Capital One Bowl Review: PSU 19, LSU 17

Let's not kid ourselves. There's only one thing that really matters: Penn State beat the SEC's third-best team.

Other than that, however, here are some observations on the win.

Stat of the game: 38:21

That's how long the Penn State offense held onto the ball. While it was quite painful to see the Nittany Lions fail time and again to punch it into the end zone, keeping the ball away from Jordan Jefferson was critically important. The ball-control objective seemed to become even more critical as the game progressed, when Jefferson and the Tigers scored 14 unanswered points to take the lead. Had Penn State not run off at least five minutes (it ran off 5:57) on its final drive, LSU might not have had to panic the way it did in the final minute.

Offensive player of the game: Daryll Clark

Collin Wagner's performance is so close, but the final drive by Clark sealed the deal for me. Specifically, the five yard pass to Graham Zug on 3rd-and-four was a thing of poised beauty. Clark went out on the highest note next to a national title. He exorcised the comeback demons, while proving to the nation that Penn State was far from overrated in 2009.

Defensive player of the game: Navorro Bowman

The sentimental pick here would have been Sean Lee, who did play a fantastic final game in the Blue and White. I must go with Bowman, however. Not only did he lead the team in tackles (7) and TFL (1.5), Bowman made the single best decision of the game by taking his sweet time getting off the pile, with precious seconds ticking away on LSU's final drive. Propelling Bowman's decision from just a good one to an all-timer, he drew the crucial personal foul which moved LSU back 15 yards.

Play of the game: Moye's 37-yard touchdown catch

Oh, how we all thought the Penn State offense would actually score touchdowns from then on. Tigers cornerback Patrick Peterson was playing press coverage -- as was most of the LSU secondary -- so Derek Moye and the offense took immediate advantage. Moye's double move to break behind Peterson was eerily reminiscent of the one he used to score against Northwestern. The result was the identical, however. Six points. (I'm sure many of you will disagree strongly with me picking this play, but I think it really sent an early message to LSU that Penn State came to play ball)

Final Thoughts

When Penn State played aggressive football, the Nittany Lions roared to a 16-3 lead. Clark was allowed to throw on first down, while multiple receivers ran free, even if they didn't always haul in the pass. The success through the air allowed for some decent runs by Evan Royster and Stephfon Green. Penn State was dominating the LSU defense. All the while, the Nittany Lion defenders were having a field day of their own against a weak Tiger offensive line and thin running back corps.

But just when Penn State extended its lead to 13, old fashioned Paterno-Ball took over. It was way too soon against a way too talented team. Runs on first down, obvious passing situations on third and long. I nearly wanted to puke when the LSU offense woke up just as Penn State was winding itself into its conservative shell. We know what happened next.

I guess it was a good thing that LSU was allowed to come back and take a fourth-quarter lead. If Penn State wasn't forced to stage that comeback, would Clark's legacy ever have been vindicated with a legendary final drive? Probably not. I'll admit that I wanted a great, tough game; but Christ, that was a bit much.

Going into the 2010 preseason (holy crap, it's already preseason!), Penn State is in great shape, even with the loss of Navorro Bowman early to the NFL. Depending on whether or not any other juniors leave (Evan Royster), this team has a very strong core returning for next season. There's every reason to look forward to 2010. Of course, predicting anything in college football is about as simple as a hand of Texas Hold'em against Johnny Chan.

Final Stats - GoPSUsports.com

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Big Ten Bowl Review: Outback, Capital One, Rose

Say what you want about how ugly some of the games were (Capital One, Outback), but there's no denying that with Ohio State's dominating Rose Bowl victory, the once-maligned conference played its collective hearts out this bowl season. New Year's Day was the highlight; let's take a look at what "they" are saying.

Outback Bowl: Auburn 38, Northwestern 35 (OT)

• This loss must have been particularly tough on NU alum Adam Rittenberg, who points out in his typical level-headedness that the Cats had plenty of chances to win the game prior to the final fake field goal.

• I hate linking to just a wire story, but you gotta love the CBSSports.com fan comments on any of the Big Ten-SEC game stories. Here we'll start with the Outback recap.

Capital One Bowl: Penn State 19, Louisiana State 17

• Penn State did it the usual way, with defense and ball control, writes Rittenberg.

• Evan Royster spoke with SportingNews.com's Brian McLaughlin about the field conditions, among other things.

• For more really funny SEC fan comments, let's see some of them for CBS's Capital One recap.

Rose Bowl: Ohio State 26, Oregon 17

• Over at TWWL, Ivan Maisel and Adam Rittenberg offer thoughts on Ohio State's victory.

• The Big Ten turned out to be New Year's Day's big winner, according to Matt Hayes at SportingNews.com.

• SI.com's Stewart Mandel also throws some praise the Buckeyes' way.

I know this was a crappy post. My apologies. But I have some big news coming your way this week that I just know will make up for it.

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Penn State Gameday: 2010 Capital One Bowl

Happy New Year everyone! Welcome to your Penn State football Bowl gameday headquarters.


Pregame

• Capital One Bowl Game Preview: PSU vs LSU
• Penn State depth chart (as of 12/31)
• Official Game Notes
• Penn State Roster
• Joe Paterno's Pre-Bowl Press Conference
• Big Ten Pick'em: Bowl Special

Postgame

• Game Recap: TBA

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Big Ten Bowl Review: Insight

Gee, thanks Minnesota. Not only did you manage to get every break in the book but still lost the game, you did it in the utmost painful fashion imaginable. One more point. That's all you needed. Just one.

• Adam Rittenberg says it all, pointing to the Marquise Gray's fumble near the Iowa State 20 as the "most damaging giveaway" of the game. So frustratingly true... Meanwhile, ESPN Big XII blogger Tim Griffin likes how head coach Paul Rhodes brought Iowa State back from the depths of the conference, capped off by this win over the Gophers. Incidentally, it was the Cyclones' first over Minnesota in 21 attempts.

• I guess when your bowl game is on the NFL Network, it won't get as much main stream coverage. SI.com, CBSSports.com and SportingNews.com didn't have anything beyond the wire reports. Hey, if they need someone to pump out a few hundred words on a bowl game, I'm free...

Tomorrow is the big one, New Year's Day. Outback, Capital One, and Rose Bowls all packed into a seven-hour orgy of Big Ten football. It's amazing how one single day can make or break an entire conference's national perception for the next 365 days.

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Penn State blasts Spartans, 42-14

Daryll Clark won't be missed by Michigan State fans, as the senior quarterback and Penn State overcame a slow start Saturday night in East Lansing to pound the Spartans 42-14. In two career games against Michigan State, Clark has thrown for 650 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions.

The Nittany Lions earned their 10th win of the season, and made a big statement for BCS bowl scouts looking at Penn State for a possible at-large bid.

But despite the final score, for nearly two full quarters, the battle for the Land Grant Trophy was a slugfest, with both teams held off the scoreboard until Penn State scored with 2:10 left in before halftime. Clark found a wide open Andrew Quarless for a 29-yard catch and run into the end zone, as Michigan State's secondary, which had shown some promise early, failed to stop Penn State's pass attack the rest of the game.

Clark finished the night by breaking Penn State records for career passing touchdowns (42), single season pass touchdowns (23), and single season pass yardage (2,770).

Michigan State was able to tie the game at seven going into halftime, putting together its best drive of the night, going 87 yards in only eight plays, capped by a reaching touchdown grab by tight end Charlie Gantt.

