What did Minnesota’s PJ Fleck and multiple Penn State players have to say following the game?

Penn State knew that it was in for a challenge Saturday at Minnesota, but the Nittany Lions ultimately secured a hard-fought 26-25 win over the Golden Gophers. While Penn State was able to force two key turnovers, the Gophers also blocked a punt and an extra point. On top of that, they forced the Lions to go just 1 for 11 on third-down conversions.

But when it mattered most, Penn State held the Gophers to just two field goals while also scoring the only touchdown in the second half. That, combined with a 12-play drive that featured three fourth down conversions, ultimately was the difference.

“Tough loss to take, but you have to give Penn State a lot of credit,” said Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck after the game. “They’re a really good football team. They’re a top four team in the country for a reason. They have players everywhere. I thought we had a really good game plan. I thought we executed it really well on the offense, defense and special teams sides.”

He went on to add, “Penn State found a way to make one more play than we did. It was a great football game. Sometimes you got to step out of the head coach role to appreciate a game like that because that’s a really good college football game with two really good teams.”

Fleck also went out of his way to compliment Penn State’s front seven on defense.

“That’s one of the best front sevens in all of college football,” he said. “There’s a lot of first-rounders, second-rounders and third-rounders up there, and it’s the same with the linebackers.”

“They make you pay. When you make a mistake, they got you. You look at their corners, they’re really good, but when you have a front seven like that, it takes a lot of pressure off the back end.”

The 12th-year head coach also added that the Nittany Lions are one of the best team’s he’s ever faced.

“That’s one of the best teams in the country,” Fleck said. “This is one of the top five teams I’ve ever played against as a football coach.”

What did Penn State’s players say after the win?

– Penn State quarterback Drew Allar on the game-sealing fourth down conversion.

“The main goal was to hopefully get it to Nick [Singleton] in the flat because we were kind of anticipating them to squeeze in and try to stop some sort of inside zone run or a QB sneak, potentially. So we were gonna try to just outflank them and then go down. Tyler [Warren] was the second read on it, but I saw Nick was covered up. I felt somebody looping, so I was like, ‘All right, step up and try to get the first down.’ That’s when I saw Tyler waving his hands.”

– Drew Allar on his heated conversation with James Franklin on the sideline

“Yeah, I just got to do a better job of staying more composed and poised. I kind of let my emotions flare a little bit. Once I got down to the bench, I was fine and took a couple of deep breaths. Coach Franklin just came over and reminded me of that. But it’s an area I’m still learning about myself and trying to grow and pick my spots to do that stuff. I didn’t think that that was a situation necessarily to do that. So, it’s just a learning opportunity for me but I’m kind of glad it happened at the same time, so I know if that situation happens again how to react better.”

– Nick Singleton on this team rallying to win road games against USC and Minnesota this season

“We don’t give up man. We’re the type of team that’s gonna lean on each other, play four quarters. It don’t matter if we’re down at half, up at half. We’re going to play four quarters. But every half is 0-0. That’s our mindset and we just gotta keep going with it.

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