Big Ten Championship, Penn State vs Wisconsin: Score, highlights and recap

Recapping the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions’ wild 38-31 win over the No. 6 Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday night in Indianapolis.

The No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions erased a 21-point deficit to take the Big Ten Championship Game over the No. 6 Wisconsin Badgers 38-31 in one of the best games of the college football season on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Penn State got off to a nightmare start, as star running back Saquon Barkley hobbled off the field in the first play of a three-and-out after missing part of  last week’s game against Michigan State with an ankle problem. Wisconsin then marched down the field on a 15-play drive that featured nine Corey Clement runs, capped off by a one yard score by Austin Ramesh.

Barkley returned the next series but didn’t receive any carries, allowing Wisconsin linebackers T.J. Watt and Vince Biegel to tee off on quarterback Trace McSorley during another three-and-out. Clement popped off a 67 yard touchdown run on the Badgers’ next drive, putting Wisconsin up 14-0 with three minutes left in the first.

The Nittany Lions started to move the ball on the ensuing drive, as Mike Gesicki made a beautiful catch on a 33 yard touchdown pass from McSorley to put Penn State on the board at the end of the first. Penn State looked to really be back in the game following a quick Wisconsin punt, but Ryan Edwards recovered a botch Nittany Lions snap on third and short to push the lead back to 14 with 9:37 left in the first half.

Looking for any sort of spark, James Franklin went for a fourth and two on his own 38, only to be thwarted by Wisconsin’s pass rush forcing a McSorley incompletion. Dare Ogunbawale took advantage on a seven yard touchdown to give the Badgers a commanding 28-7 lead with 5:37 left before halftime.

Finally, the Penn State offensive line provided some protection on the Nittany Lions’ final drive of the half, allowing McSorley to drive down the field and find Saeed Blacknell on a 40 yard touchdown catch and run. Still, Wisconsin built a lead in the first half by outrushing Penn State 164-39 and dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

Four minutes after the break, Penn State got right back in the game, as McSorley unleashed a 70 yard touchdown pass to Blacknell on the next play following a missed Badgers missed field goal. The Nittany Lions pass rush then came alive with two sacks for Brandon Bell to quickly end Wisconsin’s drive, and Penn State marched right down the field to tie the game with 4:22 left in the third on Barkley’s short run.

The wide-open play on offense continued, with a long Wisconsin drive resulting in a field goal just prior to the end of the third. Penn State would go ahead 35-31 less than two minutes later, as McSorley connected on two long passes against the overmatched Wisconsin secondary before finding Barkley on a 18 yard touchdown on a wheel route.

Wisconsin’s offensive line fell apart in the second half, as Koa Farmer recorded a huge sack to stall the Badgers. A critical roughing the passer penalty extended the subsequent Nittany Lions drive, allowing Penn State to kick a field goal and go up 38-31 with 5:14 remaining.

Needing to score, the Badgers offense finally got some rhythm with a couple of first down passes from Bart Houston. Facing a fourth and one on the Penn State 24 with just over a minute to go, Clement was stopped on an incredible one-on-one tackle by Grant Haley to secure the 38-31 Penn State win.

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McSorley was regarded as one of the best deep passers in the game entering Saturday and lived up to the billing with 22 completions for 384 yards and four touchdowns. While the playoff may be out of reach, a Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl appearance is an incredible accomplishment for year  three of the Franklin era.

Three Stars

3. Grant Haley, CB, Penn State. After infamously returning a blocked kick for the game-winning touchdown against Ohio State, added another season-defining play to his resume by fighting through a block to make the fourth down tackle on Clement.

2. Corey Clement, RB, Wisconsin. Powered the Wisconsin offense with 21 carries for 164 yards and a touchdown, along with three receptions for 43 yards.

1. Trace McSorley, QB, Penn State. Despite being hit repeatedly in the first half by Wisconsin’s linebackers, aired it out with incredible 384 yards and four touchdowns on 31 attempts.

Full Highlights

"That’s how you go up and get it! Touchdown Penn State! #WeAre #B1GFCG https://t.co/bVn87v7uHg— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 4, 2016"

"While Gesicki was running for the @PennStateFball TD, the battle in the trenches never endsIt’s the @GoPro Ref Hat https://t.co/Hj79BHwOoc— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) December 4, 2016"

"High snap = Points. This Wisconsin D is tough. #OnWisconsin #B1GFCG https://t.co/1kERHndvq3— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 4, 2016"

"Two things @PennStateFball WR Saeed Blacknall likes tonight:1. YAC2. TDs#B1GFCG https://t.co/08L5L22qhh— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) December 4, 2016"

"Uh oh. Saquon Barkley punches it in! We’re all tied up. #WeAre #B1GFCG https://t.co/zrpAXXdLop— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 4, 2016"

"What a DIME! Trace McSorley and the Nittany Lions are putting on a show. #WeAre #B1GFCG https://t.co/vVWsx7fq0D— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 4, 2016"

Up next

Both teams will await their bowl destinations when the committee selects the playoff on Sunday afternoon. Penn State should be headed to the Rose Bowl, while Wisconsin has a shot at the New Year’s Six as an at-large in the Cotton Bowl.