Grading the Penn State football team on its 38-10 win over SMU in the first round of the College Football Playoff Saturday at Beaver Stadium:
Quarterbacks
C: Drew Allar played without a turnover but was not accurate in windy conditions, completing 13-of-22 passes for 127 yards.
Running backs
A: Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen had another magnificent game, combining to rush for 160 yards and three touchdowns on 25 attempts and average 6.4 yards per carry.
Receivers
B: With SMU focusing much attention on tight end Tyler Warren, Harrison Wallace III caught four passes for a team-high 48 yards. All other receivers combined for two catches.
Offensive linemen
B: They paved the way for the Lions to rush for 189 yards against a very good defensive line, which pressured Allar quite a bit.
Defensive linemen
A: Dani Dennis-Sutton and Abdul Carter played leading roles in pressuring Kevin Jennings and holding SMU to 58 rushing yards and 1.8 per carry.
Linebackers
A: Dominic DeLuca and Tony Rojas combined for three interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, and Kobe King had another strong game with a team-high eight tackles.
Defensive backs
B: They held SMU to a meager 5.3 yards per pass attempt and limited the Mustangs to a couple explosive completions.
Special teams
B: Ryan Barker made a 40-yard field goal, despite the gusting winds making kicking difficult. Singleton and Zion Tracy had productive returns.
Coaches
B: Defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s group dominated the Mustangs. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki wisely stuck to the ground in the second half. One negative was James Franklin’s decision to go for it on fourth down from the Penn State 19 with a 14-0 lead.