ATLANTA — It was a highly anticipated match up between No. 10 Penn State and No. 11 Ole Miss. More weight weighing on the Nittany Lions to become the first team in college football to win every New Year's Six bowl games with wins in the Rose, Cotton, Fiesta, Orange and Sugar Bowls. Only missing the Peach to add their names in the history books.
For the first time ever the Nittany Lions played in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl and the Rebels from the SEC.
The Rebels elect to receive to see if they can get something firing fast on offense but the Nittany Lions defense was all over Ole Miss, nearly having an interception by Cam Miller but the ball touches the ground. The Rebels go three and out and settle for a punt on their opening drive.
Penn State has an impressive opening drive. They march all the way down the field but couldn't capitalize in the redzone and have to settle for a 26-yard field goal by Alex Felkins, but with the Nittany Lions getting on the board first. That lit a spark behind the Rebels. Eight, fast plays later, Ole Miss has to also settle for a field goal. Halfway through the first and the game was tied 3-3.
Ole Miss punched again later in the first, scoring the first touchdown of the game and take their first lead of the game, 10-3.
The Nittany Lions get away with a lucky play that could have easily been intercepted. Tyler Warren has the longest play on offense, for Penn State, this entire season. He took the ball 76-yards before being taken down at the 15 yard ling. On third down, Beau Pribula comes in for a quarterback keep but was tackled at the 4-yard line. They deiced to go for it and it worked out with a touchdown catch by Theo Johnson. The game, once again, tied, 10-10.
With the Rebels then taking a 20 to 10 lead when Penn State quarterback Drew Allar throws an interception. On the Nittany Lions next drive, Central York grad Beau Pribula came into the game to run for a first down, but not just that, Pribula stayed in the game and competes his longest pass for touchdown to fellow District 3 alum and Governor Mifflin grad Nick Singleton. That brought the Nittany Lions to within three, trailing 20-17. The due connect twice in the game. The second coming late in the fourth quarter on a 2-point conversion.
The second half didn't fair well for the blue and white. They lost their spark with linebacker Abdul Carter getting hurt and Allar seeming to lose confidence with every man covered. The offense and defense were just flat the rest of the game. Being short handed with guys opting out to prepare for the NFL Draft didn't help.
History will have to wait another year as Penn State goes down to Ole Miss, 38-25. Both teams surpassed 500 yards on offense.
