Penn State easily took care of business last week against Purdue, solidifying their No. 4 rank (and No. 6 seed) for the College Football Playoff. The Nittany Lions are well on their way to hosting a playoff game at Beaver Stadium on Christmas weekend. If they win their last two games, they should be locked in.
This week won’t be easy, however. A trip to a tricky Minnesota team could cause potential for chaos. Let’s dive into some notes from this matchup.
Penn State vs. Minnesota Football Series History
Saturday will be the 17th all-time meeting between the Nittany Lions and the Golden Gophers. It’s a series that dates back to 1993. Penn State is 10-6, including winning six of the last eight meetings.
Key players for the Nittany Lions
Tight end Tyler Warren continues making his case to be the first tight end selected in April’s draft. At the very least, he’ll start getting first-round buzz. He now has 808 receiving yards, almost 300 yards more than the next-highest (Harrison Wallace III, 533).
Speaking of first-round buzz, Abdul Carter is making a case to be a top-five pick. Now up to eight sacks on the season, Carter has become a force on the defensive line. And as a reminder, this is Carter’s first season down on the line after playing linebacker.
Key players for the Golden Gophers
Max Brosmer is having a nice first season as Minnesota quarterback after transferring from New Hampshire. He’s at 2,251 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions on the season. However, he’s also been sacked 23 times, something Penn State is very well aware of.
Meanwhile, leading the way in the ground game is running back Darius Taylor. He has rushed for 672 yards on 136 carries this season. That’s 4.9 yards per carry on the year. He has found pay dirt nine times and will look to add to that total in this matchup.
Wide receiver Daniel Jackson is the main target for Brosmer for the Minnesota offense. Jackson leads the way with 63 catches for 712 yards and three touchdowns. Also be on the lookout for Elijah Spencer (39 catches, 482 yards, four touchdowns), who has been playing well this season.
Keys to victory for Penn State
Abdul Carter needs to keep raising his draft stock
If there’s another week where Carter can continue to prove himself to be in the mix for a top five pick in the draft, it’s against a Minnesota team that is averaging multiple sacks allowed per game on Brosmer.
Carter needs to get to the quarterback early and often, creating havoc; allowing himself or his teammates to make plays on the ball.
Stop the run game
Minnesota running back Darius Taylor is averaging almost five yards per carry and is capable of breaking one off at any time for a touchdown. He’s also a key piece in the passing game as well, posting 45 catches to this point. Penn State must shut him down in this contest.
Get their own run game going
Minnesota is one of the better pass defenses in the Big Ten and they are pretty good at getting to the quarterback. This may be a game where Penn State focuses on getting their rushing attack going. With the pair of Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton, the Nittany Lions have the ability to create problems for the Minnesota defense. If they have success, Allar will have clear passing lanes in this contest.
