Matchup Preview: Penn State
Penn State at Purdue
Time: Noon. ET
TV: ABC/ESPN2 (Beth Mowins play-by-play, Anthony Becht analyst, Rocky Boiman sidelines)
Radio: Sirius 134 / XM 196 / Tunein.com
Pregame: Gold and Black Radio at 11 a.m. Friday | Gold and Black LIVE at 2 p.m. Friday
Purdue roster | Purdue Schedule/Results | Purdue Game Notes
Penn State roster | Penn State schedule/Results | Penn State Game Notes | Penn State Depth Chart
Penn State pass offense vs. Purdue pass defense
PSU quarterback Trace McSorley did not have a good percentage passing day vs. Ohio State but has been efficient for most of the season. He is fifth in the Big Ten in passing in his first year as a starter and has thrown a touchdown pass in eight straight games. Part of Purdue's pass defense will be keeping an eye on the feet of McSorley as well, as he has rushed for 217 yards and three scores in the last three games. If Purdue can get pressure, as it did at times last week, it has a chance to be effective.
The Lions made a handful of big plays against Ohio State but were stymied for much of the night in both phases of the offense.
Penn State run game vs. Purdue against the rush
Saquon Barkely has been hard for just about everyone to slow this year. Ohio State kept him in check (sort of) by limiting him to 99 yards, but he did get away for a couple of big runs. His has a nose for the end zone with eight rushing touchdowns and nine touchdowns overall, putting him at the top of the conference. The Boilermaker rush defense was improved last week, giving up just 157 yards, but still struggled to slow the Cornhuskers down in crunch time. It will be a real challenge this week.
Purdue passing game vs. Penn State pass defense
It was hard not to like what you saw from Purdue's pass game for the first 40 minutes of the game in Lincoln. Quarterback David Blough hit 21 of his first 26 attempts, before getting hit hard late on a play that likely should have been called. He was just 4-of-17 after that, and the Boilermaker offense sputtered when it came down the stretch.
The biggest challenge will be protecting Blough against a fierce pass rush that terrorized Ohio State late in the game. This will likely go hand in hand with how well Purdue can do running the football.
Purdue rush offense against Penn State rush defense
For Purdue to have a chance to beat its first ranked foe since 2011, it must be well north of the 100-yard mark in rushing. Markell Jones, for a variety of reasons, has really struggled to pick up yards and it won't be easy against the Lions' defense. The Lions rank fourth in the BCS and second in the Big Ten in TFLs and could be a real menace for the Boilermaker offensive line. On paper, this appears to be a mismatch.
Special teams
Penn State might not be great in the return game, but it's hard to ignore that it blocked a punt and field goal that were truly the difference in the win over No. 2 Ohio State. It was a good time for the first returned block field goal for a touchdown in Nittany Lions' history as cornerback Grant Haley took it the distance. Like Joe Schopper, Penn State's punter Blake Gilliken is good at pinning opponents deep, with six this season.
To upset Penn State, Purdue needs to make something happen in special teams.
Intangibles
This one is intriguing. Penn State has a program defining victory for Coach James Franklin. Yet, you get the sense the Boilermakers have momentum with Coach Gerad Parker at least from an effort and enthusiasm standpoint. The Lions are on their way to a 10-win season, while the Boilermakers will have to pull an upset to get one more victory in 2016.
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