Nittany Lions look to finish strong after back-to-back divisional losses

By Tommy Rezac

Penn State was college football’s darling through the first seven weeks of the season without really playing anybody.

The Nittany Lions aced a manageable non-conference schedule with a 52-0 shellacking of Akron, a 33-14 win over in-state foe Pittsburgh and a 56-0 drubbing over Georgia State of the Sun Belt.

It took until the very last play, but the win streak continued with a thrilling 21-19 victory over Iowa at Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 23.

Jr. QB Trace McSorley finding So. WR Juwan Johnson in the back of the end zone for a walk-off TD is still one of the more clutch plays of 2017.

Case of the Mondays, @PennStateFball fans?

We guarantee this will help. pic.twitter.com/UY0PGKC0VR

— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) September 25, 2017

The surge continued with a 45-14 win over Indiana, who’s yet to win a Big Ten game this season, and then a 31-7 beat down of Northwestern at Ryan Field on Oct. 7.

The Wildcats were obviously stirred. They haven’t lost a game since.

Back to Penn State. 7-0, 3-0 in conference play, No. 2 in the country and walking into the jaws of No. 6 Ohio State at the Horseshoe on Oct. 28.

Bet you can guess the Week 9 @B1Gfootball special teams player of the week.

You’re right, it’s @PennStateFball‘s @saquonb21. pic.twitter.com/6zQM1NHeVn

— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) October 30, 2017

Easy, right?

Give the man his 🏆 and a Happy Meal and let’s all go home. 😀

Saquon Barkley extends the Penn State lead over the Buckeyes: pic.twitter.com/C86J8FtZrG

— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) October 28, 2017

New No. 1, right?

Just in case you forgot, yes, @OhioStateFB came back, and here’s the game-winning score. pic.twitter.com/cRHtS0mrXZ

— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) October 29, 2017

In what will likely go down as the best game of the 2017 regular season, Penn State watched an 18-point lead transform into a near-flawless performance and comeback by Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett and the Buckeye defense, which held the Nittany Lions to just three fourth-quarter points.

It got no easier for James Franklin’s bunch the following week.

Morning, @MSU_Football! pic.twitter.com/M2doewfOvP

— Michigan St. on BTN (@MichiganStOnBTN) November 5, 2017

Penn State once again didn’t have enough left in the 4th quarter, and Sparty snuck away with a tight 27-24 win in a game that was delayed three-and-a-half hours by severe weather.

The Lions rebounded with a 35-6 tuneup against Rutgers at home last week after only leading 14-6 at halftime.

They might get another home tuneup this week against Nebraska.

Offense

• Scoring: 37.7 points per game (2nd B1G, 17th FBS)
• Passing: 283.6 yards (2nd B1G, 26th FBS)
• Rushing: 146 yards (9th B1G, 86th FBS)
• 3rd Down: 40% (4th B1G, 64th FBS)
• Red Zone: 87.5% (5th B1G, 42nd FBS)

Nebraska’s coaching staff, along with the rest of the nation, have known and seen for weeks how dazzling Jr. RB Saquon Barkley is.

Nebraska’s defense has given up an average of 279.8 rushing yards and 41.3 points in the last four games. The Big Ten’s leader in all-purpose yards could be more than Bob Diaco’s bunch can handle.

“(Barkley) is the total package,” Diaco said. “He’s got contact balance, great speed, great vision. Powerful runner, big thick-bodied guy. He breaks tackles, he makes you miss, he can jump over you. What’s fun to watch is his pass protection. He’s an aggressive blocker. One of the best backs that’s been in the league in some time.”

The Heisman candidate at 5-11, and 230 pounds, has been held under 70 yards rushing in his last three games (44, 63, 35), but still leads the Big Ten and is second in the FBS with 1,846 all-purpose yards.

899 of that has come on the ground, 524 through the air, 423 in kickoff returns, and 36 through the air. He’s taken two kickoffs back for a touchdown this season, most recently against then-No. 6 Ohio State on Oct. 28 in a gut-wrenching 39-38 loss.

He also had a 16-yard touchdown pass to Sr. WR Daeshon Hamilton in the 4th quarter of a 45-14 win over Indiana on Sept. 30.

McSorley, who engineered a 21-point comeback against Wisconsin in the 2016 Big Ten Championship Game with four touchdown passes, is a superstar in his own right.

“I think McSorley is really a versatile, competitive guy,” Nebraska head coach Mike Riley said. “Makes plays on the run and throwing. Their comeback in the (Big Ten) Championship game a year ago was interesting. I thought his play was outstanding in that game.

The second-year starter and Davey O’Brien Award Finalist has accounted for more than 3,000 all-purpose yards and 30 all-purpose touchdowns in 2017. His 2,666 passing yards lead the Big Ten.

