Happy days in Happy Valley
Every week we’ll be previewing Auburn football’s upcoming opponent. This week, it’s the Penn State Nittany Lions of the Big 10.
Penn State is entering their 8th year under Head Coach James Franklin, formerly in the SEC at Vanderbilt. Last year, the Nittany Lions posted a 4-5 record in B1G play during the shortened 2020 season. Their offense was impressive, posting 417 yards per game and 30 points per game. However, their defense struggled, giving up 329 yards per game and 28 points per game. They return 16 starters, 9 on offense and 7 on defense. Phil Steele projects their defense to be the most improved unit in college football.
This year, Penn State is (2-0) and has climbed to #10 in the AP poll. Their first contest was a defensive slugfest against Wisconsin that they won 16-10. Their contest a week later against Ball State came much easier, winning 44-13. So far this year, this defense has forced 4 turnovers.
A Penn State tradition:
The White Out Game. Once every year, Penn State chooses a home game and asks their fans to all wear white. This has become one of the most recognizable traditions in college sports, as the fans usually go all out. The environment is crazy from the opening kickoff and visiting teams have to deal with an increasingly hostile environment. Since 2000, Penn State is 8-8 in whiteout games.
Players to watch for:
QB Sean Clifford: Threw for 1,883 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2020, but struggled some, throwing 9 interceptions in as many games. So far this season, Clifford has thrown for 477 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2 games.
LB Brandon Smith: Led Penn State with 51 total tackles and 2 sacks, in addition to snagging an interception in 2020. So far this year, Smith has 15 tackles.
