No. 3 Penn State defeated Wisconsin in Madison, 28-13, despite losing quarterback Drew Allar late in the first half with an apparent knee injury.
Backup QB Beau Pribula took over in the second half and completed 11-of-13 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown. Pribula was a three-star recruit in the class of 2022. The Pennsylvania native was the No. 15 player in the state when he signed with the Nittany Lions.
The Nittany Lions put the game away on a 24-yard scoring run by Kaytron Allen that provided the final margin. Allen rushed for 86 yards on 11 carries.
Allar went to the locker room shortly before halftime as Wisconsin took a 10-7 lead into the break. He returned to the sideline in the second half but was replaced in the third quarter by backup quarterback Pribula. As Pribula took snaps for the Nittany Lions, Allar watched from the sidelines.
The junior was 14-of-18 for 148 yards and a TD before he was injured and someone apparently said something to him as he headed to the tunnel before the first half was over.
Allar has improved significantly in 2024 in his first season under new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. After completing less than 60% of his passes a season ago and struggling in big games, Allar entered Saturday night’s game with a 70.5% completion percentage and was averaging over 10 yards per attempt. A season ago, he averaged just 6.8 yards a throw.
Wisconsin took a 10–7 lead late in the second quarter, but got some help for its go-ahead score.
Badgers QB Braedyn Locke missed open receivers on two consecutive passes in the end zone. But on the second, Penn State was called for an illegal substitution penalty with 12 men on the field. With a second chance on third-and-goal, Tawee Walker scored on a one-yard TD run.
The Nittany Lions went on top to stay midway through the third quarter when Jaylen Reed intercepted Locke and returned it 19 yards for a pick 6 and 14–10 lead.
Penn State improved to 7–0 with the win and faces a showdown with No. 4 Ohio State (6–1) next week in State College. The Nittany Lions have lost their last seven games and 11 of their past 12 versus the Buckeyes. Kickoff is at 12 p.m. ET.
