5 Storylines to Follow as Penn State Takes on Indiana

Penn State is headed to the great state of Indiana [do people say that?] this weekend to face an Indiana Hoosiers team that is just 3-5 on the year with wins over Illinois, Idaho and Western Kentucky. Ignore the fact Illinois is now — somehow — ranked No. 14 in the nation and that leaves the Hoosiers with not too much to hang their hat on this year. All the same, road games in the Big Ten are never easy and Penn State will look to bounce back from an emotional loss to Ohio State last weekend. Here are five storylines to follow along the way.

Play Like That Again: For all of the things Penn State might like to have back from last week’s loss to Ohio State, there was quite a lot of good to build on. In reality, if Penn State plays like it did against the Buckeyes it will win every game on the schedule the rest of the season. That can often be easier said than done, but Penn State shouldn’t lose faith in its abilities just because of two losses to two very good teams. This Nittany Lion group has a lot to play for still and coming out with the attitude it had against Ohio State will go very, very far in realizing that potential.

Does Allar Get More Time?: The most obvious storyline heading into Saturday is the role that backup quarterback Drew Allar plays in all of it. Time will tell if Penn State makes the switch at quarterback but it could be more likely that he and Sean Clifford both see time on Saturday. How that is worked out, be it Allar taking over in garbage time or getting actual meaningful snaps during the game, remains to be seen. Coach James Franklin hasn’t shed much light on the situation so far this week but there would be no reason for him to if he doesn’t want Indiana to have a few extra days to scheme for a far less experienced opponent. It seems like Allar is going to see the field in some capacity, but maybe that’s just everyone trying to speak it into existence.

Play to Your Strengths: Only four teams in the entire country have thrown the ball more times than Indiana and, in theory, that plays to Penn State’s strength in the secondary. The Nittany Lions have given up chunk plays over the course of the year but still lead the nation in passes broken up. Only sevens teams who have played just eight games so far this year have faced more passing attempts than Penn State’s defense. The Hoosiers have always been a pass-happy program under Tom Allen and that certainly hasn’t changed any this season. Winds could kick up to around 20 mph on Saturday so that could play a factor as well. Safety Ji’Ayir Brown is only two interceptions off the national lead. Can he get another on a windy day in Bloomington?

Don’t Lose Twice: It is always a challenge to find your footing after a loss and Penn State certainly rode an emotional roller coaster this past weekend against Ohio State. The key on Saturday is to put that game in the mirror and not look back. The Nittany Lions appear to have good leadership this season, but it can be hard to pick yourself up and find the energy to care again after a tough loss. Penn State has, historically, done pretty well against lesser teams as it comes off of a loss but previous stats don’t account for Saturday’s game. Landing a good first punch could go a long way toward this group knocking off the emotional rust. Have some anger in the system? Take it out on the opponent; don’t shoot yourself in the foot.

If It’s Fixed, Prove It: Indiana ranks No. 83 in the nation in rushing defense and if the Nittany Lions want to prove their ground game is back for good, a punishing effort up front would be a good way to go about it. Injuries on Penn State’s offensive line might limit this a little bit but the overarching theme is the same: pound the ball. It can sometimes be easier said than done to truly take advantage of a team’s weakness, but nothing will help Penn State’s efforts — potentially on a windy day — quite like a good ground game. Rain could be/should be in the mix again this weekend too, so consider this Northwestern Part 2, for Penn State’s sake hopefully without the fumbles. The Hoosiers are an even worse passing defense (No. 102 in the nation) so if the ground game isn’t there and the weather calls for it, let it fly. If Drew Allar does get the nod, a solid rushing attack would certainly make his first start at quarterback a bit easier.