The Nittany Lions made no mistake against the Thundering Herd on Saturday night, running out 45-0 winners in the regular season. The difference was as stark as any result this early in the schedule, and the visitors took their points without fuss. By then it was clear the hosts had nothing left to offer.
Four scores in the first half set the tone, and the Lions never looked back. The Thundering Herd failed to muster a single point of their own, a statistic that will stick with them for longer than any scoreboard. The clean-sheet run came to an end for the visitors, but not in a way anyone wanted.
What matters now is the table position, and the Lions have moved into a commanding spot. The Herd sit without a win after two games, which means their season has started poorly. To be fair, the gap in quality showed through from the opening whistle.
The margin of victory tells you everything about the gulf between these sides. The Lions kept knocking on the door until the door broke down, and they scored with regularity throughout. The Herd struggled to string together any meaningful possession, and that showed in the final tally.
This result shifts the momentum in the division, and the Lions will feel they have taken control of their own destiny. The Thundering Herd need the points badly going forward, and this defeat leaves them with work to do. The old head settled them down, but not on this occasion.