BLOOMINGTON, Ind — Kaytron Allen ran for 86 yards and scored a season-high three times Saturday while Nicholas Singleton rushed for 73 yards and another score to help No. 16 Penn State rout Indiana 45-14.
The Nittany Lions (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten) have won eight of the last nine in this series and six of their wins this season have come by double digits.
Indiana (3-6, 1-5) lost its sixth in a row and perhaps its top two quarterbacks.
Connor Bazelak, the transfer from Missouri who started the first eight games, watched this one in street clothes. Jack Tuttle, who replaced Bazelak in the Hoosiers lineup, left late in the first half and went straight to the locker room with an apparent shoulder injury.
True freshman Brendan Sorsby was three of six with 8 yards and one interception in his college debut. He was relieved by Dexter Williams II, who went four of 11 with 41 yards and two picks.
The Nittany Lions dominated this game with a potent running combination and a suffocating defense.
Singleton started the scoring with a 1-yard TD run. After Tuttle tied the score with an 11-yard TD pass to AJ Barner, the Nittany Lions quickly took control.
Allen scored on runs of 11 and 6 yards on back-to-back second-quarter possessions and Jack Pinegar closed out the half with a career-long 50-yard field goal to make it 24-7. Allen's 6-yard TD run in the third quarter sealed the victory.
Penn State's highly touted freshman quarterback, Drew Allar, entered in the third quarter and threw two TD passes in the fourth quarter.
THE TAKEAWAY
Penn State: The Nittany Lions might be out of the Big Ten East chase but they sure looked motivated. They controlled the clock, the tempo and the Hoosiers to give coach James Franklin career win No. 98. They need three more to post their fourth 10-win season since 2016.
Indiana: Its once-promising season has gone almost completely gone off the rails. Despite firing his offensive line coach and changing quarterbacks, coach Tom Allen's team has not responded and now they may have to use an unproven starter against No. 2 Ohio State.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Penn State's victory isn't likely to make waves in this week's rankings, but if the Nittany Lions close the season with three wins against unranked foes they could make it back into the top 10.
UP NEXT
Penn State: Hosts Maryland next Saturday.
Indiana: Visits No. 2 Ohio State next Saturday.