Right after kicking a field goal midway through the third quarter to put themselves up 20-10, and going up by more than one score for the first time all day, Penn State proceeded to force a three-and-out on Northwestern’s ensuing possession. Facing 4th & 4 at his own 31-yard line, and with his team’s momentum from going up 10-3 earlier in the game having completely vanished, and with their upset hopes quickly slipping out of reach, Northwestern interim head coach David Braun faced a dilemma: Do you punt the ball back to PSU and risk the prospect of the Lions driving for a game-sealing touchdown, or do you try a fake punt to try and inject some life into your team, but risk PSU having tremendous starting field position if the fake punt fails?
Turning Point: Northwestern’s Last-Gasp Trickeration Gets Snuffed Out
