Penn State Football: Nittany Lions take care of business, get through first half of season undefeated
Penn State did what it needed to do in the first half of the season by going unbeaten through six games.
Heading into the 2017 season and fresh off a Big Ten championship, expectations were high for Penn State. With the majority of a potent offense returning, the Nittany Lions were set up for a lot of success. However, expectations and execution are two different things. Fortunately, Penn State was able to do exactly what was needed through the first six games of the season.
Penn State made a statement right out of the gate by posting a dominating 52-0 win over Akron. Star running back Saquon Barkley started his Heisman Trophy campaign off in a big way by rushing for 172 yards and two touchdowns. The defense, which was a bit of a question mark heading into the season, showed up in a big way.
Following the win against Akron the Nittany Lions got a chance at revenge against in-state rival Pitt. Penn State didn’t play its best game, but was able to get away with a 33-14 win. With the offense struggling again, the defense put together another strong performance.
Favored big in Week 3, the Nittany Lions made easy work of visiting Georgia State and finished the nonconference undefeated.
Week 4 brought a tough road test at Iowa. The offense had no problem moving the ball and put up over 500 yards of total offense. However, the Nittany Lions continually sputtered in the red zone and found themselves down four points with under two minutes to play. It took a great drive and a last-second pass on fourth down from Trace McSorley to Juwan Johnson to escape Iowa City unscathed.
Wins at home against Indiana and on the road versus Northwestern wrapped up the first six games of the year for the Nittany Lions. After the break they host a primetime game against Michigan before heading on the road to take on Ohio State and Michigan State in consecutive weeks.
Although undefeated, there is some cause for concern with the Nittany Lions.
The offense hasn’t been as dominant as last year, and field goal kicking has been an issue. Penn State is ranked 38th in total offense and has struggled to run the ball despite having Barkley in the backfield.
For as inconsistent as the offense has been, the defense has been stellar. Penn State’s defense leads the nation with just nine points allowed per game. The Nittany Lions are 12th in total defense and tied for second in turnover margin.
Next: Penn State Players of the Game Against Northwestern
The Nittany Lions have yet to really play a complete game, but are undefeated and ranked No. 3 in the country. A spot in the College Football Playoff is still well within reach for James Franklin and his bunch.