STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Christian Hackenberg threw for two touchdowns and ran for two others as Penn State beat Indiana, 29-7, Saturday afternoon in PSU’s homecoming game.
Hackenberg, who went 21 for 39 for 262 yards through the air, hit Brandon Polk and DaeSean Hamilton for 39-yard scores in the first half as the Nittany Lions (5-1) won their fifth straight, all at home. Hackenberg also ran one yard for a TD in the second quarter, and took it in from five yards out early in the fourth.
The Hoosiers (4-2) were without quarterback Nate Sudfeld and top rusher Jordan Howard because of ankle injuries, and saw Sudfeld’s replacement, Zander Diamont, exit the game in the third quarter with an apparent shoulder injury.
Diamont, who ran for a 12-yard touchdown in the first period, was replaced by redshirt freshman Danny Cameron, son of LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.
Offense
Working against a team that entered the game 126th among the nation’s 127 FBS teams in passing defense and 118th in total defense, Hackenberg gave some idea of the Lions’ plan of attack on the day’s very first play, when he went deep for wide receiver Chris Godwin. The pass fell incomplete, as did five of Hackenberg’s first six attempts.
But he hit Polk for his TD with 7:35 left in the first quarter, Hamilton for another with 5:40 left in the second. Hackenberg also ran for a one-yard score late in the half, a play on which he rolled right and ignored tight end Kyle Carter, who was wide open, before taking it in.
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Carter then disgustedly walked to the bench as his QB celebrated.
Hackenberg did hit Carter three times on a seven-play, 52-yard drive ending in the QB’s five-yard TD run with 10:37 left in the game.
Defense
The Hoosiers drove 65 yards in eight plays for a first-quarter touchdown, on Diamont’s 12-yard run, which forged a 7-7 tie at the time. But the PSU defense came up with stops on the next two IU possessions, even though the visitors took over at the Lions’ 46 and the Indiana 43.
The Lions also held IU scoreless in the third quarter, the first time that has happened this season, and turned the Hoosiers over when freshman cornerback John Reid intercepted Cameron 32 seconds into the fourth quarter, a pass that glanced off the hands of tight end Anthony Corsaro.
That led to Hackenberg’s second TD run.
Special teams
Kicker Joey Julius missed two extra points, perhaps in part because he was working with a new holder, Robby Liebel, as the usual holder, punter Chris Gulla, sat out with an undisclosed injury.
Tyler Davis replaced Julius and kicked the point-after following Hackenberg’s fourth-quarter TD run, as well as a 30-yard field goal with 5:33 left in the game.
Health check
The Lions were again without tailbacks Saquon Barkley (ankle) and Akeel Lynch (knee), but tackle Andrew Nelson (knee), linebacker Brandon Bell (ankle) and safety Marcus Allen (shoulder) all returned.
Turnstile report
The announced attendance in the 107,282-seat stadium was 97,873.
Up next
The Lions travel to Columbus for a meeting with defending national champion Ohio State next Saturday, an 8 p.m. start on ABC.