But the tie wouldn't last long after the teams trotted out of the locker rooms for the second half. True freshman wide receiver Curtis Drake -- a quarterback in high school -- took an end around from Clark, ran three steps, the lofted a pass into the end zone for Quarless. Penn State's scoring drive would only take three plays to go 66 yards, though 15 of those yards came courtesy of a Michigan State penalty. The score would launch a 28-0 run by the Nittany Lions in the third quarter, effectively ending any chance for the Spartans to pull the upset.

Penn State amassed 512 total yards on offense, while holding Michigan State to only 333 yards, which included a late touchdown bomb by the Spartans that gained 71 yards.

The Nittany Lions came into the game with the lingering sour taste of four first-half turnovers against Indiana the previous week, but would leave East Lansing error-free on offense, while senior linebacker Sean Lee and safety Nick Sukay each picked off a Spartan pass.

Junior linebacker Navorro Bowman -- possible first round 2010 NFL Draft pick -- led Penn State's defense with another spectacular game, logging a team-high 10 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss (minus-17 yards), a pass breakup and a sack.

With the victory, Penn State locked up a tie with Iowa for second place in the Big Ten. Northwestern's upset of Wisconsin helps to narrow Penn State's competition for an at-large BCS selection to just the Hawkeyes. Ohio State beat Michigan to claim the outright Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl berth.

The Nittany Lions are looking at possible bowl bids in the Orange, Fiesta, Capital One, or Outback Bowls. For Penn State, it will be the fourth January bowl game in five seasons.

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Penn State Gameday: Michigan State

Your Penn State football gameday headquarters.


Pregame

• Preview: No. 14 Penn State at Michigan State
• ABC/ESPN Coverage Map
• Penn State depth chart (as of 11/20)
• Official Game Notes
• Penn State Roster
• Joe Paterno's Press Conference
• Big Ten Pick'em: Week 12 2009
• ZN's CFB Top 25 :: Week 12 2009
• Poll Results: Penn State at Michigan State

Postgame

• Game Story:
• Game Review:
• Live Blog

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Penn State rides underclassmen to senior day win

For the third week in a row, Penn State's offense came out flat. So, tied at 10 entering the second half, the Nittany Lions' defense, which had played valiantly despite working against a minus-four turnover margin, took matters into its own hands. Junior linebacker Navorro Bowman intercepted a tipped pass and ran 73 yards to pay dirt, giving Penn state its first lead of the ballgame. The Nittany Lions offense followed up Bowman's pick-six with two consecutive scoring drives of its own, as Penn State (9-2, 5-2) emerged with a 31-20 win on senior day in Happy Valley.

But the valley was hardly happy most of the game, particularly when the Nittany Lions' not-so-special teams trotted onto the field. Penn State lost two fumbles on first half punt returns, and nearly lost another on the second half kickoff return. It became such a debacle by the third quarter, fans cheered when Graham Zug successfully fair-caught a punt. He and co-punt return specialist Drew Astorino each lost a fumble fielding punts. Penn State entered the game with one of the nation's worst punt return unit, and surely didn't help itself after today's performance. The Nittany Lions have spent all season unsuccessfully finding a replacement for 2008 All-American return specialist Derrick Williams.

As if the special teams weren't giving Penn Staters a big enough headache, the offense played its worst single quarter of the season. Senior quarterback Daryll Clark, who entered the game having thrown only eight interceptions for the season, tossed two picks in just four first quarter attempts. Clark would rebound, however, finishing his Beaver Stadium career with a 17-for-28, 194-yard performance, including a rush touchdown and a 13-yard touchdown pass to Evan Royster.

For Indiana, it's been a season-long trend of lost opportunities. The Hoosiers forced four turnovers in the first half, but only entered the locker room with 10 points to show for it. Indiana's offense held the ball for nearly 10 minutes in the first quarter, courtesy of the continuous giveaways by Penn State.

The Hoosiers had a tough time running on Penn State, finishing the game with only 48 net yards. This came despite giving up only two sacks for minus-11 yards. Indiana quarterback Ben Chappell had good protection against the Nittany Lions' pass rush, but after an early touchdown strike to Demarlo Belcher, couldn't lead the offense to another point until Penn State was working with a 24-10 fourth-quarter lead. Following two scores to open the game, Indiana failed to score on seven straight drives, including four punts, a missed field goal, and an interception. The Hoosiers entered the red zone only twice.

Chappell completed 32 of 51 passes for 298 yards -- all opponent single-game highs against the Penn State defense this season -- and two touchdowns.

The Penn State defense was a big part of forcing Indiana out of its early rhythm, as the Nittany Lions said good bye to five senior defensive starters, including two All-American candidates, linebacker and captain Sean Lee and defensive tackle Jared Odrick. Lee would end the game with 10 tackles and four pass breakups, while Odrick continued to be the rock of the defensive front.

However, some of the biggest plays for Penn State came from the underclassmen.

On defense, Bowman added a team-high 12 tackles, two tackles for loss, a pass breakup and a sack, to go along with his pick-six. Defensive linemen Devon Still and Sean Stanley each made stops behind the line, including a sack by the freshman Stanley. End Jack Crawford batted down two Indiana passes, and safety Nick Sukay came up big, breaking up what looked like a sure touchdown pass for Indiana.

When the Lions had the ball, it was another underclassman who provided some much-needed spark. True freshman receiver Curtis Drake finished with a career-high 60 total yards, including a 26-yard end around to propel on its first touchdown drive of the game.

Penn State improved its senior day record to 19-1 since 1990, and pushed its win streak to nine straight in home finales.

The Nittany Lions will face Michigan State (6-5, 4-3) next week in East Lansing, as the Spartans became bowl eligible with a 40-37 win at Purdue. Indiana (4-7, 1-6) will return home with hopes of spoiling the Boilermakers' bowl hopes.


Final Stats

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Penn State Gameday: Indiana

Your Penn State football gameday headquarters.


Pregame

• Preview: Indiana at No. 18 Penn State
• Penn State depth chart (as of 11/13)
• Official Game Notes
• Penn State Roster
• Joe Paterno's Press Conference
• Interview with Crimson Quarry
• Big Ten Pick'em: Week 11 2009
• ZN's CFB Top 25 :: Week 11 2009

Postgame

• Game Story: Penn State rides upperclassmen to senior day win
• Bowman earns Defensive Player of the Week

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Buckeyes whack Penn State, 24-7

Ohio State marched into Happy Valley with nearly every pundit calling the game an easy win, for the Nittany Lions. But the Buckeyes, led by sophomore quarterback Terrelle Pryor, would have none of it, taking care of business on their way to a 24-7 win that looked much easier than even the final 17-point margin would suggest. Penn State has now lost two home games in the same season for the first time since 2004.

Buckeyes head coach Jim Tressel brought a system of using special teams and defense to win big games, "Tressel-ball." It worked to perfection against Penn State.

Ray Small would return two punts for big yardage, setting up Ohio State's first score, and another in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes manhandled the Nittany Lions' offensive line all night. Penn State was held to 201 yards of total offense and 9 first downs. Senior quarterback Daryll Clark, who had been criticized for his lack of a signature win as a starter, was hit after almost every pass play, and sometimes before. Ohio State was able to sack Clark on multiple occasions, compared to zero for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State would force a three-and-out on Ohio State's first possession, but failed to get any points on the board until after the Buckeyes struck first. Ohio State went into the locker room up 10-7, but it felt like much more for the Nittany Lions. The game was never out of hand for the Buckeyes on either side of the ball, while Penn State looked confused and unprepared.

