No. 3 Penn State defeated Wisconsin 28-13 despite losing QB Drew Allar in the first half

No. 3 Penn State beat Wisconsin 28-13 in Madison despite leaving quarterback Drew Allar late in the first half with an apparent knee injury.

Backup QB Beau Pribula took over in the second half, completing 11 of 13 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown. Pribula was a three-star recruit in the class of 2022. The Pennsylvania native was the No. 15 player in the state when he signed with the Nittany Lions.

The Nittany Lions decided the game with a 24-yard run by Kaytron Allen that gave them the final lead. Allen rushed for 86 yards on 11 carries.

Allar went to the locker room just before halftime as Wisconsin took a 10-7 lead into the break. He returned to the sidelines in the second half, but was replaced by backup quarterback Pribula in the third quarter. As Pribula took snaps for the Nittany Lions, Allar watched from the sideline.

The junior was 14 of 18 for 148 yards and a TD before getting injured and someone apparently said something to him as he walked toward the tunnel before the first half was over.

Allar improved significantly in 2024 in his first season under new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. After completing less than 60% of his passes a season ago and struggling in key games, Allar entered Saturday night with a 70.5% completion rate and an average of over 10 yards per attempt. A season ago, he averaged just 6.8 yards per throw.

Wisconsin took a 10-7 lead late in the second quarter but got some help on the go-ahead score.

Badgers QB Braedyn Locke missed open receivers on two consecutive passes in the end zone. But in the second game, Penn State was assessed an illegal substitution penalty when there were 12 men on the field. With a second chance on third-and-goal, Tawee Walker scored a one-yard TD run.

The Nittany Lions took the lead midway through the third quarter and held on when Jaylen Reed intercepted Locke and returned it 19 yards for a pick 6 and a 14-10 lead.

Penn State improved to 7-0 with the win and faces a showdown with No. 4 Ohio State (6-1) next week in State College. The Nittany Lions have lost their last seven games and 11 of their last 12 against the Buckeyes. Kickoff is at 12 p.m. ET.