Auburn vs. Penn State live score, updates, highlights from Week 3 college football game

Penn State’s White Out has become one of the preeminent spectacles in college sports on a yearly basis, and yet it’s a game where the Nittany Lions are surprisingly pedestrian.

They’re 8-8 all-time in the matchup and average just over 24 points per game, but despite the mixed results all-time, things seem to be trending up for James Franklin’s squad.

No. 10 Penn State has won three out of the last four White Outs, including a 42-13 rout of Michigan the last time the game was held in 2019 and are hoping to continue its winning ways against No. 22 Auburn. 

Sitting at 2-0 on the season, Penn State won a defensive battle on the road against Wisconsin, and then got a strong offensive output against MAC champions Ball State in Week 2, so the Nittany Lions can win in a variety of ways.

MORE: The story behind Penn State’s White Out game

The Tigers come into Beaver Stadium 2-0 on the season and have scored 122 points and amassed over 1,000 yards of total offense, but they played Akron and Alabama State, so Penn State will be their first real barometer.

Auburn has also struggled on the road recently, going 13-17 away from Jordan-Hare Stadium over the last five years. In addition to Penn State, Auburn visits LSU and Texas A&M as two big road tests in Bryan Harsin’s first year as coach.

They’ll be led on offense by quarterback Bo Nix and running back Tank Bigsby while Penn State’s offense will likely flow through Sean Clifford and receiver Jahan Dotson.

Sporting News is tracking live scoring updates and highlights from Auburn vs. Penn State on Saturday night. Follow for complete results here

MORE: Watch Auburn vs. Penn State live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

Auburn vs. Penn State score

Auburn vs. Penn State live updates, highlights

Final: Penn State 28, Auburn 20

11:06 p.m.: Bo Nix comes up short on the final drive of the game to put the game away and give Penn State the win.

11:05 p.m.:  Auburn takes over at its own 38 with 38 seconds left and no timeouts.

11:03 p.m.: Sean Clifford is sacked on third down to bring up fourth-and-14 with under a minute left as Penn State gets ready to punt it away. Penn State calls a timeout before the punt.

10:59 p.m.: Noah Cain narrowly avoids the safety to bring up second-and-12 and then Jahan Dotson draws a pass interference penalty and Penn State immediately gets out of its own endzone and has a more manageable field.

10:57 p.m.: Auburn’s fourth-and-goal attempt Is a fade to the back of the endzone by Nix and it comes up way short. Big stop for Penn State’s defense and the Nittany Lions take over at its own 2 yard line after the turnover on downs.

10:55 p.m.: On third-and-goal from the Penn State 9, Auburn comes up short and it brings up fourth-and-goal as the Tigers call a timeout.

10:52 p.m.: Jarquez Hunter leaps over Joey Porter on second-and-10 and picks up 24 for a first down and putting Auburn on the Penn State 10-yard line.

10:49 p.m.: Penn State gets a touchdown called back upon official review. Was originally deemed a fumble by Auburn which Penn State recovered and ran back, but it’s a moot point. Penn State still leads 28-20 with 5:08 left in the game.

10:48 p.m.: Tigers leaning heavily on Bigsby once again, and he peels off a nice 8-yard run to put Auburn at the Penn State 36.

10:46 p.m.: Auburn gets bailed out as Penn State’s Brandon Smith gets called for a personal foul, tacking 15 yards on to the play and putting Auburn in plus territory.

10:41 p.m.: Auburn is all over Penn State’s third down play and diagnoses it perfectly, dropping Jahan Dotson for a loss and Penn State punts it on fourth-and-6 from their 32. Tigers take over at their 25.

10:40 p.m.: Strange continues to be a favorite target of Sean Clifford, this time making a 6-yard gain to set up third-and-2 on their 38.

10:36 p.m.: Jahan Dotson with a nice 16-yard return on the Auburn punt. The Nittany Lions take over on their own 29 looking to extend their lead.

10:35 p.m.: Another penaty for Auburn, this one on third-and-12. Now makes it third-and-17 for Auburn on their own 34 but Nix’s pass falls incomplete.

10:33 p.m: The Tigers hit for an illegal formation penalty and driven back 5 yards.

10:31 p.m.: Auburn takes over on the 25 after the touchback looking to respond to Penn State’s touchdown.

10:27 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN PENN STATE. Noah Cain caps off a 9 play, 75-yard drive with 10:48 left in the game to increase the lead for Penn State. Penn State 28, Auburn 20.

10:23 p.m.: Mike Yurcich dials up another attempted trick play with tight end Tyler Warren under center but he couldn’t score from that position again and gets dropped for a loss. Third-and-goal from Auburn’s 4 for Penn State.

10:22 p.m.: Auburn defender Zakoby McClain ejected for targetimg and Penn State lines up inside the Auburn 1-yard line.

