Penn State was a heavy underdog against Alabama. In order create the upset they would have to play mistake free football. They didn’t and ended up losing 24-3.
The Nittany Lions committed three turnovers deep in Bama territory; two by true freshman quarterback Robert Bolden and one when Lions wideout Chaz Powell fumbled near the ‘Bama 10; and that was the difference in the game.
Well throw in some of the worst tackling I have ever seen from a Penn State defense.
Alabama backup tailback Trent Richardson who ran for 144 yards (he added 46 receiving yards) made a good chunk of his yards after initial contact. He iced the win on a 1-yard TD run with 14:10 left, making it 24-0, before PSU averted a shutout on Collin Wagner’s 36-yard field goal with 9:47 to play.
Bolden finished 13 of 29 for 144 yards with the two interception before giving way, strangely, to backup Kevin Newsome midway through the final quarter. The Lions’ third interception came off a wideout option pass thrown by Justin Brown.
And the Lions’ senior tailback Evan Royster once again struggled in the big games, finishing with nine carries for 32 yards). Royster watched most of the second half while Paterno went with backups with Stephfon Green and Silas Redd.