Inside the box score: Key stats in Penn State’s loss to Michigan State
Penn State’s final game of the regular season game went down to the wire against Michigan State, but Spartans running back Kenneth Walker III really shined today for the Spartans.
Penn State had a very productive passing game, but their run game still struggled through their season-long woes.
Here are some of the key stats that lead to the outcome of Penn State’s loss at Michigan State in the snow.
Penn State Offense
Sean Clifford: 23/34, 313 yards, and 3 touchdowns
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Sean Clifford came into today battling flu symptoms, and he really showed out, despite their loss to Michigan State. Throughout much of Clifford’s success this season, he has done a good job of getting multiple players involved in the offense. He did some today, which kept him in this football game.
Keyvone Lee: 15 carries for 79 yards
It has been mentioned before wow well Keyvone Lee has played in certain games this month. Today though, that wasn’t the case. Lee struggled for much of the game today. The weather certainly didn’t help, but Michigan State’s run defense did a nice job of stopping the run today.
Jahan Dotson: 8 receptions, 137 yards, and 2 touchdowns
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Jahan Dotson had a nice game today. He had two touchdowns alone in the first half and made a Michigan State secondary struggle for much of the game today. There wasn’t much production from other players other than their involvement from the game today. However, it’s worth noting how well Parker Washington has played in the second half of the season. Some games, his stats don’t necessarily stand out. But, his emergence over the past few games has made it quite promising for the future of this wide receiver room once Dotson leaves for the draft.
Penn State Defense
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The defense struggled today to stop the run. Other than that, there were some big stops throughout the game. Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne had a decent game, but Penn State took advantage of times he struggled to move the ball in the passing game.
The biggest letdown for Penn State was its red-zone defense, which had been so good all season long. Michigan State had five red-zone trips resulting in four touchdowns and a field goal.
Michigan State Offense
Payton Thorne: 19/30, 2 touchdowns, and an interception
Thorne played decent today, he did see his struggles, and the Nittany Lions defense took advantage of it. Much of the success today on offense was due to Kenneth Walker.
Kenneth Walker III: 30 carries, 130 yards, and a touchdown
Nov 27, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs the ball against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the first quarter at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Walker had another monster performance today, racking up over 100 yards rushing and tiring the run defense out for Penn State. He has had a historic season and continues to move his way up the Heisman rankings.
Jayden Reed: 6 receptions, 89 yards and a touchdown
As mentioned, much of Michigan State’s success today on offense Was due to Kenneth Walker. However, the passing game still saw their moments as well. Read was a big factor today in the passing game and was a crucial component and helping Thorne move the ball down the field.
Michigan State Defense
As mentioned, the secondary has struggled for the majority of the season, and it started early in the game when Dotson grabbed momentum early for the Nittany Lions. Their run defense played well, but the struggles of stopping any aspect of the passing game still struggled against Penn State.
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