It was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

Actually, I could say that about a lot of what transpired Saturday night in State College. The 104,000 screaming fans in Beaver Stadium literally made the press box shake, though I don’t know if that says more about the Nittany Lions’ faithful or the integrity of the structure. The parking was positively abysmal compared to Ryan Field. And, of course, there’s Joe Paterno’s 400th career win, which no one had ever seen from a Football Bowl Subdivision coach.

That flashbulb-worthy moment is what most of college football nation will remember about this game, but for Northwestern, it’ll be the monumental collapse in what could have been a statement game for the program.

Instead, the game turned into a statement about how far the program has to go.

On the first play from scrimmage, Dan Persa, dubbed by coach Pat Fitzgerald as a “war daddy,” erased any doubts about his health with a 31-yard run and capped off the drive with another scramble for a touchdown. NU’s offense kept clicking, capping off its 21-0 start with a highlight reel, one-handed catch by Drake Dunsmore in the back of the end zone. The formerly boisterous crowd was deathly silent.

As Stefan Demos said earlier in the week, “It’s pretty easy to take a crowd out of a game, but it’s real easy to keep the crowd in the game.”

And with Penn State’s nine-play, 91-yard, 47-second drive at the end of the half, they were right back in it.

Though they were down 21-7 at the half, the Nittany Lions possessed that ill-defined, magical intangible known as momentum. It’s particularly clear looking back now, but the way they drove down the field with ease was a clear sign of what was to come.

“It’s a game of momentum,” junior safety Brian Peters said. “They seized it and we couldn’t get it back … We kind of gave it up at the end of the first half and it carried over.”

The drive summary of the second half reads easier than Dr. Seuss. NU kicks off, touchdown Penn State. Wildcats punt after a three-and-out, another touchdown from the Nittany Lions. Another three-and-out, another touchdown. Another punt, yet again a touchdown by Penn State.

Before you know it, Penn State has put up 35 unanswered points, approaching the level of ludicrousness of Michigan State’s 38 unanswered points against NU in 2006. It was about as a bad as collapses get.

“We just didn’t come out with the same fire,” Dunsmore said. “We just weren’t making the plays we were making in the first half. That’s all it came down to.”

NU players and coaches consistently talk of finishing and responding. They’ve clung to leads against Vanderbilt, Central Michigan and Indiana, and eked out a one-point win at Minnesota. They’ve led in every game this season, yet four of their six wins are by margins of five points or fewer.

But in blowing leads to Purdue (seven points), Michigan State (17 points) and now Penn State (21 points), NU has shown just how much they lack a killer instinct.

Sports Editor Andrew Scoggin is a Medill senior. He can be reached at [email protected]