10:19 p.m.: Sean Clifford has liked those tight ends tonight and he hits Brenton Strange again, this time for 40 yards to the Auburn 3, and the Nittany Lions are in a great spot to answer the field goal and extend their lead.

10:18 p.m.: Baylor transfer John Lovett missed his first two games but immediately catches it for 18 yards and puts Penn State in great field position.

10:17 p.m.: After the field goal, Clifford finds Dotson right away for 8 yards and a first down.

10:14 p.m.: Beaver Stadium is about as full as it can be as they finally announce the attendance for this year’s White Out and it’s right near 110,000.

10:12 p.m.: FIELD GOAL AUBURN. Anders Carlson nails his second field goal of the game, this one from 43 yards and it’s a one-point game, Penn State 21, Auburn 20.

End third quarter: Penn State 21, Auburn 17

10:06 p.m.: Third-and-1 from the Penn State 26 and Auburn can’t convert. Ellis Brooks reads it perfectly and stuffs Tank Bigsby at the line of scrimmage to end the third quarter.

10:04 p.m.: Bo Nix scrambles on third down and avoids the pressure from Penn State and takes it for a first down to the Penn State 46.

10:03 p.m.: Joey Porter makes a nice play for the Penn State secondary to knock it away and bring up third-and-10 for Auburn from their own 43.

10:00 p.m.: On fourth-and-1 from the Auburn 43, Penn State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich dials up a fake which they originally give to Penn State but on the review, it’s a turnover on downs and the Tigers take over near midfield.

9:54 p.m.: Clifford hits Parker Washington for 12 yards to the Penn State 48 yard line as the Nittany Lions head toward midfield and enemy territory.

9:52 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN AUBURN. Bo Nix goes shovel pass to Tank Bigsby who just barrels through for 6 yards and the score to make it Penn State 21, Auburn 17. Bigsby’s second touchdown of the game makes it a four point game as the Tigers took over seven minutes off the clock.

9:50 p.m.: Auburn in the red zone continues to lean heavily on the run looking at second-and-7 from the Penn State 17.

9:48 p.m.: The Tigers keep feeding Tank Bigsby and it keeps working. Another first down and Auburn is on the Penn State 31.

9:46 p.m: Auburn looking at third-and-2 from the Penn State 46 and converts on the first down as the Tigers are starting to march here early in the third quarter.

9:40 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN PENN STATE. The Nittany Lions capitalize on the fumbled trick play and go 20 yards in four plays 1:46 to extend the lead to Penn State 21, Auburn 10.

9:36 p.m.: Auburn comes out of the half with the ball and Tank Bigsby fumbles on the attempted trick play. Penn State takes over at the Auburn 20.

Halftime: Penn State 14, Auburn 10

9:24 p.m: Some halftime stats from the White Out: Penn State has outgained Auburn 264-158 and have converted on 4-of-6 third down attempts while averaging nearly 7 yards per play.

9:12 p.m.: AUBURN INTERCEPTION. The Tigers pick off Sean Clifford on first-and-10 from the Auburn 47. Tigers take over at their own 3-yard line with 16 seconds left.

9:10 p.m.: Auburn goes three-and-out immediately following Penn State’s touchdown and the Nittany Lions take over at their own 21 with 47 seconds left in the first half.

9:06 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN PENN STATE. Sean Clifford hits tight end Brenton Strange for 2 yards to cap off a 14 play, 91-yard drive to reclaim the lead with 1:23 left in the first half. Penn State 14, Auburn 10.

9:04 p.m.: Clifford fakes the handoff and dumps it off to Dotson for 6 yards to the Auburn 7.

8:59 p.m.: Auburn calls a defensive timeout with 3:53 left in the first half and Penn State in good field position on the Tigers’ 13-yard line.

8:57 p.m.: Dotson throws the ball for 22 yards and Penn State is marching.

8:55 p.m.: Noah Cain easily gets the first down and then Sean Clifford hits Jahan Dotson for a one-handed grab on a play action pass for another first down.

8:53 p.m.: Penn State faces third-and-1 now after a review and they’re on their own 18.

8:47 p.m.: On third-and-8, Nix tries to air It out down field but comes up short. Fourth-and-8 for the Tigers and they punt from their own 45.

8:45 p.m.: Nix gets rid of it quickly and the Tigers are no longer backed up against their own endzone, hitting John Samuel Shenker for 27 yards to the Auburn 30.

8:43 p.m.: The officials apparently skipped a down, perhaps causing Penn State to punt prematurely.

8:39 p.m.: Penn State’s drive stalls and Jordan Stout punts it to inside the 10. The Tigers take over at their own 9-yard line.

8:38 p.m.: On first-and-10, Sean Clifford gets hit for intentional grounding and it drives Penn State back 15 yards.