Earlier in the week, there was much hype around Pryor's return to his home state of Pennsylvania. That hype was magnified as a student group was preparing to print a game shirt mocking Pryor's reaction to last season's defeat to Penn State in Columbus. Pryor was photographed with head in hands on the bench as the game ended.

Rather than answering with tough talk or bulletin board material, Pryor answered with a solid night, and a win, against the No. 11 Nittany Lions (8-2, 4-2) in Beaver Stadium. Ohio State (8-2, 5-1) has moved into a two-way tie for first place in the Big Ten, as the Buckeyes prepare to face an Iowa squad that suffered its first loss of the season, falling 17-10 against Northwestern.

Penn State closes out its home schedule against the Indiana Hoosiers. The Nittany Lions are still in prime position for a New Year's Day bowl game, but as long as the Buckeyes win out, they will earn the conference's automatic berth in the Rose Bowl.

More below the fold...

Penn State Gameday: Ohio State

Your Penn State football gameday headquarters.


Pregame

• Preview: No. 16 Ohio State at No. 11 Penn State
• Penn State depth chart (as of 11/6)
• Official Game Notes
• Coverage Maps
• Penn State Roster
• Joe Paterno's Press Conference
• Interview with The Buckeye Battle Cry
• Big Ten Pick'em: Week 9 2009
• ZN's CFB Top 25 :: Week 10 2009
• Poll Results: Penn State vs Ohio State

Postgame

• Game Story: Buckeyes whack Penn State, 24-7
• Live Blog:

More below the fold...

Review: Penn State 34, Northwestern 13

Penn State woke up after halftime at Northwestern, just in time to pull off the closest blowout wins you'll ever see. The game really swung in the Nittany Lions' after Wildcat QB Mike Kafka went down. But Penn State didn't play a poor game. Northwestern just played better, for a half.

In today's game review, we'll break down Penn State's unit by unit performance.

Offense

• Offensive Line: In the game preview, I said Northwestern DE Corey Wootton would play his best game of the season. The star lineman was extremely active against Penn State, and if he wasn't directly responsible for a big play, he usually had something to do with it. This isn't a review of Northwestern's defense, so I'll explain why Wootton was so important to how the Penn State offensive line played this week. It almost looked like the Nittany Lions weren't prepared to face a full-strength Wootton, as he had been struggling to regain his 2008 for after an injury in the bowl game. On a third-and-short play in the first half, Penn State ran the ball right at Wootton, only to be stopped short. Wootton didn't make the tackle, but he was so quick to beat the block, the play was doomed from the snap. It wasn't until after halftime that Penn State was able to account for Wootton on running plays.

In pass protection, not much went wrong for Penn State. Daryll Clark was given plenty of time to get rid of the ball. That's why the run blocking problems were so important to the early stages of the game. Penn State's coaches were reverting to their pre-2005 stubbornness, trying to run the ball down the opponent's throat, even though the offensive line couldn't get the blocking job done. The right side of the line remains a weakness, so I fully expect Ohio State, Indiana and Michigan State -- all teams with good front lines -- to attack that side in the coming weeks.

Stats: 6.0 yards per rush; Sack allowed

• Receivers: It's hard to criticize the receivers when this unit was able to cut through the Northwestern defense like a knife. However, the Graham Zug (3/28) issue needs to be addressed before I go on to the positives. Zug had two opportunities to make huge, if not gigantic plays before halftime: a dropped touchdown, and the dropped crossing route. Zug is normally a great set of hands out there, which leads me to believe this is nothing more than an off day on his part. But it was still very disappointing to see Penn State's top possession receiver fail so badly at what he does best.

Now for the good. The rest of this unit, including Zug outside of his two big drops, played a fantastic game for Penn State. Derek Moye (6/123, TD) came up with another gem, and might have pushed himself into the conversation for best Big Ten wide receiver this season (now that Minnesota's Eric Decker is out). Chaz Powell (4/36) ran for some tough yards after catch on the bubble screens, while even two freshmen -- Justin Brown and Curtis Drake -- made big plays to spark the offense. This unit ran all the right routes and was able to get open for Clark.

Stats: 18 receptions, 255 yards, TD

• Running Backs: I feel bad for Evan Royster (15/118, TD), having to run behind an offensive line that only shows up most of the time. That being said, Royster seemed to always be that one step away from breaking a big run, until he finally did in the fourth quarter. I say one step because the way Penn State was blocking, Royster was frequently hit either at the line or behind the line, only to emerge with a three or four-yard gain. Northwestern was able to disrupt the running game enough to hold Royster under 30 yards in the first half, directly leading to the Wildcats' halftime lead.

The backfield is in good shape, even without Stephfon Green. Royster has come on in recent weeks, currently second in the Big Ten in rush yards per game. His backup, Brandon Beachum (4/25, TD) has taken full advantage of his carries in Green's stead. Beachum is a tough, between the tackles runner that I think has shown great vision in short-yardage situations. We could end up seeing Beachum subbing in for Royster once Penn State gets inside the five, or on short conversion plays.

Stats: (RB/QB only) 26 attempts, 166 yards

• Quarterbacks: Daryll Clark's "best game of the season" now seems to happen on a weekly basis. Some will point to an injury-riddled Northwestern secondary as the main contributor to Clark's success this week, but I think it ran deeper this week. Clark not only showed he could hit all the throws (even if they were dropped), but that he could go a full game without making a single poor decision, either throwing or running. It was Clark's leadership on the field that made this game his best of the season. Penn State was down, but Clark never pressed, never threw a risky pass, or got happy feet when the pass rush was closing in. In every game prior to this one, Clark had thrown at least one pass that should've been an interception, or worse. But this week, I couldn't count one.

Kevin Newsome (no pass stats) came in late, and only ran for seven yards.

Stats: 22-31, 274 yards, TD

Defense

• Defensive Line: Penn State wasn't utilizing its superior talent on the defensive line through the first half of the game. By playing the defensive backs and linebackers off the receivers, it allowed Mike Kafka to get rid of the ball way before the pass rush could do anything. It wasn't until Penn State mixed up its coverages and disguised some of its blitz packages that the defensive front could get to the passer. I don't blame the line for losing contain on Kafka for some big scrambles. Penn State should have spied Kafka with a linebacker, like they did with Tate Forcier at Michigan.

Run defense was another story. The line was playing at a high level all day, not allowing Northwestern to gain any considerable traction on the ground. Most of the Wildcats' rush yards came via quarterback scrambling. Jared Odrick (5 tkl, TFL, Sack, Blkd) and Jack Crawford (2 tkl, TFL, Sack, PBU, FR) set an early tone, but guys like the always-unsung Ollie Ogbu (4 tkl, TFL, Sack, QBH) and Jerome Hayes (3 tkl, 1.5 TFL, Sack) made this a good day for the entire front wall.

Stats: 3.2 yards per rush allowed; 20 tackles, 7.5 TFL (-37), 6.0 sacks (-31), Forced Fumble, Fumble Recovered, 2 Pass Breakups, Block Kick, 4 QB Hurries

• Linebackers: The defensive game plan was too vanilla the first 30 minutes to allow the linebackers to do much. As I said in the DL section, it was obvious that Penn State made a big mistake not playing a similar scheme to the one used against Michigan. In fact, that scheme should have been expanded upon for a veteran spread-QB like Kafka. Penn State failed to attack the back end of the zone-read plays, like the one Kafka ran in for the touchdown, and allowed Kafka to break contain with no linebacker spying him.

