Nick Singleton's late surge against Indiana nearly saved Penn State, proving he's still the offense's lifeline

Penn State's 27–24 loss to No. 2 Indiana on Saturday was more than just another close defeat tacked onto a forgettable season. It was a microcosm of what's gone wrong — and what still works — for a program caught between chaos and competence.

For three quarters, the Nittany Lions looked like a team playing out the string. Then Nick Singleton reminded everyone why State College was so feared coming into the 2025 season.

Nick Singleton brings Penn State back from the dead

The senior running back finished with 71 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries, but those numbers don't capture the shift in energy he created. For most of the afternoon, Penn State's offense was lifeless. Ethan Grunkemeyer threw for 219 yards and a touchdown, but the unit looked disconnected, predictable, and desperate for a spark.

Singleton provided it.

His one-yard touchdown run with 11:36 left in the fourth quarter cut Indiana's lead to three and woke up a sideline that had been sleepwalking through the second half. Then came the play that nearly flipped the script entirely: a short pass from Grunkemeyer that Singleton turned into a 19-yard touchdown, breaking through coverage with the kind of explosiveness that once made him one of college football's most feared backs.

Suddenly, Penn State led 24–20. The momentum had swung. And for a brief moment, it looked like Singleton might carry this team to the biggest upset of the season.

While Penn State's quarterback situation remains a mess and the coaching search dominates every conversation around the program, Singleton continues to deliver when it matters most. He's scored three TDs in his last two games and accounted for nearly two-thirds of Penn State's total yardage in the second half against Indiana.

That production stands in stark contrast to everything else that happened on offense Saturday. Kaytron Allen managed just 48 yards on 19 carries against Indiana, and the passing game failed to stretch the Hoosiers' secondary.

Singleton's late-season surge won't salvage this year, but it does offer something Penn State desperately needs: proof that talent still exists in the locker room. With head coaching rumors swirling and uncertainty clouding every conversation about the program's future, his leadership will define how this team finishes.

This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Nov 8, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.