8:37 p.m.: Two runs for 13 yards for Noah Cain and Penn State has first-and-10 from their own 34 before Clifford launches it downfield to no avail.

8:32 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN AUBURN. Three straight runs by Auburn’s Tank Bigsby and he finds the endzone on the third try to cap off an 11 play, 75-yard drive as the Tigers retake the lead. Auburn 10, Penn State 7 with 12:28 left in the second quarter.

8:30 p.m.: Another third down for Auburn as Nix finds Kobe Hudson for 36 yards and the Tigers are marching and are on the Penn State 30.

8:29 p.m.: The Tigers convert on third down, their second conversion of the day for Auburn and they’re at their own 49.

End first quarter: Penn State 7, Auburn 3

8:24 p.m.: The first quarter draws to a close and Auburn will come out of the break looking at third-and-2 on their own 43.

8:18 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN PENN STATE. Penn State goes 88 yards on that drive on just six plays as Jahan Dotson hauls in the score. It’s now Penn State 7, Auburn 3 with 2:24 left in the first quarter.

8:17 p.m.: Clifford hits tight end Brenton Strange for 23 yards to the Penn State 50 before hitting tight end Theo Johnson the next play for 37 yards to the Auburn 4.

8:15 p.m.: Clifford hits Lambert-Smith again and the duo connect for a first down from the Penn State 36.

8:14 p.m.: Keyvone Lee enters the game for Penn State at running back and takes it for 10 for a first down before fumbling it and falling on top of it for a 5 yard gain.

8:10 p.m.: The Tigers punt it away from their 41 and Penn State takes over in tough field posiiton from their own 12-yard line.

8:08 p.m.: Auburn gets hit for a false start to bring up second-and-16 and Nix heaves it downfield again but it comes up short. Third-and-16 for the Tigers from their 35.

8:07 p.m.: Nix’s throw goes for 16 as the Tigers march toward midfield.

8:06 p.m.: A run by Tank Bigsby sets up third-and-6 for the Tigers from their own 25 and Nix drops back to pass and they convert.

8:02 p.m.: After a penalty against Auburn on the punt, the Tigers take over from their own 21-yard line.

8:01 p.m.: Another run by Clifford but another failure to convert on third-down. Brings up fourth-and-5 on the Penn State 25 and the Nittany Lions punt it away.

8:00 p.m.: Auburn swarms Sean Clifford for a loss to bring up second-and-11 on Penn State’s 19 yard line,

7:55 p.m.: FIELD GOAL AUBURN. Anders Carlson nails the 45-yard field goal on a low line drive and Auburn gets on the board first in the White Out. Auburn 3, Penn State 0.

7:54 p.m.: Auburn’s first offensive drive of the game brings out the field goal unit.

7:52 p.m.: It’s third-and-10 for Auburn on the Penn State 38, but the Tigers get bailed out on a Penn State penalty for pass interference. First-and-10 on the Penn State 28.

7:51 p.m.: Penn State’s fourth down attempt comes up short. Auburn takes over on their 48.

7:49 p.m.: Penn State comes up just short on third-and-5 from the Auburn 48. Brings up fourth-and-1 and Penn State goes for it. 

7:47 p.m.: On third-and-7, Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford drops back, has all day and eventually hits KeAndre Lambert-Smith for the first down.

7:46 p.m.: Penn State’s first play is a handoff that goes for a loss.

7:44 p.m.: Auburn wins the toss and defers. Penn State starts the White Out with the ball.

7:38 p.m.: As ESPN’s Chris Fowler points out, this matchup — a ranked SEC-Big Ten showdown — is a rare one. Just the 11th time ranked squads from the two conferences have met. For the record, the last time Penn State hosted an SEC team in the White Out, it was No. 3  Alabama and the Crimson Tide won 27-11 back in 2011.

7:36 p.m.: The scene in State College just minutes before kickoff.

7:34 p.m.: It might be a White Out at Beaver Stadium, but certainly a healthy smattering of orange throughout. Auburn fans seem to have traveled for this ranked matchup. Kickoff coming up.

Auburn vs. Penn State start time

• Date: Saturday, Sept. 18
• Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET | 4:30 p.m. PT

The Auburn vs. Penn State game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be played at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pa.

MORE: Explaining Penn State’s White Out Game tradition

How to watch Auburn vs. Penn State

• TV channel: ABC
• Streaming: WatchESPN App, fuboTV

The matchup between the Nittany Lions and Tigers is ABC’s “Saturday Night Football” broadcast and will feature Chris Fowler on play-by-play duties, Kirk Herbstreit joining him in the booth and Holly Rowe reporting from the sidelines. You can also stream Auburn vs. Penn State live with fuboTV, which offers a seven-day free trial.

Penn State schedule 2021

Auburn schedule 2021