Coastal Carolina
On that note, we are heading down to the field for the final minutes. Thanks for checking in and make sure to check back with The Daily Collegian for continuing coverage of today's game.
4:23 And, finally Brandon Beachum muscles his way through for Penn State's 9th touchdown. 66-7
5:22 Well, it looks like the Lions are just using the clock to their advantage. Cianciolo has led the march down the field in a drive that is already over 6 minutes long.
12:10 Paul Cianciolo is getting some playing time after Clark and Devlin had their shots. The play is starting at the Penn State 20-yard line.
Official attendance was just announced 106,577. Pretty decent for the season opener. These fans got pretty lucky with the weather. It wasn't looking too promising earlier.
Welcome to the fourth quarter...and as expected, the student section is looking like it did at kickoff. I'm Julie Reis, the sports chief at the Collegian and I'm alongside Virginia Harrison, the sports editor, to finish this off.
A few stats from halftime: Stephfon Green is averaging 11.3 yards per carry (6 carries for 68 yards), Royster 8.8 (4 carries for 35 yards).
Clark finished 9-of-10 for 121 yards, Norwood has 74 receiving yards and Williams has 149 all-purpose yards.
Start of third quarter: Clark and Royster reappear and Penn State is still playing most of its starters. Royster and the other Penn State running backs are having an easy time running all over CC.
12:30: Clark just made his first mistake of the game, throwing a pass to a CC defensive back that was dropped. He atones for it by a 16-yard pass to Derrick Williams.
11:35: Royster runs for his third touchdown of the game and received great blocks on the outside from Dan Lawlor and Graham Zug. Mismatch continues, 45-7 Penn State. How long until Cianciolo makes his debut?
11:30: CC begins yet another drive inside its own 15, this time because the returner brought them kick out of the end zone. Scirrotto drops an easy interception at the 20.
10:26: Devlin at QB. Carter breaks off a nice 37-yard run. Penn State 1st-and-10 at CC 26. Devin Fentress drops a wide receiver screen. Carter runs for another first down, 1st-and-10 at the 13. This is looking too easy. Exodus has to begin after this touchdown. Carter does the dirty work, Green cleans up with his second touchdown. Penn State, 52-7.
8:05: This reached the point of a mismatch, oh, about two hours ago. CC returners collide and drive begins at the 12. Sales flagged for a questionable late hit to move the ball up to 29. MacDowall sustains the drive with a 7-yard run up the middle.
On another note, Ohio State stud running back Beanie Wells was carted off the field during the third quarter with an injury to the foot area. Reports pegged the injury as serious. If Wells goes down, it completely changes the complexion of Ohio State's offense. Here's a link: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3560975
4:34: Maybin smears MacDowall to force a punt. He, and the rest of the defensive line, have lived behind the line of scrimmage.
4:23: Penn State takes over at 17. Devlin and Green in the backfield but the rest of the reserves entered in full force. Devlin had a nice rollout, completing a 13-yard pass to James McDonald. He looks very poised. Powell finishes off the drive with a 55-yard run reverse down the sideline and he wasn't touched until teammates congratulated him. Penn State 59, CC 7. Only family, friends and diehards remain.
1:34: CC somehow starts a drive at the 25. Quarter ends a Penn State offsides penalty that kept a drive going.
Julie Reis will finish off this barnburner.
-- JL
And now I'll throw it to my buddy Josh Langenbacher who will take you through the third quarter.
Coastal Carolina takes a knee and that's the end of the first half.
38-7 PSU halftime
And just when it looked like Coastal was going to stop the Lion offense, Devlin hit Moye for a 27-yard strike on third and long. But the drive stalled inside the Coastal five and Kevin Kelly connected on his first field goal of the season, from 21 yards out.
38-7 PSU 0:28 2nd
The Penn State defense limits Coastal to four yards and forces another punt. Williams calls for a fair catch at his own 36. Penn State has 3:33 to score before the half.
The rout is on. Stephfon Green with his first career touchdown from the seven. It was a nice run by Green as he hesitated, waited for a hole to open and cut back at the line of scrimmage. In his limited carries, he's shown good vision and skill running between the tackles. This team is stacked at running back.
35-7 PSU 5:42 2nd
And we have our first Devlin sighting. And mad props to the guy, on the first play he hit Norwood on a 34-yard strike for his first collegiate completion. The ball was a little underthrown but Norwood made a nice adjustment on the ball. Penn State is on the doorstep again.
Penn State is now +1 in the turnover department in 2008. Bani Gbadyu went up high to tip a Macdowell pass and hauled it in at the Coastal 45.
Mad props to the Coastal baton twirlers. It's obvious going to school next to the beach has its advantages. Why in the name of all that is holy did I decide to come to school in the middle of the Pennsylvania mountains? But back to the baton twirlers, if you ladies would like to see town, I'm a more than adequate tour guide ;-)
And we have our first passing touchdown of the season. Clark finds Norwood in the back corner of the endzone on a nice 6-yard fade route. The touchdown was set up by a 22-yard Stephfon Green run between the tackles.
