Penn State’s 2022 recruiting class have carried enormous expectations from the time they stepped on the field and have mostly lived up to them.
Since their arrival, the Nittany Lions have set a school record for wins over a three-year stretch, played in four New Year’s Six bowl games and one Big Ten title game, landed a College Football Playoff berth for the first time in school history and reached the national semifinals.
“They’ve been incredible for us,” interim head coach Terry Smith said. “These guys have really transformed the expectation for Penn State football, and as we move forward, they’ve set the standard.”
Many of them decided to return this year hoping to make another run at a national title. This season, of course, hasn’t gone the way they or their teammates expected it to go.
They will be among 30-plus seniors who will be recognized Saturday night before the Lions (1-6 Big Ten, 4-6) face Nebraska (4-3, 7-3) at 7 p.m. (TV-NBC) at Beaver Stadium, their final home game.
“They’re just a tremendous group of young men,” Smith said. “I’m super proud that we can go out there on Saturday night, pay tribute to those guys and hopefully get a victory for them.”
Penn State needs to beat the Cornhuskers and then Rutgers next Saturday in New Jersey to become bowl eligible. It’s a comedown from the preseason when the Lions were ranked No. 2 in The Associated Press poll.
“I obviously want to win both of them,” said running back Nick Singleton, a five-star recruit in the 2022 class. “I want to perform to the best of my ability. Leaving our mark here at Penn State, not just for me but for the whole team and whole program, is important.”
Singleton and fellow running back Kaytron Allen have opportunities to set Penn State career records in the next two games.
Allen is third on the school’s all-time rushing list with 3,794 yards, trailing Evan Royster (3,932) and Saquon Barkley (3,843). He ran for a career-high 181 yards and two touchdowns last week in a 28-10 win over Michigan State, which snapped a six-game losing streak.
Singleton has had a subpar season, but he’s only two behind Barkley’s records for overall career touchdowns (51) and career rushing TDs (41). He’s also second behind Barkley (5,538) in career all-purpose yards with 5,308.
“Blocking for them has been a blessing and a privilege,” offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh said. “Those two are two of the best backs in the nation. They bring energy every single day. When we’re able to hit explosive runs for them and have them score, I’m just so happy for them.”
Nebraska has a wonderful running back in Emmett Johnson, who’s fourth in the country with 113.1 rushing yards per game. Johnson ran for 129 yards and one TD and caught three passes for 103 yards and two scores in a 28-21 win over UCLA two weeks ago.
The Cornhuskers are relying on him with TJ Lateef at quarterback in place of the injured Dylan Raiola, who’s out for the season.
“He’s a newbie at quarterback, but they have a terrific run game just like ours,” Smith said. “They’re going to try to get in third-and-short situations where they can still run the ball and not force the quarterback to throw.
“We have to get those guys in obvious passing situations. If we can do that, we feel like we have an advantage.”
Smith will coach against Nebraska’s Matt Rhule, the first time that Penn State alums are squaring off since 2013 when Rhule was at Temple and Paul Pasqualoni was at Connecticut.
It’s also the first prime time game being played this late in November at Beaver Stadium and the last home game for the seniors.
“I’m really just taking it all in,” said safety Zakee Wheatley, who began his career in 2021. “It’s crazy how fast all these years went by. The last one at Beav, I’m just excited to be on that field one more time.”
Rich Scarcella’s pick
Penn State 24, Nebraska 17
This will not be a shootout like it was in 2017, when the Nittany Lions won 56-44 in the last time these teams met in State College. Both teams will rely on their ground game while playing young quarterbacks. Look for Penn State to run the ball more effectively and to send out its seniors with a victory.
