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Penn State Football: causes for concern against the Indiana Hoosiers

By Nick Kreiser

STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 01: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions leads the team onto the field before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium on October 1, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - OCTOBER 01: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions leads the team onto the field before the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium on October 1, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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STATE COLLEGE, PA – OCTOBER 29: J.T. Tuimoloau #44 of the Ohio State Buckeyes causes Sean Clifford #14 of the Penn State Nittany Lions to fumble the ball during the second half at Beaver Stadium on October 29, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. J.T. Tuimoloau would recover the fumble on the play. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – OCTOBER 29: J.T. Tuimoloau #44 of the Ohio State Buckeyes causes Sean Clifford #14 of the Penn State Nittany Lions to fumble the ball during the second half at Beaver Stadium on October 29, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. J.T. Tuimoloau would recover the fumble on the play. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

Turnovers

Last week, Penn State outgained Ohio State, as well as had more first downs. However, the Buckeyes won one very important statistical category: turnovers. They didn’t just win it, they dominated it.

Four turnovers against Ohio State was ultimately the difference last week, and had they even just had half that, we could be talking right now about a team that’s 7-1 and ranked inside the top 10. Unfortunately, that’s not the way things played out.

If this offense continues to turn the ball over multiple times per game, they will let inferior opponents hang around and potentially pull off upsets.

For the most part, the defense has been excellent this year, but there’s only so much they can do if the offense turns it over and gives the opponent good starting field position.

A clean game by the Nittany Lions in the turnover department gives Indiana almost no shot to win this one, but it seems fairly likely that there will be at least turnover in this game. If there’s any more than that, this game may be way closer than it should be.

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