Penn State Nittany Lions 13 · Northwestern Wildcats 34
2026-10-02 · Ryan Field
Ryan Field · 2026-10-02
The final score was Penn State Nittany Lions 13 · Northwestern Wildcats 34. The breakdown below uses this game’s figures, separate from season averages.
The scoring path
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn State Nittany Lions | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 13 |
| Northwestern Wildcats | 10 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 34 |
| Measure | Penn State Nittany Lions | Northwestern Wildcats |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 20 | 25 |
| Total yards | 291 | 506 |
| Passing yards | 243 | 93 |
| Rushing yards | 48 | 413 |
| Third-down conversions | 5-14 | 5-12 |
| Giveaways | 2 | 1 |
| Possession time | 23:55 | 36:05 |
Third-down conversion is shown as its own measure. It is not a substitute for overall play success rate. A dash means the source did not supply that field.
The Lab’s result test
Northwestern Wildcats won by 21 points. Q1 supplied the largest scoring swing in the winner’s favor, a +10-points period. The chart shows the result’s path; the box score helps explain what created it.
Penn State Nittany Lions produced 291 total yards; Northwestern Wildcats produced 506. Yardage describes how much ground was gained, not whether the most valuable drives were finished.
Northwestern Wildcats committed 1 giveaways against the opponent’s 2. That possession advantage gave the winner fewer mistakes to overcome.
The next test is repeatability. Separate staying on schedule from long gains, then examine field position and drive finishing. A large yardage total can coexist with missed scoring chances; a short field can make a modest drive valuable.
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