The Pit Media is live at Lucas Oil Stadium for the 2024 Big Ten Championship between No. 1 Oregon and No. 3 Penn State.
While both teams will likely earn a bid to the newly-expanded College Football Playoffs, tonight’s winner will be awarded a first-round bye as one of the Top Four teams. Kickoff is slated for 8:17 p.m. EST.
The top-ranked Ducks are led by quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who has thrown for 3,275 yards, 24 touchdowns just six interceptions this season, averaging 272.9 yards per game through the air. Receiver Tez Johnson leads Gabriel’s receivers, hauling in 67 catches for 685 yards and nine touchdowns this season. On the ground, Oregon is powered by Jordan James with 206 carries for 1,166 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Head coach Dan Lanning looks to stay perfect with a win tonight and giving Oregon bragging rights in the Big Ten’s new look.
On the flip side, Penn State coach James Franklin hopes to prove doubters wrong. The Nittany Lions are 11-1 on the season, with their lone loss coming to Ohio State on Nov. 2, 20-13. Penn State reached the final in Indianapolis thanks to the Michigan Wolverines winning their fourth-straight over the Buckeyes.
Penn State is led by quarterback Drew Allar with 2,668 yards this season and 18 touchdowns with five picks. He averages 222.3 yards per game through the air. Allar’s favorite target is Tyler Warren, who has amassed 978 yards on 81 catches and six touchdowns. On the ground, the Nittany Lions are powered by a tandem of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen.
Singleton has rushed 121 times for 733 yards and seven touchdowns. Allen has had more touches at 159 but fewer yards at 698. He has five scores on the season.
Stay tuned as we update throughout the night.
Pregame
Penn State, as visitors, called the coin toss. Nittany Lions won the toss and elected to defend to start the game.
First Quarter
Oregon takes over at their own 16-yard line. James carries the ball on four straight plays for 20 yards, including a 9-yard rush to the right to start the game. Gabriel then connects with Johnson for 17 yards. Noah Whittington ran for seven yards to the Penn State 38, but a facemask penalty moves the Ducks to the PSU 23. Whittington was tackled for a loss of five yards before Gabriel found Kenyon Sadiq for a 28-yard score.
Oregon goes up, 7-0, to start the game.
Penn State takes over on their own 25-yard line. The drive is powered by a 41-yard Singleton rush to the right down to the Oregon 22 but ultimately stalls out at the 16-yard line. Ryan Barker notches a 33-yard field goal to get the Nittany Lions on the board.
Score, 7-3, 7:30 in the first.
Oregon takes over at their 25 and Whittington takes off for 26 yards down to the Penn State 49. Fourth-and-1 at the PSU 40-yard line, Ducks go for it but flags fly. Call is facemask, which moves the ball to the Penn State 24-yard line. Gabriel connects with Sadiq again, this time for a 2-yard score.
Ducks extend their lead, 14-3, with 3:21 left in the first. 10 plays, 4:09, 75 yards aided by a 15-yard penalty.
Taking over at their own 25, Allar connects with Tyler Warren for 12 yards, followed by another deep pass to Warren that is dropped. False start pushes them back five yards, second-and-15. Allar finds Harrison Wallace over the middle to convert after a previous incomplete pass. Allar connects with Warren again, this time for 28 yards, to get Penn State downfield. Drive ends with a Nittany Lions score as Allar finds Singleton for 22 yards down the middle.
Oregon leads, 14-10, with 1:24 left in the quarter. Seven plays, 75 yards, 1:57.
Ducks take over at their own 40 after the touchback and a penalty on Penn State. Gabriel finds Johnson for a 24-yard pass on second-and-10. Clock runs out.
Oregon leads Penn State, 14-10, with possession on PSU’s 38-yard line.
Second Quarter
Gabriel connects with Johnson for a 31-yard pass down to the PSU 7 to open the quarter. After some slip up, Gabriel connects with Terrance Ferguson for a 4-yard TD.
Ducks go up, 21-10, with 13:04 left in the half. Seven plays, 60 yards, 3:20.
After taking over at their own 25, Penn State is called for unnecessary roughness, their fifth penalty of the night already. Nittany Lions ultimately forced to punt it away, 45 yards as Oregon calls fair catch at their own 31.
