Sean Clifford leads No. 6 Penn State past Villanova 38-17

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State coach James Franklin wasn’t that impressed with his team’s latest win.

Sure, the No. 6 Nittany Lions (4-0) might have put up plenty of points and a gaggle of yards in their 38-17 win over Villanova on Saturday, but they did so without the intensity Franklin believes has fueled their eight-game winning streak.

Maybe there was a hangover effect after Penn State outlasted Southeastern Conference foe No. 23 Auburn in a back-and-forth, marquee slugfest a week ago?

Franklin saw it as early as Wednesday when practice was flat and uninspired.

“I feel like our guys a little bit were enjoying people patting them on the back,” Franklin said. “We talked about it all week long. I don’t know if we had the same edge today that we’ve had for the previous three weeks.”

But they did have a big edge talentwise against their in-state FCS opponent and Sean Clifford took advantage. He passed for four touchdowns and a career-high 401 yards on 19-for-26 passing. Clifford found Parker Washington for two TDs and Jahan Dotson and KeAndre

Lambert-Smith for one apiece. Tyler Warren rushed for a touchdown and Jordan Stout kicked a field goal for the Nittany Lions, who led 17-3 at the break.

It didn’t take long for Penn State to showcase its speed advantage.

Clifford spied Dotson speeding past single coverage by Villanova cornerback Christian Benford and dropped a 52-yard strike into Dotson’s hands for a 7-0 lead just three minutes in.

Early in the second, the Wildcats pressured Clifford and brought him down at midfield for their first of three sacks on the afternoon.

But the fifth-year senior popped up and fired to Washington crossing over the middle on the next play. Washington sliced through the Villanova secondary for a 52-yard score that made it 14-3.

Stout added a 29-yard field goal before halftime, but Penn State missed an opportunity for an even bigger lead.

Cornerback Johnny Dixon dropped what could have been a Pick-6 midway through the first half, and the Nittany Lions’ final two possessions were spoiled by a holding penalty and a sack.

“Good enough to win the game,” Clifford said. “I felt like we left a lot out there."