Who are Penn State Football’s key players to pick up an Outback Bowl win over Arkansas?

Penn State Football linebacker – Jesse Luketa

With linebackers Brandon Smith and Ellis Brooks opting out of the bowl game to focus on their future in the NFL, Jesse Luketa will likely move back to play middle linebacker in the Outback Bowl.

Arkansas is an excellent running team, so the linebackers will need to play well against the Razorbacks’ ground game.

Luketa has a lot of experience at linebacker, though he has not played there much this season since the first half against Ball State when Ellis Brooks was sidelined from an ejection at Wisconsin.

Not only can Arkansas run the ball well with their running backs, but their quarterback KJ Jefferson is the team’s second-leading rusher. He is very athletic and a powerful runner, especially for a quarterback.

Luketa and his fellow linebackers have their hands full against the Razorbacks’ rushing attack, so they will need to tackle well in space and match the physicality that Arkansas brings to the table.