Of course, it was great to see Sean Lee (12 tkl, 0.5 TFL, PBU) not only return to the starting lineup, but lead the team in tackles. Lee and Navorro Bowman (9 tkl, QBH) did the best they could with the defense they were given to work with. For the first time this season, Josh Hull (3 tkl) didn't do much of anything. I think the linebackers in particular benefited from Penn State's tightening of its defensive game towards the end of the first half.

Stats: 29 tackles, 0.5 TFL (0), 2 Sack (-10), Pass Breakup, QB Hurry

• Defensive Backfield: See a common theme developing here? Penn State played such a soft zone for the entire first half, Northwestern became the first team to enter the locker room with a halftime lead on the Nittany Lions. The Wildcats weren't doing anything special. They didn't have better players. Penn State just let Kafka and his receivers run wild underneath for 8-10 yards per completion, sometimes more earlier in the game.

But tackling isn't something one can blame on the coaches, and tackling was a big problem for this unit in the first half. Drew Astorino (6 tkl, FR) has been great when defending the short passes into the flats, but missed on what should have been a one or two-yard gain by Northwestern. The play went for a first down. But I shouldn't pick on Astorino alone, as the rest of the secondary whiffed on a good number of tackles.

It wasn't all bad, though. Astorino made up for a poor first half by staying quiet and not making any mistakes the rest of the game. D'Anton Lynn (8 tkl, TFL) is easily the best all-around corner on this team, and was probably the only one who didn't miss a big tackle. I just wonder how this unit would have handled Kafka for a full 60 minutes.

Stats: 28 Tkl, TFL (-2), Fumble Recovered, 2 Pass Breakup

Special Teams

• Kicking/Punting: Here's an area of special teams play that seems to have settled down. Collin Wagner (2-2, lng 32; 64.3 KO) has now hit eight of his last nine attempts, and is getting better at kickoffs each week. Jeremy Boone (42 YPP) is still taking an extra step sometimes on punts, but had a good day.

• Returns/Coverage: There's good and bad here. The good being Chaz Powell's 36-yard kickoff return to spark the second half offensive rally. That's two weeks in a row that Powell has taken a kickoff past midfield, both times a key points in the game. Northwestern decided to kick away from Penn State's return specialists, so even the two returns Powell was given were surprising. The punt return unit is still terrible. And when the flag for 12 men on the field is factored in, this part of the special teams just got worse, as if it seemed possible.

The coverage teams were decent, not allowing anything big to come back when it mattered. Northwestern had one decent return on a punt, but that was about it.

Overall

For all the mistakes by the players, the coaches shoulder equal blame for the tough time Penn State had at Northwestern. The offense was bland and inconsistent, while the defense was even more bland and more inconsistent. The coaches and players after the game admitted that they were unprepared for Northwestern to come out and play so well. That isn't a good sign for the next three weeks. Penn State plays three very dangerous opponents, each of whom should not be underestimated the way the Wildcats were this past weekend.

That being said, I was very pleased with Penn State this week, as the Nittany Lions were faced with adversity, but were able to fight through it, adapt, and win the game. Penn State remains the No. 1 scoring defense in college football, while the offense hasn't turned it over in three weeks. If the Nittany Lions can be a little more consistent on offense, and somehow maintain their ridiculously high level of play on defense, it should be off to a third BCS bowl game in five seasons.

• Official Stats, via GoPSUSports.com:

Full Box Score

Post Game Quotes

Post Game Notes

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Penn State defeats Kafka-less Cats

Northwestern pulled a few tricks on Penn State early, but the Nittany Lions enjoyed all the treats at the end of a 34-13 Halloween victory in Evanston.

Wildcat quarterback Mike Kafka was on fire, hitting 14 of 18 for 128 yards, while rushing for 42 yards and a go-ahead touchdown, in less than two quarters of work against a Penn State defense that hadn't given up much of anything the last four weeks. Then Kafka went down with a leg injury, taking Northwestern's offensive firepower, and any chance for an upset, with him to the sideline. Penn State would storm back over the final two and a half quarters.

Northwestern went to work on offense with surgical precision. Kafka led the Wildcats on a 17-play, 65-yard drive to start the game with a field goal. But then one-upped himself by marching his team 80 yards down the field in eight plays, capped off by a Kafka touchdown run up the middle. It was 10-3, and Penn State couldn't answer anything Northwestern was doing.

Daryll Clark had something to say about that. Penn State's senior quarterback made big plays on almost every drive, including a 93-yard march in the second quarter to tie the game at ten on Clark's scramble into the end zone. Penn State wouldn't take its first lead until the fourth quarter, but the entire dynamic of the game changed once Kafka left and Clark surged.

All-America candidate defensive tackle Jared Odrick blocked a Northwestern field goal attempt on the next possession. The Wildcats would force a three-and-out, and get the ball back in Penn State territory. But Northwestern wasn't able to punch it into the end zone, allowing the Nittany Lions to hang around, only down by three. It would also be Northwestern's last points for the night.

Penn State had a tough time running against an active Northwestern defensive front, but Clark's passing was sharp enough to make up for any shortcoming on the ground.

Clark finished the day completing 22 of 31 for 274 yards and a touchdown, throwing in 16 yards and a score rushing. He hooked up with 11 different receivers, but has developed an explosive relationship with Derek Moye, who hauled in six passes for 123 yards and a 53-yard touchdown. It was Moye's third 100-yard day this season.

As Northwestern's offense sputtered, Penn State took over, tying the game at 13 on Collin Wagner's 23-yard field goal, followed up by a 58-yard touchdown drive capped by backup tailback Brandon Beachum's short power run up the middle. Penn State was stepping on the gas, and wouldn't let up the rest of the game.

Royster would find the end zone after Clark's bomb to Moye, as the scoring closed with Penn State up by the final 21-point margin of victory.

Penn State finished with 163 rushing yards, part of 437 total offensive yards. But most importantly, the Nittany Lions did not commit a turnover for the third-straight game. The last five games, Penn State has lost just two turnovers, while forcing 11.

The Penn State defense pulled it together between the first and second halves, holding the Wildcats to less than 40 total yards in the third quarter. Six different Nittany Lions logged a sack, the most sacks by Penn State in a game this season.

Penn State (8-1, 5-1) hosts Ohio State next week, while Northwestern (5-4, 2-3) travels to unbeaten Iowa.

More below the fold...

Penn State Gameday: Northwestern

Your Penn State football gameday headquarters.


Pregame

• Preview: No. 12 Penn State at Northwestern
• Penn State depth chart (as of 10/30)
• Official Game Notes
• Penn State Roster
• Joe Paterno's Press Conference
• Interview with Lake the Posts
• Big Ten Pick'em: Week 9 2009
• ZN's CFB Top 25 :: Week 9 2009
• Poll Results: Penn State at Northwestern

Postgame

• Game Story: Penn State defeats Kafka-less 'Cats, 34-13
• Game Review: Penn State 34, Northwestern 13
• Live Blog

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Review: Penn State 35, Michigan 10

Penn State, at long last, beat Michigan in the Big House. But the real thrill might not have been where the Nittany Lions won, or who they beat. It was that Penn State came out to win the game on the road, and didn't let off the gas until victory was well in hand. This game was a far cry from past performances on the road, particularly in Michigan Stadium.

