Gameday Primer: Season finale against Michigan State
11. Penn State (9-2) vs. Michigan State (4-7)
When: Friday, November 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Ford Field, Detroit
Radio: See Penn State Radio Network
Nittany Nation Twitter Feed
Betting Line: Penn State -20
No matter how you grade Drew Allar’s first season as Penn State’s quarterback, everyone was holding their breath Saturday when the sophomore left the game in the second quarter and didn’t return. Beau Pribula stepped in and scrambled for a team high 71 yards, but the Nittany Lion offense fell rather quiet in the 27-6 win over Rutgers. James Franklin indicated this week that he felt good about Allar being ready for Friday, but strategically kept him from throwing during the open portion of practice Tuesday. Allar has had ups and downs in his first season as a starter, but when healthy remains entrenched as the team’s starter.
Peeking ahead to bowl season, Penn State continues to vie for a New Year’s Six Bowl for the second-consecutive year. Currently most prognosticators put the Nittany Lions in either the Fiesta Bowl, or Peach Bowl. The Nittany Lions have never won the Peach Bowl, but have wins in the other five major bowl games. If invited to Atlanta, Penn State could become the first school in the nation to win all six New Year’s Six Bowl games.
Friday will be a much better measuring stick for Penn State’s interim offensive coordinators Ty Howle, and Ja’Juan Seider. Say what you want about Rutgers as a program, but this year the Scarlett Knights have procured a standup defense. Holding teams to just 19.1 points-per-game is honorable for a team that has to face a tough East division. Only Ohio State and Michigan have cracked 30-points on the Knights this year. Rutgers has been tough on the run, but brutal against the pass. Allowing just 159-yards-per-game through the air that unit ranks third in the Big Ten, ahead of Penn State and behind Ohio State and Michigan. The Nittany Lions won’t face that same defensive resistance at Ford Field. Michigan State ranks near the bottom of the Big Ten in most defensive categories and provides a better litmus test for the new Nittany Lion coordinators. Don’t be surprised if Penn State finds its footing. But also don’t be stunned if they don’t. You never know with this offense.
