Second-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions is off to a stress-free 3-0 start to the season. But while the outcome of the Nittany Lions’ games hasn’t been in doubt, they fell to 0-3 against the spread on Saturday with a 52-6 win over Villanova, as they failed to cover the 48-point spread on a late, garbage-time touchdown for the second time this season.
After Nevada kicked down the back door with 30 seconds left in Week 1, Villanova waited until there were triple zeroes on the clock to finally get in the end zone for the first time in the game on a ridiculous fourth-and-goal touchdown pass from Tanner Maddocks to Brandon Binkowski, who hauled it in with one hand in the back of the end zone.
This came after what appeared to be a Villanova touchdown on third down was ruled incomplete. And then the Wildcats got a false start to back them up from the 3-yard line to the 8-yard line for fourth down.
It’s a legitimately incredible play by both Maddocks to buy as much time as possible, going all the way to the sideline and then getting enough on it to get to Binkowski, who jumped up, stuck a big paw up there and stabbed it out of the air while somehow staying inbounds.
My favorite part of the play aside from the crazy catch is the sound of the crowd. Everyone still in Beaver Stadium was clearly there for a reason and knew exactly what was at stake. They were loud at the snap and then the place went dead silent when he hauled in the catch. They were ready to celebrate a win and a trip to cover town, but Villanova signed up for 60 minutes and used all of it to kick down the back door.
