\n<\/p>\n
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) \u2014 Caleb Komolafe ran for 72 yards and a touchdown and Northwestern held on to beat Penn State 22-21 on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Preston Stone threw for 163 yards with a touchdown pass to Griffin Wilde, and Jack Olsen kicked three field goals for the Wildcats (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) who won their third straight.<\/p>\n
The Wildcats, who hadn\u2019t won in Beaver Stadium since 2014, took the lead for good with 4:51 when Komolafe bulled his way through Penn State\u2019s defense to cap a 75-yard drive late in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n
The Nittany Lions got the ball back, but lost quarterback Drew Allar to a leg injury on a third-down play. Backup Ethan Grunkemeyer replaced him and was immediately stopped on a fourth-down run and the Wildcats ran the clock out from there.<\/p>\n
Allar, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen ran for touchdowns for the Nittany Lions (3-3, 0-3) who lost their third straight. It was the fifth time a James Franklin coached Penn State team has lost at least three consecutive games in a season.<\/p>\n
The Nittany Lions, who committed six penalties for 71 yards in the first half, could never get out of their way. Meanwhile, the Wildcats played steady, almost mistake-free football in front of a flat Penn State crowd that chanted \u201cFire James Franklin!\u201d early.<\/p>\n
Allar was intercepted on Penn State\u2019s opening drive when he threw the ball right to defensive back Ore Adeyi in the end zone. Adeyi returned it to the Northwestern 33 and the Wildcats turned it into three points 12 plays later with Jack Olsen\u2019s a 27-yard field goal with 2:51 left in the first quarter.<\/p>\n
The Nittany Lions finally got their offense moving with Allen. He carried five times on Penn State\u2019s next possession and gave his team a 7-3 lead when he muscled in from 11 yards out early in the second.<\/p>\n
Northwestern marched into Penn State\u2019s territory on its next possession where Stone found a wide open Wilde for a go-ahead 28-yard touchdown pass.<\/p>\n
The Wildcats appeared to get a stop on defense but fumbled away the ensuing punt. The Nittany Lions needed nine plays from Northwestern\u2019s 26, but finally broke through on a fourth-and-goal when Singleton slashed around the Wildcats\u2019 left flank for a 2-yard touchdown.<\/p>\n
Olsen made a 34-yarder with three seconds left to cut Penn State\u2019s lead to 14-13 at halftime.<\/p>\n
The takeaway<\/b><\/p>\n
Northwestern: The Wildcats looked quite comfortable in the usually hostile Beaver Stadium even though they hadn\u2019t played a road game in over a month. They stymied Penn State\u2019s struggling offense and overwhelmed Jim Knowles\u2019 defense with a strong running game late.<\/p>\n
Penn State: The Nittany Lions have yet to play a complete game and looked sluggish and sloppy again a week after a disastrous loss to previously winless UCLA dropped them from the Top 25. They need to find some answers with a trip to always-tough Kinnick Stadium next week. They also still have to play No. 7 Indiana and No. 1 Ohio State.<\/p>\n
Up next<\/b><\/p>\n
Northwestern: Hosts Purdue on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Penn State: Visits Iowa on Saturday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n