Gritty, not pretty.

Penn State football found an escape from the jaws of defeat, narrowly surviving Minnesota with a 26-25 win that came down to the game’s final drive in Huntington Bank Stadium Saturday in Minneapolis.

Almost every position group had ups and downs, so let’s assess how everyone did.

Quarterbacks: A-

Drew Allar had some shaky moments. He missed multiple throws that were makeable and occasionally had trouble against Minnesota’s defense. The latter wasn’t entirely his fault but was evident.

Despite those setbacks, Allar finished 21-of-28 for a 75% completion rate, 244 passing yards, and two total touchdowns. Saturday’s completion rate exceeded his 72.2% season mark and seven other games this season. Efficiency has been his bread and butter in 2024, and that was what Penn State needed in order to defeat Minnesota.

Running Backs: B-

Why didn’t Kaytron Allen get a carry until the third quarter? This is a question I would’ve loved to hear James Franklin answer postgame, but Penn State Athletics doesn’t often call on student reporters.

Allen ended up with seven carries for 10 yards. It’s hard not to wonder if the game would’ve come down to the final drive had he been used before halftime.

Nick Singleton led all rushers with 13 carries for 63 yards. His third-quarter touchdown gave the Nittany Lions a one-point lead, which was huge for momentum. Every play could be analyzed under a microscope given the game’s close outcome, and the touchdowns were therefore much more significant.

Singleton’s play plateaued after starting the season hot. His 63 yards were the most since he put up 94 against Illinois in September. It was good for all parties to have him in a prominent role in the traditional run again.

On top of being the leading rusher, Singleton had six catches for 46 yards. Some of them were check downs, which were critical in moving the sticks.

Wide Receivers: C+

Omari Evans’ 45-yard touchdown catch in the first half was beautiful. Evans may not have many receptions or yards, but he’s always a deep threat. He’s very hit-or-miss, but it’s always a highlight-reel play when he hits.

Evans finished the day with two catches for 51 yards. Trey Wallace had four catches for 46 yards, and Liam Clifford had one for eight. Julian Fleming, who was questionable, did not have any.

Tight Ends: A+

Tyler Warren is so good that even Minnesota head coach PJ Fleck had some nice things to say about him postgame, including that Warren should be in the Heisman conversation. Fleck labeled Warren as one of the best players he’s seen at the college level.

“We did everything, had to take him out of the game, and he still had eight catches for 102 yards,” Fleck said. “When somebody builds a game plan around you, and you still do that and you still find a way to do all the other things he did, special player.”

That stat line led all receivers, and Warren’s final catch iced the game deep in Minnesota territory with just seconds left on the clock. He was left wide-open on the play despite being the best player on the field.

Luke Reynolds also had a huge play on that drive. He took a fake punt on 4th-and-1 and ran 32 yards across midfield. The position group continues to be Penn State’s best this season.

Offensive Line: C-

Minnesota’s front seven had its way with the offensive line throughout the game, with seven tackles for loss and two sacks. Allar was hurried once but was often flushed out of the pocket. Penn State also had only 117 rushing yards, although it didn’t take any penalties. The group deserves a bit of slack due to Anthony Donkoh and Vega Ioane suffering injuries, but it wasn’t a great day.

Front Seven: A

Penn State’s front seven initially struggled against Darius Taylor and Marcus Major but held the Golden Gophers to 106 total rushing yards, including -2 in the fourth quarter. It also had 6.5 tackles for loss, four quarterback hurries, an interception, and a sack, which were critical in disrupting the rushing offense. The Nittany Lions did have two offside calls, but it was a solid performance overall.

Secondary: B-

Zakee Wheatley’s fumble recovery was a testament to how he’s developed after suddenly becoming a starter in the wake of KJ Winston’s injury in September. His 59 tackles are third-highest on the team, and he also has three pass breakups and an interception this season.

Against Minnesota, the group generally fared well. Max Brosmer and Daniel Jackson were problems, and the Golden Gophers had 175 passing yards. Jaylen Reed, AJ Harris, and Cam Miller all had at least half a tackle for loss, and Reed in particular has established himself as one of the best players on the defense.

Special Teams: C

Penn State’s special teams allowed a blocked punt and a blocked field goal to be returned for a safety, but it also faked a punt for a 32-yard run on 4th-and-1 with the game on the line. Talk about a mixed bag.

The two mishaps would be worthy of an F- grade, but calling the fake punt and nailing it takes guts. To pull that off deserves an A+. So, we’ll balance those out and assign a C.