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A closer look inside PSU’s 24-10 loss to Arkansas

TAMPA — Following are the highlights and lowlights from Penn State’s 24-10 loss to Arkansas on Saturday in the Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium:

PLAY OF THE GAME: On first-and-goal from the Arkansas 10, trailing 24-10 with 12:39 left, Sean Clifford threw into double coverage in the end zone and was intercepted by Joe Foucha, sealing what little hope the Nittany Lions had left.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson rushed 20 times for 110 yards and a touchdown. He also completed 14-of-19 for 95 yards.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Foucha made a team-high six tackles, including a sack to go with his interception.

MOST TELLING STATc: Arkansas rushed for an Outback Bowl record 361 yards – 255 of it coming in the second half.

MOST DECEIVING STAT: Penn State allowed only one sack.

HIDDEN STATISTIC: The Razorbacks went 3-for-3 on fourth down.

BEST RUN: Jefferson busted a 34-yarder in the third quarter.

BEST PASS: Clifford dropped in a perfect 42-yard reception to Parker Washington in the first quarter to the Hogs’ 19, but the Lions did nothing with it.

WORST PASS: Clifford missed tight end Theo Johnson wide open in the second quarter for a touchdown.

BEST CATCH: Several good ones but Washington’s leaping one-handed snap of a 19-yarder in the second quarter was tops. Also worth mention: The Hogs’ Greg Brooks Jr. made juggling interception in the first quarter.

CATCH IT, WILL YA?: PSU wideout Malick Meiga dropped a long pass up the sideline in the third quarter.

HOLD IT, WON’T YA?: Clifford fumbled a snap in the second quarter but recovered.

BEST TACKLE: Smith Vilbert tripped up Jefferson in the second quarter for a sack, preventing a long gainer and forcing a punt.

BEST BLOCK: Tight end Tyler Warren helped spring Keyvone Lee for 25 yards in the second quarter.

BEST HIT: Arkansas linebacker Bumper Pool – yes, that’s his name – jolted Clifford in the third quarter.

BLOWN COVERAGE: No Arkansas defender was in the same zip code as KeAndre Lambert-Smith on the 42-yard touchdown pass that tied the game at 7 in the second quarter.

BEST KICK: Arkansas punter Reid Bauer boomed a 58-yarder in the second quarter.

WORST KICK: It was from 50, but Jake Pinegar was way short and right with a chance to put the Lions up 3-0.

BEST CALL(S): After the Lions advanced to the Hogs’ 19 in the first quarter, Arkansas unleashed several blitzes to force three Clifford incompletions.

WORST CALL: The Lions’ fake punt late in the second quarter with Jordan Stout throwing an incompletion that had no chance. Try a field goal there.

WORST PENALTY: Clifford’s intentional grounding in the first quarter took the Lions out of field goal range.

BEST EFFORT: In his first extended action, Vilbert recorded three sacks.

UNSUNG HERO:: Bauer averaged 44.4 yards on five punts with two over 50 and put four inside the 20.

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