In today's game review, we'll break down Penn State's unit by unit performance.

Offense

• Offensive Line:It's easy to come down on this unit, particularly after it committed so many penalties, had trouble containing Brandon Graham, and wasn't exactly explosive in run blocking schemes. However, I really thought that the line played well at Michigan, coming up with enough key blocks to allow the Penn State offense to work its way to 33 points. I discount the safety, since it wasn't via the offense.

Just imagine what this team could do down the road if the line continues to improve. It can't be forgotten that RT Ako Poti is THIRD on the depth chart. He was the glaring weak spot on the line, but what else should be expected? Penn State really likes to run off the right tackle, which was unfortunately not the line's strongest side this week. Yet on pass plays, Daryll Clark had plenty of time to throw, which made all the difference through the first three quarters Saturday. I like this unit to come on even stronger once DeOn'Tae Pannell and Nerraw McCormack return at RT.

Stats: 4.2 yards per rush; 2 sacks allowed

• Receivers: I'm still waiting for this unit to have one of "those days," but it hasn't come so far this season. This is one of the most impressive units on the team, considering all three of last year's starters had to be replaced. I know I harp on this each week, but it can't be overlooked. Graham Zug (5/59, 3 TD) and Derek Moye (6/53) had a field day when Michigan went into soft zones and man coverage. Did anyone else notice that Penn State ran the same play twice to Zug in the end zone, both times resulting in touchdowns? It was all set up by Moye's ability to catch and run with the quick bubble routes, which eventually drew the Michigan corners upfield, allowing Zug to run open in the corner of the end zone.

With all that, Penn State's most impressive play call was the seam route to Andrew Quarless (2/91, TD) for a 60-yard touchdown. It came right after the safety, and was easily the most aggressive I've seen Penn State attack Michigan in the Big House. Quarless was also one of the best blockers on the field when it came to running plays. He was instrumental in allowing Evan Royster to rumble for 41 yards on the second offensive play.

Stats: 13 receptions, 203 yards, 4 TD

• Running Backs: The running lanes weren't always wide open, but Royster (20/100) and Brandon Beachum (7/23) made the most of what they had, usually running for extra yards on their own strength. Not to come down to much on the run blocking, but it did directly affect how this unit performed. Royster seemed to gain an extra two yards when it looked like he would only get three or four. Beachum and fullback-turned-running back Joe Suhey (3/18) did a great job on run plays designed to hit the line quickly. The call to Suhey early on for 13 yards really caught the defense off guard, and displayed Suhey's deceptive quickness up the gut.

The backups were key to Penn State's ground game. They really stepped up to the plate this week. With Stephfon Green hopefully returning by the Ohio State game, this unit is growing deeper by the week.

Stats: (RB/QB only) 38 attempts, 153 yards

• Quarterbacks: While not the best game of his career (that would be Michigan State '08), Clark put up the best numbers this season. The yardage might not look like much on paper, but Clark was razor sharp inside the red zone and on quick hitting pass plays, like the touchdown strike to Quarless. I was very impressed by Clark's ability to see the winnable matchups, and take what the defense was giving him. In Saturday's case, what the Wolverines' defense gave Clark was a lot of open space to exploit.

Earning Big Ten Offensive POW shouldn't warrant much criticism, but some is due here. Clark was off on more throws than I was comfortable with. He forced two very bad throws deep into double and triple coverage. Against a better defense, those would've been picked off. I know Clark can't be perfect on every play, but with two of the better Big Ten defenses waiting down the road, gift-wrapped interceptions aren't an option.

Stats: 16-27, 230 yards, 4 TD

Defense

• Defensive Line: Last season, Michigan ran the ball for more than 200 yards on Penn State, including a 100-yard, two-score day by Brandon Minor. Things didn't work out quite so well this time around, at least not right away. Penn State fans were cringing once again as Minor and the Wolverines stormed down the field for a 70-yard touchdown drive, 39 of those yards coming on the ground. But that would be the last of any Michigan offensive firepower, as Penn State's front seven clamped down, limiting the Wolverines to a paltry 71 rush yards the rest of the afternoon.

After that first Michigan drive, the defensive line changed its approach to stopping the Wolverines, by attacking up-field and straight ahead, instead of allowing blockers to stretch the play and allow runners to cut back. Once Penn State was able to penetrate and disrupt Michigan's backfield, allowing the linebackers to attack the open gaps, it was all over. But run defense wasn't the only highlight of the Nittany Lions' performance up front. Pressure all day on Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson forced them out of the pocket, usually into the waiting arms of more Nittany Lions.

Stats: 2.8 yards per rush allowed; 13 tackles, 6.5 TFL (-21), 3.0 sacks (-16), Forced Fumble, Pass Breakup

• Linebackers: Statistically, Penn State's linebackers were the best of all the units. Navorro Bowman (11 tkl, TFL, Sack, INT, FR) and Josh Hull (10 tkl, 2.5 TFL, Sack) decided early which defense would control the game... Linebacker U's. Both performed like players possessed, as if the Big Ten title itself was on the line (in a way, it is every week for PSU).

I have to say, Bani Gbadyu (5 tkl, FF, PBU), filling in most of the game when Sean Lee (3 tkl, PBU) was out, played a great game. I'd gladly challenge anyone in the nation to name a better, deeper linebacking corps than the one Penn State is fielding right now.

Stats: 31 tackles, 3.5 TFL (-13), 2 Sack (-10), INT, Fumble Forced, 2 Pass Breakups

• Defensive Backfield: Penn State couldn't have asked for a better performance from its secondary against one of the better passing attacks in the Big Ten. Did Michigan's receivers help out a bit by dropping some passes? Of course. But dropped passes don't cause coverage sacks or breakups. Penn State did both, and more in the Big House.

When the entire defense is playing so well, it doesn't take much for one unit to play well off another. That's exactly how the Nittany Lions' secondary played so well this week. Michigan has little time to throw the ball, but when there was, Penn State never broke coverage on the receivers. Forcier had no one to throw to when a play broke down. Apart from a few missed tackles, and some soft spots in the zone coverage, Penn State's defensive backfield played a great game.

Stats: 13 Tkl, TFL, INT, Fumble Recovered, Pass Breakup

Special Teams

• Kicking/Punting: Colin Wagner (2-2, lng 34; 2 TB) came through with a great game all around, giving Penn State some crucial points while keeping Michigan's return game in check. But Jeremy Boone (35.8 YPP, 1 blk) had another punt blocked, the second this season. Some of that can be attributed to poor protection, but some also falls on Boone, who hasn't adapted to his protection by speeding up his motion. It wasn't all bad, though, as Boone dropped the one punt inside the 15, which eventually led to the safety.

• Returns/Coverage: The kickoff returns are steadily getting better. Chaz Powell's 54-yarder to start the second half was a big money play, keeping the spark lit for Penn State's offense. But... the punt return unit is still the worse part of the entire team. I'd rather Penn State just go for the all-out block every time, and just let it roll dead where it does. Not being able to gain back a decent amount of yards per return could really haunt Penn State the next few weeks. Ohio State loves them some good defensive field position, just like Iowa did four weeks ago.

Coverage of both punt and kickoffs was decent to good this week.

