After missing on a big upset bid my a slim margin, Indiana must now regroup and focus on the road ahead.
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The win was Nebraska’s first ever road win over a No. 1 team and the second all-time by the Huskers at Penn State. It didn’t go as well for Penn State the previous season when Sudfeld picked apart the Nittany Lions for 321 yards and two touchdowns in Indiana’s only win in the series. It was the last time the Nittany Lions would lose, winning 20-straight, including 17 sweeps, to capture the NCAA title.
In those four games, they have trailed for only nine minutes, 20 seconds, and they’ve never been behind after halftime. While the line has done a better job of eliminating sacks, they seem to be unable to hold off defenders and allow Hackenberg to get comfortable in the pocket. By the S&P+ rankings, the Nittany Lions are the best team Indiana has faced so far, and we know the atmosphere in Happy Valley will be a tad bit more charged than that rainy day in Winston-Salem. Franklin said how Barkley – and other injured players respond to treatment in the coming days – will determine whether or not he and others play Saturday afternoon against Indiana. The added complication for Penn State is that this history is larded with deep wounds that continue to be reopened. Against Rutgers, he had 21 carries for 195 yards and two touchdowns.
“We can’t abort the run and get away from the running game”, Franklin said. Von Walker will get the start in his place if he is unable to play, though true freshman Manny Bowen has seen more action in recent weeks as well. “This Saturday is big”, he said. They’re trying to run a 6-2, which they’ve done in the past and they like to do that, which means you have to defend three hitters every rotation.
If you’re thinking about Ezekiel Elliot at this point, I don’t blame you. 13 Ohio State the following night.
“I think having Marcus Allen and Jordan Lucas and Brandon Bell back would be significant for us”. Even before leaving Penn State’s win over San Diego State with an injury, Barkley rushed eight times for 62 yards and had a 22-yard receiving touchdown.
Dressed in shoulder pads and shorts, running back Saquon Barkley did take reps at Wednesday’s practice, coach James Franklin said. But it was still a loss – beating Penn State (4-1) for the second time in three years would really show the program has changed. Neither team has an O, but Penn State has a D.
Ultimately, the answer to that question will come down not necessarily to their talent, but rather, their belief-specifically, their belief that, no, last week was no fluke and that, yes, they are here to stay. The rest of the slate (Michigan State, Wisconsin, Indiana and Iowa) appears to be more challenging, but the Lions nearly always play tough at home.
While Howard doesn’t have the open-field prowess or speed of Tevin Coleman, his ability to keep the Hoosiers on schedule is unmatched. But the forecast is looking promising for this week’s homecoming game versus Indiana.
That low number is fueled mostly by an ineffective passing offense, which is averaging just 171.2 yards per game. Which helps offset the running game’s lack of explosion. He aggravated an ankle injury against the Buckeyes and will have to be cleared to play by doctors. He could easily make life very hard for Penn State’s offensive line and Christian Hackenberg.
Defensively, Indiana should be proud of the effort they put forth against the Buckeyes, and a similar outing against Penn State could very well get the job done.
“Its just been my time at the beginning of the year”, he said. They’re going to force you to be aggressive.
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The Hoosiers defense will go up against a Penn State offense that has been lacking. “But we also came out of it with a split, and that’s one way to look at it. Hopefully, this is going to give us a few momentum going into this week”.
