Penn State Nittany Lions vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights Box Score on Dec 05, 2020

Penn State rushed for 248 yards and quarterback Sean Clifford tossed a touchdown pass Saturday afternoon for the Nittany Lions, who won the 900th game in program history with a 23-7 victory over host Rutgers in a Big Ten game at Piscataway, N.J.

Keyvone Lee had 95 yards on 17 carries while Devyn Ford rushed 11 times for 65 yards and one touchdown for Penn State (2-5, 2-5 Big Ten), which has won two straight following the first 0-5 start in program history. Will Levis had 65 yards on 17 carries and Clifford finished 15-of-22 passing for 133 yards.

Noah Vedral was 17-of-30 passing for 113 yards and one touchdown for Rutgers (2-5, 2-5), which has lost five of its last six. Vedral also rushed for 56 yards, and Bo Melton had seven catches for 38 yards and one touchdown.

Penn State had a 14-2 edge in first downs in the first half, during which it outgained Rutgers 229-43. The Nittany Lions turned a fourth-down defensive stand -- the Scarlet Knights went for it on fourth-and-1 from their 45-yard-line but Johnny Langan was tackled for no gain -- into a five-play drive that ended with Clifford's 29-yard touchdown pass to Parker Washington.

Following a three-and-out by Rutgers, the Nittany Lions marched 74 yards in 11 plays before Jake Pinegar booted a 30-yard field goal with 11:37 left in the second quarter.

Rutgers followed by again failing to convert a fourth-and-1 from its own 45-yard-line as Langan threw incomplete while being pressured. Penn State extended the lead to 17 seven plays later when Ford rushed around right end for a 7-yard touchdown.

Jesse Luketa recovered Vedral's fumble on Rutgers' second play of the second half and Penn State extended the lead to 20-0 six plays later on a 47-yard field goal by Jordan Stout.

An interception by Christian Izien at the Penn State 36-yard-line set up Rutgers' lone score, Vedral's 3-yard touchdown pass to Melton on fourth-and-goal with 4:56 left in the third.

Penn State put the game away with an 11-play, 89-yard drive that spanned the third and fourth quarters and ended with Pinegar's 27-yard field goal with 7:27 remaining.

--Field Level Media