Overall

Iowa might be the scrappiest team in the Big Ten right now (not to mention, undefeated), but Penn State could be the most dangerous. This week's dominating performance in Ann Arbor has pushed the Nittany Lions into leading the conference in every major defensive statistic, to go along with the No. 1 scoring defense in college football. Penn State hasn't turned the ball over the last two games, and only twice in the last four, as the offense is hammering out a league-best 428 yards per game. I thought this week would be the summit of Penn State's season, and that it would just be a matter of how long this team could stay atop the mountain. But after seeing the offense and defense just have their way with Michigan, in the Big House, there might be greater heights for Penn State to reach this season.

With two-thirds of the season gone, Penn State enters the back portion of its schedule facing four teams with .500 or better records. Northwestern just came off a gutsy win over Indiana, while Ohio State put a solid beatdown on Minnesota. And who could forget Michigan State's effort against Iowa this past weekend? If Penn State makes it through the end of November unscathed, it will say more about this team than the previous eight games combined.

• Official Stats, via GoPSUSports.com:

Full Box Score

Post Game Quotes

Post Game Notes

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Finally! Penn State wins in Ann Arbor, 35-10

"That was easy!"

ESPN announcer Sean McDonough couldn't have called it any better, as Penn State's Daryll Clark hit Graham Zug for the duo's second of three touchdown connections of the night against Michigan. The Nittany Lions cruised 35-10 to their first win in Ann Arbor since 1996, and remained in contention for the BCS, with a 7-1 record for the season.

Clark passed his way to what was easily the best performance of the season for the fifth-year senior quarterback, who completed 16-of-27 for 230 yards and four touchdowns.

But Clark didn't log this win all by himself. Penn State put together a solid team effort, using sure hands, good blocking, and menacing defense to stuff the Wolverines, a team coming in averaging a Big Ten-best 37 points per game on offense.

"Linebacker U" lived up to its reputation, as All-Big Ten candidates Navorro Bowman and Josh Hull made life miserable for the Wolverines offense. The duo finished as the top tacklers for the Lions, including a combined 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery, the latter two coming from Bowman. Along the defensive line, three players logged a sack, as sophomore Jack Crawford continued to haunt opposing backfields, finishing the day with three tackles for loss and a sack.

The game started out slowly enough for the Nittany Lions, as Michigan running back Brandon Minor tore apart Penn State's vaunted defense for a touchdown -- Penn State's first given up before halftime all season -- on an 11-play, 70-yard drive, eerily similar to the 2008 contest, when Michigan charged to a 17-7 lead.

However, this time, the Wolverine's momentum stalled almost immediately following the first score. Penn State launched an extremely impressive first drive of its own, soaring down the field on four plays for 63 yards and a Clark's first touchdown pass to Zug.

Penn State barely looked back, as Michigan couldn't get out of its own way. Leading 10-7, the Nittany Lions had Michigan pinned deep near its own end zone. Following two penalties that drove Michigan into the shadows of the goal posts, an errant snap flew past true freshman quarterback Tate Forcier. Penn State got two points, the ball, and didn't take long to capitalize on the swing, as Clark lofted a perfectly thrown bomb to tight end Andrew Quarless for 60 yards into the end zone. The rout was on in the Big House.

Michigan seemed to save face a bit going into the half, tacking on a field goal with a few seconds left in the second quarter. But it wouldn't be enough.

Penn State, which has been notoriously conservative on the road in the past, opened up the offense all afternoon. The pass was used to set up the run game. Quarless led the team in yards with 91, while Zug would haul in five for 59 yards and the three scores. Derek Moye pulled down six passes of his own for 53 yards. The production through the air allowed tailback Evan Royster to churn out 100 yards on the ground, as the Lions ran for 165 total yards on 40 carries. Penn State is now 10-0 when Royster tops 100 yards.

As good as it was for Penn State on offense, it was equally bad for the Wolverines. The Nittany Lions' vicious pass rush forced several bad throws, while sacking Forcier five times. Including the 10 points surrendered to Michigan, the Penn State defense is averaging a mere 8.8 points per game allowed.

While the loss was Michigan's worst of the season, the win was Penn State's best. Since the home loss to Iowa in September, the Nittany Lions have grown stronger each week, and it showed under the Michigan Stadium lights.

Penn State stays on the road next week, as the Lions travel to Northwestern for another nationally-televised matchup. The Wolverines hit the road to play an imploding Illinois team.

Official Stats, via GoPSUSports.com

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Penn State Gameday: Michigan

Your Penn State football gameday headquarters.


Pregame

• Preview: No. 13 Penn State at Michigan
• Penn State depth chart (as of 10/23)
• Official Game Notes
• TV Coverage Maps
• Penn State Roster
• Joe Paterno's Press Conference
• Blue White Roundtable :: Michigan
• Interview with Maize and Blue Nation
• Big Ten Pick'em: Week 8 2009
• ZN's CFB Top 25 :: Week 8 2009
• Poll Results: Penn State at Michigan

Postgame

• Game Story: Penn State wins in Ann Arbor
• Game Review: Penn State 35, Michigan 10
• Live Blog:

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Review: Penn State 20, Minnesota 0

Most pundits are describing Penn State's shutout win over Minnesota as "near perfect." Well, they're probably correct in their assessment of the Nittany Lions' performance in snow-covered Happy Valley Saturday. Penn State has shown incredible progress the last three weeks, since the bad loss to Iowa under the lights. This week's game ball would have to go to the defense. But you could say the night-and-day improvement along the offensive line has been the difference for this team.

In today's game review, we'll break down Penn State's unit by unit performance. I apologize for the delay in getting this posted. I mean geez, even TNL got theirs done before me! Calm down, I'm just kidding. On with the show.

Offense

• Offensive Line: Penn State held the ball for 41:59, the highest time of possession since 1991. There were several penalties by the line, but this was one of the two best performances by this unit this season (at Illinois). One could argue that the Minnesota win was the best overall day for the line this season, particularly looking at the sustained drives and time of possession.

A grinding, pounding effort wasn't the only one given by the offense. The line was a big part of Penn State's season-high eight plays of at least 20 yards. The pass protection gave Daryll Clark time to make big plays, and the run blocking opened holes all day for Evan Royster and the backs. Like many pundits out there, I have been hesitant to say the offensive line has totally turned the corner, but after their most recent outing, I might be ready to make that leap.

Stats: 4.1 yards per rush; NO sacks allowed

• Receivers: If Daryll Clark is named First Team All-Big Ten again this season, he should send his receiving corps a fruit basket. Against Minnesota, Penn State's receivers had their best game of the year, making fantastic catches all day. Derek Moye (6/120, TD) turned in his second 100-yard day of the year (vs Akron). But this time, it was against a conference foe with a winning record. Penn State hasn't had a big-time receiver like Moye since probably Bryant Johnson in 2002. But Moye is only a sophomore, while Johnson didn't emerge until his senior season.

It wasn't only Moye's effort this week that made Clark look like a world-beater. Chaz Powell (2/24) and Graham Zug (5/52) each made some really athletic catches, including some on third down and near the goal line. The tight ends also got into the action, with Andrew Quarless (3/35) and Mickey Shuler (2/27) churning out some big plays of their own.

Stats: 18 receptions, 258 yards, TD

• Running Backs: Welcome back, Evan Royster! Joe Paterno said following the game that Royster (23/137) ran a bit harder against Minnesota, with a little extra spring in his step. Paterno attributed Royster's lowered level of play this year to his suffering from the flu for a few weeks. It now looks that he is healthy and ready to pace Penn State's ground attack the rest of the season.