Penn Stater scoring drive: 7 plays, 67 yard, 3:35
28-7 PSU 8:07 2nd
We may have found the spread HD. Clark, Carter ran the option to the left with Jordan Norwood running a reverse, but it was blown up by Dominique Davenport in the backfield.
And Penn State forces a punt that was short and Williams never had a chance to return. The Lion offense picks it up at its own 33.
Interesting note, there's a pretty cool looking haze covering Mt. Nittany that just screams central Pennsylvania.
There's probably only 95,000 fans in the stands and the student section has a giant hole in it.
And just like that, Derrick Williams squashes that upset bug by returning the ensuing kickoff 89 yards to paydirt. Pretty nice return from Williams who fielded the ball on the left hash, ran to the right hash and found a seam. He even broke a tackle, granted it was the kicker, but he still broke a tackle. And Brett Brackett finished the run with a nice block around the 15.
So just like that, Penn State responds and dashes Coastal's hopes.
21-7 PSU 13:24 2nd
Upset Alert, Upset Alert. Macdowall just connected with Brandon Whitley for a 33-yard touchdown pass. The linebackers appeared out of position on the play. Coastal coach Dave Bennett has got to be happy with his team winning a battle.
Coastal Carolina scoring drive: 7 plays, 62 yards, 2:30
14-7 PSU 13:38 2nd
- AW
That's the end of the first.
Coastal Carolina will start with the ball and a first down in the second quarter.
Bennett has decided to change quarterbacks, also. Sophomore Zach Macdowall is now tossing and handing off for the Chanticleers.
There is still a gaping hole in the student section. Dang, guys. I had a few brews last night, I made it to the press box at 10 a.m.
Geez. Wible's got the second quarter. He's since recovered from the eggs.
--TJ
Coastal coach Dave Bennett is favoring the short passing game, opting for screens, swings and quick outs.
It's sort of working. Coastal passed midfield, but got pushed back to their own 38 and were forced to punt after a PSU DT Jared Odrick pulled RIchardson to the grass.
Penn State will punt on 4th and 1 after a Clark pass to Royster was not long enough.
Oops, wait. Penn State gets a delay of game penalty and Jeremy Boone will punt from about the nine (that's where it came off his foot).
14-0 PSU 1:08 1st
Whew. That was quick.
Penn State wasted no time getting down the field. Royster was the man on that drive, opening it with a 22-yard run and ending it with a 2-yard thrust up the middle for the touchdown.
5 plays, 80 yards, 2:08 T.O.P.
14-0 PSU, 6:08 1st
Good play call on third down by Coastal -- a 28-yard screen pass from Richardson. But, after two short gains, Richardson, facing heavy pressure, had to get rid of it.
Williams let the ball bounce into the endzone and Penn State will take it from the 20 yard line.
7-0 PSU, 8:16 1st
Right off the bat -- a huge play. The coastal return man originally bobbled the ball, then got drilled by a Nittany Lion. He fumbled, but a Chanticleer hopped on the loose ball.
Coastal QB, William Richardson completed a 16-yard pass over the middle for the game's initial first down, but after that it was all Penn State. After a Coastal punt and a 7-yard gain by Derrick Williams, PSU QB Daryll Clark hit Deon Butler for his first completion of the game.
Clark found Butler again for a first down, then Evan Royster ran seven yards untouched for the game's first points.
Scoring drive: 4 plays, 43 yards, 1:29 T.O.P.
7-0 PSU, 11:02 1st
--TJ
Hey, it's Travis. I'll be taking you guys through at least the first quarter. Penn State has won the toss and will defer to the second half.
Coastal Carolina will start with the ball in just a matter of seconds.
Now the chants of WE ARE...
--TJ
Travis reporting in. Coastal Carolina's band just finished up. They weren't too shabby, but then again, I'm a sucker for brass and woodwind instruments.
A group decided it would be a good idea to get block seating. It just so happens their block is all they way up in the nosebleeds in section EA. The dude in the Eli Manning jersey sticks out like a sore thumb.
There have been no sightings of the Chanticleer mascot. I'm not even sure what it looks like, but I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a big green rooster. Email me if you spot him before me. If you find him, I'll give you a shout out.
Right now, the Lion is revin' everyone up. The Blue Band is on the field and wait for it.... YES, ooh, close. The drum major took a bit of a seat on his flip, but we'll give him an 8 overall.
10 minutes until kickoff. 10 minutes until football.
-TJ
Hey, this is Travis. I know it may be a little early (there are still 23 minutes until kickoff) but here are a few observations:
The new ribbon boards along the upper decks look pretty cool.
Coastal Carolina and Penn State have both finished stretching. The Chanticleers have returned to their dressing room while the Nittany Lions are still going through individual and team drills.
Where is the nation's top student section? We're all guessing it won't be full until the start of the second quarter.
Check back for updates as we'll take you through the game until the final five minutes. We'll also keep you posted on our partner, Wible -- he ate some eggs that aren't agreeing with him.
--TJ
Welcome everyone to the start of another college football season for the Nittany Lions. I'm Brian Eller, the football editor for the Daily Collegian, and along with writers Travis Johnson, Josh Langenbacher, and Andrew Wible, we'll be keeping you in the action for today's game as the Lions will take on Coastal Carolina.