“It’s weapons at all levels on offense,” Diaco said. “The offensive coordinator (Joe Moorhead), a great coach. Fun system, attacking system. Really suits their players well. They’ve got a weapon at tight end. He’s the most productive receiver they have.”

Mike Gesiciki, the Sr. TE Diaco was referring to, is the Nittany Lions’ lead receiver with 42 grabs, is third in receiving yards with 419 and has five touchdowns.

Hamilton, who caught Barkley’s one touchdown throw this year, leads the Nittany Lions with 646 receiving yards. It’s also the sixth most of all receivers in the Big Ten.

Moorhead, in his second year as Franklin’s offensive coordinator, never worked with Diaco, but both spent a considerable amount of time coaching in the Northeast region of the U.S.

Diaco, a New Jersey native, and head coach at UConn from 2014-2016, knows and respects Moorhead.

“He’s just a name you know,” Diaco said. “I think he does a great job of getting his play makers the ball.”

Moorhead began his coaching career at Pitt in 1998 as a grad assistant, and has since had stops at Georgetown, Akron, UConn (pre-Diaco) and was the head coach of Fordham from 2012-2015 before getting hired as PSU’s O-coordinator in 2016.

Moorhead was successful in three seasons at Fordham, finishing with a 38-13 record. He made the second round of the FCS playoffs in 2014.

Defense

• Scoring: 13.9 points per game (2nd B1G, 4th FBS)
• Passing: 194.4 yards (6th B1G, 33rd FBS)
• Rushing: 123.9 yards (6th B1G, 22nd FBS)
• 3rd Down: 36% (9th B1G, 50th FBS)
• Red Zone: 80% (5th B1G, 40th FBS)

Penn State’s defense is steady across the board on paper. Through the first seven games, without facing any offensive juggernaut, the Nittany Lions defense surrendered only 67 points (9.6 points a game).

In the last three, they’ve given up 72. 65 of that comes from combined losses to Michigan State and Ohio State.

The Husker offense is only putting up 24.9 points per contest (10th B1G, 90th FBS). They can’t afford to take this group lightly.

“Talented everywhere,” offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf said. “I know they’ve had a couple of tough games, but they’re really physical. They play about ten guys up front in a good rotation. So, they’re really fresh and active.”

The Nittany Lions have a knack for getting after the football.

22 turnovers leads the Big Ten and is eighth best in the country. A +11 turnover margin is also best in the conference and fifth in the nation.

Nebraska’s turnover margin is -5 (12th B1G, 101st FBS).

“They’re a very good defense,” quarterback Patrick O’Brien said. “They’ve got great safeties. All around, they’re really good. They change their coverages a lot of times and they blitz a lot. So, it’s going to be hard on me, it ‘s going to be hard on the offensive line. We’re just going to have to be sound.”

Sr. LB Jason Cabinda, a Lott IMPACT Trophy semifinalist, leads the charge on the front seven with 74 tackles.

Jr. CB Amani Oruwariye ranks ninth in the nation and ties for third in the Big Ten with four interceptions. Fellow CB, Sr. Grant Haley, has two picks and 30 tackles as a Jim Thorpe Award semifinialist.

Sr. S Marcus Allen has been all over the field with 59 tackles this season, including four tackles for loss.

“It’s a good defense, so we’ll have our work cut out for us for sure,” Riley said.

Beaver Stadium

Penn State’s Beaver Stadium is the second largest venue in college football, seating 106,572. Saturday will be Senior Day at Penn State, and the fans will hold their third annual Stripe Out game to honor them.

Each section of the stadium will be coordinated in either all blue or all white to create a stripe effect throughout the stadium.

Penn State is 6-0 at home this year.

“It’s a great, electric crowd,” Langsdorf said. “They really get into it. Noise will definitely be a factor in this game. Any time you play in front of that many people and that rowdy of a crowd, it’s something you’ve got to practice for. We’ve got (crowd) noise (playing during practice) all week, and working the silent count. It’ll be a good challenge.”

Prediction

Mike Riley said after the Minnesota loss that the Huskers would have to “rely upon their own personal pride” to get ready for their final two games. All the pride in the world might not help the Huskers on Saturday.

Penn State will be playing with its foot on the gas as they look to finish strong and make their second straight Big Ten title game, but they’ll need help.

The Nittany Lions not only need Ohio State to lose out, but also need Michigan State to lose to either Maryland or Rutgers. It’s a long shot.

The alternative: likely a New Year’s Six Bowl and only the third 10-win season since 2009. If they take care of business, which they should this week.

It’s a mismatch across the board on both sides of the ball, and it’s not close. Nebraska’s four-game winning streak against Penn State will come to a screeching halt.

Penn State 55 Nebraska 20.

You can contact Tommy at 402-840-5226, or you can follow him on Twitter @Tommy_KLIN.