by Penn State’s youth movement, but some veterans had a solid hand in the outcome as well.

Penn State’s offense put up some big numbers, led by freshman running back Nick Singleton’s big home debut in front of the Beaver Stadium crowd. Quarterback Sean Clifford added two more career touchdowns to his Penn State legacy as well as the Nittany Lions had an opportunity to get many younger and inexperienced players some significant playing time in the second half.

Here are some of the key stats from the final box score from the game.

Sean Clifford: 19-of-27, 213 yards, 1 TD, 1 rushing TD

Sep 10, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford (14) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Ohio Bobcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State’s senior starting quarterback started the game on the right foot by completing six of his first six attempts on Penn State’s first offensive series. He capped the drive with a touchdown run, his second rushing touchdown of the season.

Clifford got an early exit in the third quarter with the Nittany Lions in firm control. Clifford was taken down a few times with Ohio getting three sacks on him, but Clifford did more than enough needed to get Penn State in the win column in Week 2.

Drew Allar: 6-of-8, 88 yards, 2 touchdowns

Sep 1, 2022; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) passes the ball in the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Freshman Drew Allar made the most of his playing opportunity against Ohio. Allar tossed his first two career touchdown passes for the Nittnay Lions after taking over for Sean Clifford midway through the third quarter. Allar only had two incompletions and he showed a good ability to get out of pressure at times. His few miscues can be chalked up to still just being a freshman, but the zip on the ball and the placement he has exhibited is incredibly encouraging.

Nick Singleton: 10 attempts, 179 yards, 2 touchdowns

Sep 10, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Ohio Bobcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

[autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] became Penn State’s first 100-yard rusher since Keyvone Lee rushed for 134 yards against Michigan on November 28, 2020. Freshman Nick Singleton ended that drought in a big way with 179 yards and two touchdowns. A total of 114 of those yards came on his two rushing touchdowns with a 70-yard run in the first half and a 44-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Kurtis Rourke: 14-of-30, 119 yards

Sep 10, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Ohio Bobcats quarterback Kurtis Rourke (7) drops back in the pocket during the first quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke had a tough afternoon. Before the Bobcats went to the backup late in the third quarter, after Penn State took a commanding 40-7 lead, Rourke had his day officially come to a close. Ohio should still have a productive season with Rourke, but this was a matchup that Penn State clamped down on.

Parker Washington: 4 receptions, 60 yards

Sep 10, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Parker Washington (3) runs with the ball after breaking a tackle from Ohio Bobcats safety Tariq Drake (11) during the first quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State’s top wide receiver had a better day in the box score than his season debut, but it was not quite the big yardage day. Washington had a touchdown reversed by an instant replay review in the second quarter, thus preventing him from scoring his first touchdown of the season.

Washington still led all players with his 60 receiving yards. But Penn State didn’t need much more as the offense spread the ball around through the air with 17 different players catching a pass in the game.

Barney Amor: 3 punts, average 49 yards per punt

Sep 10, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; A general view of Beaver Stadium prior to the game between the Ohio Bobcats and the Penn State Nittany Lions. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State punter Barney Amor is quickly putting the Big Ten and the college football world on notice with his ability to pin an opponent deep. Amor had one punt downed at the two-yard line in the first half, and the Penn State defense came up with a safety just moments later to put Penn State up 16-0.

James Bostic: 3 receptions, 31 yards

Sep 10, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Manny Diaz (center) gestures from the sideline during the second quarter against the Ohio Bobcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio’s top wide receiver was covered well by the Nittany Lions, mostly by Joey Porter Jr. Bostic caught just three of the six passes in his direction, and his biggest play was only for 12 yards. Considered Ohio’s biggest offensive threat coming into the game, Penn State managed to make him far less effective than the Bobcats needed.

Penn State on third down: 3-of-12

Sep 10, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford (14) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Ohio Bobcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

It’s hard to be too picky in a 36-point victory, but Penn State did have some struggles on third downs in the game. The Nittany Lions did convert two of four fourth-down attempts.

Penn State offense: 572 total yards

Penn State racked up over 500 yards of offense in Week 2, and freshmen accounted for a sizable share of that production.

Penn State’s defense held Ohio to just 264 yards, thus more than doubling Ohio’s offensive production.

Penn State YAC: 215 yards

Sep 10, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Jaden Dottin (19) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Ohio Bobcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State’s receivers not only got their hands on the football all game long, but they took off running with it after they got it. Penn State receivers racked up over 200 yards after the catch.

Ohio tackles for a loss: -44

Sep 10, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford (14) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Ohio Bobcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

If there is still an area of concern for Penn State, it is clearly the offensive line. Ohio had eight tackles for a loss of 44 yards, including five sacks. Penn State will face better defensive lines later this season, so this has to be fixed if the Nittany Lions are going to have a successful season after this.

Story originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire