Running game shines in Penn State's win over Temple

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Akeel Lynch shot through the hole into the open field as two Temple defenders quickly closed in on the Penn State running back from opposite sides.

But Lynch's vision remained forward.

"I saw the end zone," said Lynch, who skirted through the defenders for a 38-yard, third-quarter touchdown. "I literally said, 'I'm scoring on this play.' "

Lynch, a redshirt sophomore, had 18 rushes for 130 yards in the Nittany Lions' 30-13 win over Temple. Senior Bill Belton added 92 rushing yards to Penn State's season-high 254 yards on the ground.

After averaging 64.8 rushing yards in the previous five games, the Lions' rushing attack broke out in a timely way, as sophomore quarterback Christian Hackenberg was able to throw for only 112 yards to go with two interceptions.

"It feels really good. Every time you see a crease and you see a safety, you're like: 'Yes, it's starting to work,' " Lynch said. "Now I have to do my part and make the safety miss, run him over, or get those tough yards."

Lynch said there were more open running lanes because of the increased presence of two starters. Senior guard Miles Dieffenbach, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in March, played more this week, and tackle Donovan Smith, who returned from a leg injury suffered against Ohio State, played for the first time in three weeks.

Coach James Franklin said he could tell Smith's presence made a difference and called Dieffenbach's play "dramatic."

"He'll be able to build on that and watch the film," Franklin said of Dieffenbach. "But there's no doubt having the physical presence of two of our more experienced players, especially on the offensive line, was big for us."

Lynch's score opened up what had been a 6-6 tie. Hackenberg's second interception ended the Lions' first drive of the half, but the running game carried the next drive - just two plays - all by itself. A 37-yard rush by Belton around the outside of the Owls defense preceded Lynch's long carry.

Belton had the Lions' first eight rushes, but after fumbling the ball away in the first quarter, Lynch got the next 13 carries of the half. Franklin said he wasn't pleased with the lost fumble, the first by a Penn State running back this season.

Belton interrupted a question asked about his fumble, which was reviewed and upheld during the game.

"I didn't fumble. I was down on the ground," Belton said. "Anybody with two eyes could see I was down. But they called it a fumble, so it is what it is."