‘Touchdown back then, probably still considered a touchdown today’: Even at Penn State, Tom Allen still believes Michael Penix Jr. scored that touchdown

Former Indiana football head coach Tom Allen remains in the Big Ten, but is with Penn State now as a defensive coordinator. After seven seasons as the head coach of the Indiana football program, Allen was let go last month and joined the Penn State football program this week.

The football programs of Indiana and Penn State are seemingly going to ever be interlocked forever it seems like now. Not only is there the connection with Tom Allen now, but you also look back to the 2020 season, where ‘that’ touchdown happened.

The touchdown that is being referred to is the diving Michael Penix Jr. game-winning play in overtime vs Penn State, which is arguably the greatest play in the history of the Indiana football program. The Hoosiers would go on-to win 36-35, which kick-started their outstanding 6-2 COVID season.

On the other side, however? Well, if you are connected to the Penn State football program, you have a different opinion as there was a lot of controversy on whether Penix broke the plane before he was called down. When Tom Allen was introduced during his introductory presser as the new defensive coordinator for the Nittany Lions, he knew that would be a topic of conversation.

“Oh, it was a touchdown,” Tom Allen said with a familiar smile on his face. “But you know, I get it. It depends on what glasses you’re wearing. I guarantee you that it depends on who you’re cheering for. Obviously, it was very contested on both sides and reviewed and talked about it. But I got a big old picture in my office that shows that he scored and it was a touchdown back then. It’s probably still considered a touchdown today, it’ll be considered a touchdown 20 years from now. But bottom line is it was a great game, and that was a great win for the Indiana Hoosiers.”

In that game, Penix Jr. threw for 170 yards including 1 TD. Penn State put up a total of 488 yards on Indiana’s defense while the Hoosiers’ offense only totaled 211.

Allen went 33-49 overall and 18-43 in Big Ten play over his tenure. His 33 wins as Indiana football head coach is tied for fifth in program history.

Watch full answer from former Indiana football head coach Tom Allen below. 

But was it a TD? Tom Allen said yes, he had a picture of the Michael Penix play in his office — presumably that’s not coming with him here pic.twitter.com/rK4fMxBS1C

— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) December 20, 2023

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