STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State football finally has a victory to celebrate.
Matt McGloin threw for 231 yards and four touchdowns and Penn State overwhelmed Navy in a 34-7 win yesterday for rookie coach Bill O’Brien’s first career victory.
The Nittany Lions (1-2) rolled to the morale-boosting win following two draining losses to open a season of change in Happy Valley.
Penn State hadn’t won a football game since last Nov. 19 at Ohio State. That was soon after former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was charged with child sex abuse and the late Joe Paterno was fired. O’Brien was hired in January as Paterno’s replacement, and the Penn State program was slammed with NCAA sanctions in July over the school’s handling of the Sandusky case.
“I felt very good for this football team,” O’Brien said. “It was a long time coming.”
Allen Robinson torched the Midshipmen’s porous secondary for three touchdowns and 136 yards on five catches, while Linebacker U forced four turnovers, including Mike Hull’s 74-yard fumble return to make it 34-0 in the fourth quarter.
Just as in its season opener to Notre Dame two weeks ago, Navy allowed touchdowns on its opponents’ first three offensive series and limped home to Annapolis with a double-digit loss.
Gee Gee Greene ran for 70 yards and a score for the Midshipmen (0-2).
Faint chants of “Bill O’Brien” echoed out of the stands after the two teams exchanged handshakes at midfield following the final whistle. The Nittany Lions avoided going 0-3 for the first time since 2001.
“This is a great group of kids,” O’Brien said. “I just feel great for these football players here at Penn State today.”
Before they left the field, the Nittany Lions started a new tradition, the team gathering in front of the Blue Band to sing the alma mater.