The Penn State Nittany Lions (1-1, 0-0) will take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-1, 0-0) under the lights of Beaver Stadium on Saturday. The first Big Ten game of the season will begin at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast by the Big Ten Network.
Quick Recap
The Lions are coming off of a 27-14 win over the Buffalo Bulls in last week’s contest, during which true freshman Saquon Barkley picked up 115 yards, a touchdown, and a spotlighted hurdle over an opposing player. Head coach James Franklin will rely on both Barkley and freshman Brandon Polk, who also scored a touchdown in last week’s game, to continue their momentum through the season.
Rutgers, who fell 37-34 against Washington State last week, is averaging 48.5 points and 470.5 yards of total offense. However, the recent allegations of impermissible contact between Kyle Flood and a professor have resulted in a three-game suspension of the head coach; this is in addition to the dismissal of six players – cornerback Nadir Barnwell, cornerback Dre Boggs, fullback Razohnn Gross, cornerback Ruhann Peele, safety Delon Stephenson, and fullback Lloyd Terry – from the football program at the university in relation to arrests for violent crimes.
Floor also announced the indefinite suspension of wide receiver Leonte Carroo for an incident off the field after the loss to Washington State.
What to Watch For
The Penn State offense struggled to get off the ground against Buffalo last week, but woke up in the second half to take a 13-point lead and give themselves the first win of the season. In addition to Polk and Barkley’s touchdowns, DaeSean Hamilton also picked up seven points.
Perhaps most exciting for the Lions, however, is that the team allowed no sacks against Christian Hackenberg and had no turnovers. In an offense riddled with holes and inconsistency, team members, coaches, and fans alike are hoping that this is indicative of how the rest of the season will go.
As senior center Angelo Mangiro put it, they “executed [the] gameplan much better,” and that, “We were able to run the ball effectively and wear them out. And all of that helps the passing game create opportunities down field.”
On the defensive side, Carl Nassib and Austin Johnson are leading the efforts. With four sacks, Nassib is currently tied for second in the nation. The defensive line has made 57 tackles through the first two games.
For Rutgers, quarterback Chris Laviano is stepping into the shoes of dominating Gary Nova, who graduated last year. Laviano went 23-of-29, picking up a touchdown and 204 yards in his first career start last week. Wide receiver Janarion Grant has been a staple on the Knights’ offense, with three returns for a touchdown, he leads the nation.
The Rutgers defense has nabbed 12 tackles for loss and five sacks.
This is Penn State’s first ever Stripe Out Game, and fans should visit PennStateStripeOut.com to see if they should wear blue or white for the game.
Across the Nittany Network:
• The 13th ranked men’s soccer team will travel to Columbus to take on the Buckeyes for the team’s first Big Ten road game of the year.
• The fourth-ranked women’s soccer team collected its third straight shutout against the Wisconsin Badgers on Thursday.
• The nation’s top-ranked women’s volleyball team remains undefeated as they head south to the South Florida Invitational at the Sun Dome.
Kickoff is at 8 p.m. and will be available on the Big Ten Network.
Photo Credit: GoPSUSports.com
The Penn State Nittany Lions (1-1, 0-0) will take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-1, 0-0) under the lights of Beaver Stadium on Saturday. The first Big Ten game of the season will begin at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast by the Big Ten Network.
Quick Recap
The Lions are coming off of a 27-14 win over the Buffalo Bulls in last week’s contest, during which true freshman Saquon Barkley picked up 115 yards, a touchdown, and a spotlighted hurdle over an opposing player. Head coach James Franklin will rely on both Barkley and freshman Brandon Polk, who also scored a touchdown in last week’s game, to continue their momentum through the season.
Rutgers, who fell 37-34 against Washington State last week, is averaging 48.5 points and 470.5 yards of total offense. However, the recent allegations of impermissible contact between Kyle Flood and a professor have resulted in a three-game suspension of the head coach; this is in addition to the dismissal of six players – cornerback Nadir Barnwell, cornerback Dre Boggs, fullback Razohnn Gross, cornerback Ruhann Peele, safety Delon Stephenson, and fullback Lloyd Terry – from the football program at the university in relation to arrests for violent crimes.
Floor also announced the indefinite suspension of wide receiver Leonte Carroo for an incident off the field after the loss to Washington State.
What to Watch For
The Penn State offense struggled to get off the ground against Buffalo last week, but woke up in the second half to take a 13-point lead and give themselves the first win of the season. In addition to Polk and Barkley’s touchdowns, DaeSean Hamilton also picked up seven points.
Perhaps most exciting for the Lions, however, is that the team allowed no sacks against Christian Hackenberg and had no turnovers. In an offense riddled with holes and inconsistency, team members, coaches, and fans alike are hoping that this is indicative of how the rest of the season will go.
As senior center Angelo Mangiro put it, they “executed [the] gameplan much better,” and that, “We were able to run the ball effectively and wear them out. And all of that helps the passing game create opportunities down field.”
On the defensive side, Carl Nassib and Austin Johnson are leading the efforts. With four sacks, Nassib is currently tied for second in the nation. The defensive line has made 57 tackles through the first two games.
For Rutgers, quarterback Chris Laviano is stepping into the shoes of dominating Gary Nova, who graduated last year. Laviano went 23-of-29, picking up a touchdown and 204 yards in his first career start last week. Wide receiver Janarion Grant has been a staple on the Knights’ offense, with three returns for a touchdown, he leads the nation.
The Rutgers defense has nabbed 12 tackles for loss and five sacks.
This is Penn State’s first ever Stripe Out Game, and fans should visit PennStateStripeOut.com to see if they should wear blue or white for the game.
Across the Nittany Network:
· The 13th ranked men’s soccer team will travel to Columbus to take on the Buckeyes for the team’s first Big Ten road game of the year.
· The fourth-ranked women’s soccer team collected its third straight shutout against the Wisconsin Badgers on Thursday.
· The nation’s top-ranked women’s volleyball team remains undefeated as they head south to the South Florida Invitational at the Sun Dome.
Kickoff is at 8 p.m. and will be available on the Big Ten Network.
Photo Credit: GoPSUSports.com
