PSU Nittany Lions

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- It was a record-breaking day for Penn State.

Allen Robinson set the Nittany Lions' single-season receptions record in the first quarter, and Matt McGloin set a school record for yards in a single season and career touchdowns.

Behind a strong offensive effort -- highlighted by performances from Robinson and McGloin -- the Nittany Lions overcame a slow start to throttle Indiana 45-22 Saturday.

Robinson now has 73 receptions, surpassing the record of 63 set by former PSU greats Bobby Engram and O.J. McDuffie. McGloin boasts 3,071 passing yards this season and 45 career passing touchdowns.

With the win, Penn State's record improves to 7-4 (5-2 Big Ten), while Indiana falls to 4-7 (2-5 Big Ten).

It was over when: Zach Zwinak crossed the goal line for a 1-yard touchdown late in the third quarter. The Hoosiers were building momentum, but that score put an end to it. PSU led 35-22 at that point, and Indiana wouldn't threaten again.

Game ball goes to: Robinson. Not only did he set the single-season receptions record on his first catch of the game, but he caused problems for Indiana all day. He was responsible for the Nittany Lions' first three touchdowns and finished with 10 catches for 197 yards.

Stat of the game: 482 -- Penn State's offensive yardage in the first three quarters, when the game was still in doubt. Indiana couldn't stop the Nittany Lions on the ground or through the air.

Turning point: In the third quarter, with Indiana trailing by only six, Bill O'Brien found his team facing fourth-and-10 on his opponent's 33. He decided to go for it -- surprise, surprise -- and McGloin found Brandon Moseby-Felder for a 12-yard gain. That key play set up a touchdown.

Unsung hero: Gerald Hodges. With the injury to Michael Mauti, Penn State's other outside linebacker stepped up. He showed just why he's a Butkus Award candidate with 12 tackles and an interception. Hodges was this defense's playmaker Saturday.

Unsung hero, part deux: Cameron Coffman. With no help from the running game, Coffman was forced to throw often -- and he did a pretty good job. He threw two interceptions, but one came when he pressed while trailing by three touchdowns. He finished with 454 passing yards.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Allen Robinson set the Penn State single-season record for receptions in style Saturday.

Needing just one catch to break the mark of 63 set by PSU greats Bobby Engram and O.J. McDuffie, the sophomore wideout finished with 10 catches, 197 yards and three touchdowns against Indiana.

"It means a lot, just with some of the guys that come through here," Robinson said Saturday. "It definitely means a lot."

Robinson's record-setting catch came on a 3rd-and-6 play in the first quarter. Matt McGloin found him on a screen pass, but Robinson was tackled for a one-yard loss. His later catches better flashed his athleticism.

The 6-foot-3 wideout grabbed a screen pass midway through the second quarter, spun to fake out a safety, and sprinted for a 53-yard touchdown. Through 11 games, he now has 73 catches for 978 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Robinson caught just three passes last season as a backup. He said he didn't really set any goals immediately after the season. But once Bill O'Brien came on board and several starters were either dismissed, transferred or graduated, he aimed to reach 70 receptions.

"With all the guys leaving, I knew that somebody would have to step up," he added.

Wide receivers coach Stan Hixon said he knew "right off the bat" the sophomore was special. And Robinson knew the record was possible with O'Brien's new offense.

Most of Penn State's passing records figure to go down with the new pro-style offense -- Robinson himself will likely break the career receptions mark of 179 -- so this was simply the first.

Matt McGloin also broke several records Saturday, although they were only on the books for a short time. He passed Daryll Clark for most passing yards in a season (3,066) and now has the most career touchdowns (45).

Allen Robinson stood on the sideline Jan. 2, during an unusually cool Texas afternoon, and watched Rob Bolden toss 26 balls -- not one of which traveled toward his direction.

Robinson was a backup wideout, an offensive afterthought, during the TicketCity Bowl. If he tried to envision his future with Penn State, broken records and national honors likely weren't on his mind.

But that dynamic quickly changed with Bill O'Brien's pass-first offense. Robinson said Wednesday he wasn't surprised -- even though he was one season removed from three receptions -- that he needed just one more catch to break Penn State's single-season receptions record.

"With the offense that Coach O'Brien has us running and stuff, I knew once the season was starting, I was going to be in position to make big plays," Robinson said. "This was really one of my goals, to be able to have as many catches as I do now. So it's not too surprising."

The sophomore wideout has already tied Penn State's single-season receptions record (63) with two PSU greats, Bobby Engram and O.J. McDuffie. One more catch Saturday, and Robinson will send those record books back to the printing press.

Robinson didn't flip to Page 75 of the glossy football guide to view those records, nor did he set out to figure whether he was close. As chatter intensified on Twitter and fans picked up on the potential record, Robinson couldn't ignore it. He realized relatively early he could set this record -- even if his teammates weren't quite as aware.

"Nah, I wasn't aware of that," linebacker Glenn Carson said earlier this week. "I just know that Allen's been playing great ball and really helping the team on offense this year. But, no, I wasn't aware of that -- and that's great news. Good for him."

(Read full post)