Stephfon Green (4/0) didn't get much going for the day, and is apparently injured, according to Paterno's post-game press conference. We'll see if that becomes a bigger issue this week going into Michigan. But I have been very pleased with Brandon Beachum (4/20) so far this year. He runs in similar fashion to Tony Hunt, more power than finesse. Brent Carter was out this week with an injury, so Beachum got the nod as the No. 3 back.

Stats: (RB/QB only) 41 attempts, 169 yards, TD

• Quarterbacks: Daryll Clark started a bit slow, but had a very nice day overall. Again, much of that had to do with the outstanding performance by Penn State's receivers and offensive line. Clark (21-32/287, TD) had the luxury of throwing the ball up a few times with a prayer. But there were plenty of really sharp tosses, even a few that weren't caught. One of the most impressive plays by Clark was on third down and 12 midway through the third quarter, when he rolled to his right to find Chaz Powell on a crossing pattern for the first down. He made something out of very little for a big conversion.

Clark and the offense did not commit a turnover for the first time this season, which is a huge stat going into two consecutive Big Ten road games, then Ohio State at home. Clark is looking better, more confident than earlier this season, allowing him to concentrate on just being the leader of this offense.

Stats: 21-32, 287 yards, TD

Defense

• Defensive Line: When the line wasn't making plays on its own, it was doing what it could to allow other defenders the chance. Jared Odrick (4 tkl, 1.5 TFL, Sack) is pushing hard for All-Big Ten again this season, and has had two outstanding games in a row. Plus, had it not been for Adam Weber's nifty footwork, Odrick might have had two more sacks for the day. His partner in crime, Ollie Ogbu (3 tkl, TFL) chipped in another solid outing.

I said the line allowed other units to make big plays. That directly refers to the goal-line stand by the Nittany Lions in the fourth quarter. From the one on fourth down, Minnesota ran a toss to the wide side. While Navorro Bowman and AJ Wallace made the tackle, it was Jerome Hayes (Tkl) that made the difference. He jammed up two of the lead blockers on the play, preventing them from engaging Bowman or Wallace. Hayes didn't make the play, but he allowed his teammates the opportunity. They took it.

Stats: 2.1 yards per rush allowed; 12 tackles, 3.0 TFL (-15), 1.0 sacks (-11)

• Linebackers: Sean Lee took the field early on, but I'm not sure the crowd noticed him, because there wasn't an extra cheer to be found. That was remedied a few plays later when Lee (2 tkl) leveled a Gopher on third down. Although he was flagged for some bogus high hit penalty, Lee made it known that he was back. He was being gradually eased back into playing, but we should see more of him this week at Michigan.

Of course, this shouldn't at all take away from the top-notch performances by Josh Hull and Navorro Bowman. It would be Hull's first-quarter interception that seemed to set the tone for the rest of the game, that Penn State's defense came to play. Hull (6 tkl, INT) finished the day as the second-leading tackler. The team leader was Bowman (8 tkl, 2 TFL), who seemed hell bent on crushing the Minnesota offense all by his lonesome. With Bowman at 100 percent, and Lee poised to follow suit, this unit can reclaim its position as the No. 1 linebacking corps in college football.

Stats: 19 tackles, 2.0 TFL (-4), INT

• Defensive Backfield: Tom Bradley said it was the defensive plan to pressure Adam Weber so much, he wouldn't have time to get the ball to Eric Decker. It worked to near perfection, but the Penn State secondary mopped up any left overs. This unit is coming along each week, and despite some skeptics still lurking out there, have not had a bad day yet this season. We all figured Minnesota would be a great test, but the Lions' defensive backs surely aced it.

AJ Wallace (2 tkl) was assigned to cover Decker exclusively. Due to Wallace's size at 6'1", he was the only corner Penn State had who had a shot to match Decker on jump balls. He ended the day limiting Decker to a single catch, albeit for 42 yards. But that one catch was the result of Penn State's safeties not making a play. I was very impressed by Wallace this week, and hope he can continue his high level of play. Expect Penn State to run much more nickel coverage against Michigan's multiple-receiver sets.

Stats: 10 Tkl, PBU

Special Teams

• Kicking/Punting: Colin Wagner (2-3, lng 47; 2 TB) had a very good day, missing only on a 49-yarder that even the best kickers would have trouble with. But more impressively, he was able to contribute to holding down Minnesota's fantastic return game, by booting two touchbacks on kickoffs.

Jeremy Boone (34 YPP) had an off day, but he's allowed one every so often. Still, none of his punts were shanked, so it wasn't necessarily a "bad" day.

• Returns/Coverage: This might have been the difference-maker for the game. We found out on Friday that Paterno called an unusual Friday practice to just work on kicking and coverage. That's how much respect Minnesota's return game garners from opposing coaches.

The Nittany Lions' extra work did the job, as Minnesota was held without a single long return, with the biggest being a 19-yarder. Penn State did not allow the Gophers to return a single punt, either. Basically, Penn State completely neutralized a major weapon in Minnesota's arsenal.

Overall

Penn State announced a crowd of 107,981. Yeah, right. If there were 90,000 in the stand, I'd be impressed. I'm only addressing the crowd thing not because of the lack of butts in the seats, but because of which butts weren't in said seats. The students section never reached 3/4 full, and that's despicable. The south end zone was the other lightly-populated section of the stadium, but you have to consider that most of those folks were coming from hours away with nowhere to park their cars. Where were the students coming from? Minutes away. I get it; the new ticketing system makes it harder to sell your tickets, especially if you're coming from a branch campus. But it was an embarrassing statement to send on national television that the supposedly "best student section in the nation" can't even show up to watch their nationally-ranked defending Big Ten champs take on a conference foe entering with a winning record. Ok, my rant on that is done.

The team overall played great this week, and looks like its growing stronger every week it plays. One also can't ignore that Iowa is now 7-0 and ranked in the top-10 of every major poll. Penn State has the talent and the schedule to finish the season very strong, possibly positioning itself for another BCS run. But first is a trip to Michigan, followed by Northwestern and then home for Ohio State. The coaching staff has worked wonders since the Iowa loss. The team has created its own identity the past three weeks, due in no small part to its senior leaders and maturing depth. The Nittany Lions are on the right track, but can they stay there?

• Official Stats, via GoPSUSports.com:

Full Box Score

Post Game Quotes

Post Game Notes

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Penn State Gameday: Minnesota

Your Penn State football gameday headquarters.



Pregame

• Preview: Minnesota at No. 13/14 Penn State
• Penn State depth chart (as of 10/16)
• Official Game Notes
• TV Coverage Maps
• Penn State Roster
• Joe Paterno's Press Conference
• Blue White Roundtable :: Minnesota
• Interview with The Daily Gopher
• Big Ten Pick'em: Week 7 2009
• ZN's CFB Top 25 :: Week 7 2009
• Poll Results: Minnesota at Penn State
• Live Blog: Back next week, PSU vs Michigan.

Postgame

• Game Review: Penn State 20, Minnesota 0
• ZN LIVE, see below: Back next week, PSU vs Michigan.

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Review: Penn State 52, E. Illinois 3

Maybe, finally, this Penn State team is ready to roll. Following the Nittany Lions' second-straight 500-yard day on offense, and another dominating performance on defense, Penn State easily pounded FCS (I-AA) opponent Eastern Illinois this past Saturday. With nothing but Big Ten teams ahead of them, including Minnesota in a homecoming clash this week, last week's glorified scrimmage might just have been the last ingredient Penn State needed to cook up a championship season.

