After holding a 10-0 lead at halftime over FIU, Penn State hit the gas, scoring 24 points in the second half for a 34-0 Week 2 win. While quarterback Drew Allar and the offense began to find its footing after a shaky first half, it was the Penn State defense that caught James Franklin’s attention on Saturay in Happy Valley.
Beyond the shutout, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ unit generated nine tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception. That level of disruption is exactly what Franklin wanted out of a unit that lost Abdul Carter to the first round of the NFL Draft.