By Greg Pickel

Penn State started slowly but eventually kicked it into gear on Saturday en route to a 56-0 victory over Kent State. After leading just 7-0 in the first quarter, the Nittany Lions erupted over the final three quarters and cruised to their third victory of the season. It was a historic day for the program, as PSU set a school single-game record with 718 yards of total offense. The previous record had stood for nearly a century, with the Lions amassing 711 yards against Susquehanna in 1926. The team’s 40 first downs vs. Kent State were also a school record.

Here are our initial takeaways from the win.

1. Drew Allar had a big day

The Penn State junior passer had one of the best statistical performances of his career against the overmatched Golden Flashes. He completed 17 of 21 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns. It was the second-most single-game passing yards of his career. He also had five rushes for 26 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Allar was in control throughout in this contest. He hit receivers in stride and was in rhythm from start to finish. His final throw of the day, a 59-yard scoring strike to Omari Evans, was the perfect note to end on. It summed up his day well, as it was a big throw at a big moment to a wide-open receiver.

2. The participation sheet was lengthy

Penn State used numerous players throughout this contest. True freshmen who made their debuts include running back Quinton Martin Jr., receiver Tyseer Denmark, safety Vaboue Toure, linebacker Anthony Speca, cornerbacks Kenny Woseley Jr., Antoine Belgrave-Shorter, and Jon Mitchell, defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam, offensive tackle Eagan Boyer, and defensive ends Max Granville and Jaylen Harvey. First-year Nittany Lions Luke Reynolds, Cooper Cousins, and Dejuan Lane all played in their third game of the year, and multiple second- and third-team players saw time, too. Mistakes were made, of course, especially on the penalty front (more on that below), but by and large, the starters and backups played well enough to win as a group. That was true for some more than others, of course. But many Nittany Lions should feel good leaving the stadium tonight, and that’s always the goal in a game like this.

3. Tyler Warren continues to impress

The veteran tight end continues to make good on his head coach’s insistence that he is the best all-around tight end in the country. Warren caught five passes for 50 yards and a touchdown while also throwing a 17-yard touchdown pass to running back Nicholas Singleton. He made some key blocks in the running game, too. Warren should be getting more attention nationally, and his versatile abilities today are not the only reason for that. He’s had a great start to the season. Saturday was just the latest example of that.

4. Odds and ends

–What’s with all of the penalties? Penn State had more pre-snap penalties today and lost the flag battle 7-2. That has to be better in Big Ten play.

–Missed tackles were a problem at times on this day, too. That’s the other issue that popped up from previous weeks. It, too, must be cleaned up.

—Omari Evans had a day. The receiver caught four passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. If he continues to progress, he can turn into the legitimate deep thread Penn State needs.

–Eight different Nittany Lions found the end zone on this day. That’s always impressive.

—Abdul Carter recorded his first sack of the year. He looked explosive off the edge. But Dani Dennis-Sutton had another quiet day, which continues a season-long trend.

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