In today's game review, we'll break down Penn State's unit by unit performance.

Offense

• Offensive Line: Penn State was missing both right tackles, starter Nerraw McCormack and backup/former starter DeOn'Tae Pannell, out with injuries. So, in stepped senior Ako Poti. Poti, and the rest of the Nittany Lions front line, brushed aside Eastern Illinois defenders like they weren't even there. Since the coaching staff settled on the current starting lineup -- LT Dennis Landolt, LG Johnnie Troutman, C Stefen Wisniewski, RG Lou Eliades -- even without McCormack in this week, the offensive line has played night-and-day better than it did through the Iowa game three weeks ago.

Stats: 7.9 yards per rush; NO sacks allowed

• Receivers: It was expected that Penn State's receivers wouldn't have to do much to gain a ton of yards this week. But that didn't mean the young guns didn't put on an impressive show Saturday. The wideouts looked sharp all around. Chaz Powell (4/79, TD) came down with one of the best catches I've seen this season, fighting through pass interference for the 51-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Graham Zug (1/24) and Derek Moye (2/43, TD) did what they had to do, playing like veterans. True frosh Justin Brown (3/45) made his first three career catches this week. He's played some this season, but had no receptions. Brown is big, tall, has tons of talent, and it's great the coaches are getting him involved early.

The tight end situation is great, but disappointing at the same time. I've fallen in love with what the staff has done to get Andrew Quarless (2/36) the ball so far.

The receivers did a great job blocking downfield this week. Hopefully, that's a sign of things to come, as Penn State will be sure to run more as the weather gets worse. One big block on the outside could mean the difference between gaining three yards or six points.

Stats: 13 receptions, 229 yards, 3 TD

• Running Backs: Evan Royster (8/94) ran for all his yards in the first half, as Stephfon Green (8/54, TD) took over full time after the break. Penn State ran Powell (1/19) and Devon Smith (1/18) from the receiver spots, but there wasn't a lot of trickery on offense. The backs ran straight ahead, mostly due to the offensive line opening mammoth running lanes.

Clark (4/11, TD) didn't have to run the ball much, scrambling once or twice, and sneaking it into the end zone from a yard out. I was really impressed by Kevin Newsome (7/49, TD), who ended the day as Penn State's No. 3 rusher. Newsome is easily one of the most all-around athletic player on Penn State's roster. His running style this week reminded me of Michael Robinson, who ran a bit more like a running back, lower to the ground than Clark's style.

Stats: (RB/QB only) 34 attempts, 248 yards, 3 TDs

• Quarterbacks: Daryll Clark (13-19/234, 3 TD, INT) looked calm and confident this week. Then again, how else should the 2008 All-Big Ten quarterback look against Eastern Illinois? The interception wasn't a huge deal, but I'd rather Clark just took the sack. It was a good day for Clark, but not great since it wasn't a tough opponent.

We waited nearly three full quarters to see Kevin Newsome (4-5/34) come in, so that was a little disappointing. However, the young gun played well and looked fantastic compared to his first couple games this season. As I mentioned earlier, I really like his running style.

Stats: 17-26, 268 yards, 3 TDs, INT

Defense

• Defensive Line: This was another unit that got a bunch of backups into the action. Earlier this week, Joe Paterno said Jordan Hill would burn his redshirt and play this week. He did, finishing the day with four stops. Nearly all of the regular defensive line starters had great days, as Jared Odrick (5 tkl, 3.5 TFL, 2 sacks) turned in a huge performance, while Ollie Ogbu (2 tkl, 1.5 TFL, Sack, FF) and Jack Crawford (2 tkl, 1.5 TFL, Sack) were also everywhere, mostly in the Panthers' backfield. Kevion Latham (TFL), Eric Latimore (Tkl), Devon Still (PBU), Sean Stanley (PBU), James Terry (Tkl) and Jonathan Stewart (Tkl) all saw time. It was a very "play the rest of'em" kind of day.

Stats: 1.8 yards per rush allowed; 19 tackles, 8.5 TFL (-36), 4.0 sacks (-29), 3 PBU, Forced Fumble

• Linebackers: Just imagine if Sean Lee was on the field this whole time. Penn State's linebackers have been beaten up all season long, but now things are settling down. Lee is the only remaining big player out with injury. Good thing for the Nittany Lions that there are about a half dozen more linebackers behind him that could start for most BCS-level programs. Josh Hull (11 tkl) led the team in tackles once again, while Navorro Bowman (5 tkl, 3.5 TFL, FR TD, PBU) is pushing his way back into All-America consideration. Bowman's 91-yard fumble return touchdown was easily the play of the game, as Eastern Illinois was threatening to score from the nine yard line.

In his first significant action as a Nittany Lion, junior Chris Colasanti (6 tkl, TFL, Sack) played very well. I wouldn't be surprised to see him more as the season goes on. He's a big time talent that you'd hate to see riding the bench.

Stats: 29 tackles, 3.5 TFL (-6), Sack (-1), FR for TD (91 yds)

• Defensive Backfield: Eastern Illinois never really tested Penn State's secondary, but was able to find some holes in the zone coverage. This unit was masked by the defensive line's ability to pressure the Panthers' pocket and force throws. AJ Wallace (7 tkl, INT) did come up with a nice pick over his shoulder; he now leads the team with two.

Next week against Adam Weber and Eric Decker will be very interesting.

Stats: 26 Tkl, PBU, INT

Special Teams

• Kicking/Punting: The kicking game wasn't really needed this past weekend, as Colin Wagner (1/1, Lng 25; 8 KO, 63.4) remained steady, and Ryan Breen (70 yd KO) got to launch one kickoff. Jeremy Boone (40.0 YPP) was as good as always.

• Returns/Coverage: The return game took a twist this week, as Justin Brown (3/24, Lng 20) was given a tryout after halftime, and actually made something out of his returns. Then again, when the returns have been this terrible, anything is better. I'm looking forward to seeing if the coaches stick with Brown next week.

Andrew Dailey (Tkl, Blkd) set up a Penn State touchdown with a blocked punt, which is exactly the kind of plays the Lions will need at some point during the second half of the season. Coverage overall was decent this week, but not fantastic.

Overall

I apologize for this review being so late. You see, this game was really a glorified scrimmage. So, what could we really learn from it? The young guys were able to get some good playing time, and the starters were given easy reps against a living, breathing opponent. Most of the time, teams will play down to their opponents, and frankly, I was afraid of that against Eastern Illinois. Penn State proved me wrong, winning the way a good team should.

There is not much else to take away from this game. I look forward to the day Penn State stops scheduling FCS/I-AA teams, but it doesn't look like that will happen any time soon.

• Official Stats, via GoPSUSports.com:

Full Box Score

Post Game Quotes

Post Game Notes

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Penn State Gameday: Eastern Illinois

Your Penn State football gameday headquarters.



Pregame

• Preview: Eastern Illinois at No. 12/14 Penn State
• Penn State depth chart (as of 10/09)
• Official Game Notes
• Penn State Roster
• Joe Paterno's Press Conference
• Blue White Roundtable :: Eastern Illinois
• Big Ten Pick'em: Week 6 2009
• ZN's CFB Top 25 :: Week 6 2009

Postgame

• Game Review: Penn State 52, E. Illinois 3

More below the fold...