Penn State vs. Georgia: Score and Reaction for 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl

In the final game of quarterback Christian Hackenberg's collegiate career, the Penn State Nittany Lions fell to the Georgia Bulldogs 24-17 in the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl on Saturday at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida.

The junior signal-caller finished with 139 passing yards and an interception, as he was forced to leave the game late in the first half with an apparent shoulder injury. Freshman Trace McSorley replaced him and led a second-half comeback attempt, but it was ultimately for naught.

After the loss, Hackenberg officially declared for the 2016 NFL draft, according to Derek Lavarse of the Times Leader.

With the win, Georgia finished with 10 wins for the second consecutive season, and it marked the fourth time in the past five years it managed to reach that mark.

The Bulldogs entered the game amid chaos as they transition from new Miami head coach Mark Richt to Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart on the sidelines, but interim head coach and soon-to-be South Carolina assistant Bryan McClendon got the job done under difficult circumstances.

As seen in this photo courtesy of the TaxSlayer Bowl on Twitter, McClendon was thrilled to pick up his first victory as a head coach:

Following what turned out to be a competitive contest, Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports complimented the two teams for their respective performances:

Both teams came out of the gates sluggishly, as the first nine drives yielded just one field goal for each side, but things started to open up when the Bulldogs turned to some creative play-calling.

With less than seven minutes remaining in the second quarter, Georgia dialed up a trick play that featured freshman wide receiver Terry Godwin throwing a 44-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell, as seen in this video courtesy of ESPN:

Hackenberg was taken to the locker room shortly before that in relation to a hit he took on a rushing attempt. Penn State Associate Director of Athletic Communications Kris Petersen then announced that he would not return to action.

The absence of Hackenberg was an unusual sight for Nittany Lions fans, as he missed very few snaps over the course of his Penn State career, according to ESPN Stats & Info:

 Based on how much punishment he has taken over the years, though, Bob Flounders of PennLive.com figured it was a matter of time before Hackenberg suffered an injury:

With the momentum firmly on Georgia's side after scoring the first touchdown of the game and knocking Hackenberg out, it added to its lead on its final possession of the opening half.

Godwin was part of yet another scoring play, but this time he caught a 17-yard touchdown from junior quarterback Greyson Lambert to make it 17-3 entering the locker room:

Georgia had a golden opportunity to extend its lead early in the third quarter when Isaiah McKenzie returned a punt 37 yards to the Penn State 23-yard line. However, the offense went in reverse, and punter Collin Barber missed a 48-yard field goal in place of kicker Marshall Morgan, who was forced to leave the contest with an ankle sprain, according to the team's official Twitter account.

The Bulldogs were able to make up for the miscue on their next drive, though, when sophomore running back Sony Michel, who had been held in check to that point, bowled his way through the Penn State defense for a 21-yard touchdown:

With Georgia looking poised to run Penn State off the field, Stewart Mandel of Fox Sports poked some fun at the Big Ten:

Just when it seemed as though all hope was lost for the Nittany Lions, their offense came alive on the ensuing drive when McSorley marched the team 75 yards down the field in nine plays, culminating in a 17-yard touchdown pass to Geno Lewis to make it 24-10.

After a pair of three-and-outs by Georgia, PSU was able to find pay dirt once again with the aid of a fourth-down conversion from McSorley to Lewis.

McSorley then finished off the drive with a 20-yard scoring strike to DaeSean Hamilton that saw the sophomore wide receiver make a spectacular grab:

David Jones of the Harrisburg Patriot-News was among those who were surprised by the young signal-caller's command of the offense with Hackenberg on the shelf:

In fact, Josh Norris of Rotoworld pointed out that McSorley enjoyed more statistical success than Hackenberg had in the majority of his games in 2015:

"

I'm not saying, I'm just saying...Hackenberg failed to throw for at least 2 TDs in 7 games this season. McSorley has thrown for 2 in his 1st

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) January 2, 2016"

The Bulldogs were reeling after allowing 14 unanswered points, but they had a chance to preserve the victory by orchestrating a strong drive upon taking the ball back with just over six minutes remaining.

They did manage to run more than four minutes off the clock and burn the rest of Penn State's timeouts, but the drive stalled at the PSU 23-yard line when senior running back Keith Marshall was stopped for a loss.

The injury to Georgia's kicker forced it to take a gamble, and that ultimately gave the Nittany Lions a chance to go for the tie.

A pair of fourth-down conversions got Penn State down to Georgia's 39-yard line, but McSorley's Hail Mary was knocked away, and Georgia escaped with the win.

While the victory didn't end up being a decisive one, it was a positive way to enter the Smart era for Georgia, as he inherits a team that consistently manages to pick up double-digit wins.

As for the Nittany Lions, there was a lot to like in defeat. That included the comeback led by McSorley, who figures to be PSU's starter in 2016 with Hackenberg heading to the NFL.

Declaring may not seem like the best move on the surface after two subpar seasons, but Peter Schrager of Fox Sports has heard that Hackenberg is very much in the first-round conversation:

Unfortunately for Hackenberg, the TaxSlayer Bowl was a fitting end to a collegiate career that started off with so much promise.

Losing a player with the talent level that Hackenberg possesses certainly isn't ideal, but it may turn out to be the best thing for Penn State football if McSorley's showing was any indication of the type of quarterback he'll ultimately become.

Postgame Reaction

While it would have been easy for Penn State to throw in the towel after falling behind 24-3 Saturday, the Nittany Lions came alive in the fourth quarter, and very nearly pulled off one of the biggest comebacks of the season.

Although PSU fell short in its bid, head coach James Franklin was extremely happy that his team continued to battle, according to the TaxSlayer Bowl on Twitter:

In addition to that, Franklin told the media that he felt as though the Penn State football program made progress in 2015 despite failing to improve upon its record from 2014, per Lavarse:

According to Onward State, Franklin believes PSU is now in an even better position to make strides next season:

If the Nittany Lions are going to win more than seven games in 2016, however, they will be forced to do it without the services of Hackenberg under center, as he declared for the NFL draft.

Despite the fact that Hackenberg regressed statistically and never became the stud quarterback many expected during his time at Penn State, he insisted after the TaxSlayer Bowl that his time with the Nittany Lions was fruitful:

Hackenberg's departure marks the end of an era for Penn State, as did the TaxSlayer Bowl for Georgia since it was the final remnant of Richt's tenure as head coach.

It was McClendon who was in charge, though, and he was able to lead the Bulldogs to victory despite being forced to make due with a makeshift coaching staff.

Because of the difficult situation Georgia was faced with, McClendon was extremely pleased with the way the players performed:

While there technically wasn't much on the line, the TaxSlayer Bowl ended up being one of the most entertaining and competitive bowl games in recent days after many of the top bowls ended in blowouts.

Both teams did some positive things in Saturday's game, which should allow them to enter the 2016 season on a high note as they look to accomplish bigger and better things.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.