Ducks drive falls on its face as they go 3-and out. Oregon punts the ball 55 yards down to the PSU 11.
Allar is picked off by Dontae Manning, who returns it down to the PSU 1-yard line. James finishes the job and scores. Ducks go up, 28-10.
1 play, 1 yard, :03. 10:05 left in the half.
PSU drive nearly stalls, but on the third-down play, Oregon is called for pass interference. Allar then carries the ball 24 yards to get into Oregon territory. Penn State eventually scores, as Allar finds Omrai Evans for a 22-yard touchdown.
Ducks lead, 28-17. Drive goes 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:16. 6:49 left in the half.
Oregon takes over at their 25 after the touchback, but goes 3-and-out.
Penn State, taking over at their 36, sees Singleton bolt for 15 yards. On 3rd-and-10, Allar runs for 9 but slides too early, making it 4th-and-1. PSU goes for it, succeeds and the drive continues. Penn State gets down to the 7-yard line as the Two-Minute timeout is called.
Coming out of the timeout, Allar carries the ball 7 yards for the score but the play is under review. It stands! Penn State makes it a four-point game as the Ducks lead, 28-24.
10 plays, 64 yards, 4:03. 1:53 remains in the half.
After taking over at their own 25, Oregon battles all the way down to the Penn State 14-yard line, ending the drive with a 32-yard field goal to go up, 31-24.
10 plays, 61 yards, 1:46. Just seven seconds remain in the half.
After the touchback, Penn State kneels to end the half.
HALF: Oregon leads Penn State, 31-24.
Third Quarter
Penn State receives the ball to open the second half. The Nittany Lions kill more than five minutes off the clock as they drive all the way down to the Oregon 23-yard line. PSU attempted a 40-yard field goal but missed wide right. Oregon ball.
Oregon strikes again as Tez Johnson hauls in a 48-yard touchdown pass from Dillon Gabriel, putting the Ducks up 38-24. Johnson now has 153 yards on seven catches.
5 Plays, 77 yards, 1:51. 7:36 left in the third. Ducks lead, 38-24.
After taking over on their 25, Penn State drive stalls at their 42-yard line and they punt it away, sending it inside the Oregon 10. Ducks ball.
Likewise, the Ducks don’t get much going as they eventually punt away from the PSU 45-yard line for 42 yards. Nittany Lions ball.
Oregon is called for illegal use of the hands, giving Penn State a break from deep in their own end. That leads to a pair of huge rushes by Kaytron Allen, first for 32 yards and another for 26 as the quarter comes to an end.
Oregon leads Penn State, 38-24, with one frame remaining.
Fourth Quarter
First and 10 at the Ducks 19-yard line, quarterback Beau Pribula carries the ball 18 yards and is pushed out. Play is under review. Call stands, and Allen carries the ball in from the 1 to score. Two-point conversion failed.
Six plays, 97 yards, 2:23. 14:17 remains as Oregon leads, 38-30.
Oregon takes over at their own 25, and nearly fumbles on a rush up the middle. Despite the hiccup, Oregon battles down to the PSU 35 where the drive nearly stalls. Gabriel passes to Ferguson on 4th-and-2 for a 20-yard gain.
Jordan James runs up the middle for a 3-yard score, his second TD of the night. Ducks lead, 45-30, with 7:28 remaining.
12 plays, 75 yards, 6:49.
Nittany Lions get the ball all the way down to the 14-yard line. On 4th-and-10, Allar connects with Wallace for a 14-yard score.
13 plays, 75 yards, 3:47 — Ducks lead 45-37 with 3:41 remaining.
Penn State holds Oregon to a three-and-out, forcing a punt. Drive starts at Penn State 37 with 2:11 remaining. Just two minutes remain in regulation for the 2024 Big Ten Championship. It’s PSU’s ball, 2nd-and-1 at their own 46. They need a touchdown and two-point conversion to send the game to overtime.
Allar gets picked off immediately out of the break, giving Oregon a chance to close this out. They have the ball at their own 23 with 1:49 remaining. Penn State has one timeout left.
After some runs and some knees, the game is over.
Final
Oregon wins the 2024 Big Ten Championship, 45-37, over Penn State.
