EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsEVANSTON, Ill. -- Caleb Komolafe rushed for a career-high 188 yards and a touchdown, and Northwestern routed Penn State 34-13 on Friday night in the first game at the new Ryan Field.Wildcats fans who eagerly awaited the facility's opening were rewarded with not only an easy win over a preseason Top 25 team, but a light show in the stands and waves of fireworks and flames before the opening kickoff. The $875 million stadium was built on the same site as the former Ryan Field, and it seats 35,000, down more than 12,000 from the school's previous home.But you couldn't tell that amid the euphoria over the victory. Led by Komolafe and Joseph Himon II, Northwestern set season highs with 413 yards rushing and 506 yards overall. Himon finished with a career-high 162 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries."All the credit to our players," Northwestern coach David Braun said in his postgame, on-field interview on Fox. "This community? This student section? I mean, this place is electric right now. And I couldn't be prouder to have the opportunity to lead this program."It indeed was a memorable performance by the Wildcats (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten), who led from start to finish while bouncing back from a tough 29-23 loss at No. 6 Indiana last week.Penn State (3-2, 0-2), which opened at No. 18 in the AP's first poll, dropped its second consecutive game in its first season under coach Matt Campbell. The Nittany Lions blew a 17-point lead in a 24-20 loss to Wisconsin in their conference opener."First of all, I want to give Northwestern a ton of credit, because they played the style of game that we, obviously, would like to play," Campbell said. "They beat us. ... It was really hard to find a rhythm on both sides of the football."Rocco Becht was 26-for-41 passing for 243 yards and a touchdown for Penn State. But he also threw two interceptions. The Nittany Lions finished with 20 first downs and 291 total yards after they had 12 first downs and 233 yards against the Badgers."The frustrating thing for me," Campbell added, "is the standard of what this program plays football with -- the attitude, the effort, the toughness. We lacked it in every way, shape and form."Northwestern opened a 10-0 lead on Aidan Chiles' 2-yard keeper with 5:07 left in the first quarter. Himon set up the touchdown with a 47-yard run.Carson Hansen had an 8-yard touchdown run for Penn State in the second quarter. But Himon responded for Northwestern, scoring on rushes of 38 and 11 yards.The Nittany Lions had a chance to cut into the deficit right before halftime, but Ryan Barker missed a 45-yard field goal.The Wildcats opened a 31-7 lead on Komolafe's 1-yard touchdown run with 1:13 left in the third. Chiles had a 15-yard run and a 31-yard pass to Griffin Wilde on consecutive plays on the drive.The Associated Press contributed to this report.
