Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1022948
O T H E R M A T C H U P S THE LOWDOWNPenn State had a couple of big lapses on kickoffs last week, but if it plays to its potential, it should have an edge in the kicking game against Pitt. The only two areas where Pitt can match PSU here are on kickoff returns and punts. WR Maurice Ffrench is a solid return specialist, as he showed last week by taking the opening kickoff 91 yards for a TD against Albany. Also, P Kirk Christodoulou averaged 46.5 yards on two attempts in the Panthers' opener. But Penn State has two good return specialists in Hamler (kickoffs) and DeAndre Thompkins (punts). Also, freshman PK Jake Pinegar got off to a fine start, hitting a 32-yard field goal and six PATs in his debut last week. // EDGE Penn State SPECIAL TEAMS THE LOWDOWNThis is the third game in a four-game series with Pitt. The Panthers won the opening game in 2016 at Heinz Field, 42-39. Penn State came back to win the second game at Beaver Stadium last September, 33-14. This will be the 99th meeting between Penn State and Pitt. Penn State leads the series with 51 wins. Pitt has 43 wins, and there have been four ties. // EDGEPenn State THIS 'N' THAT THE LOWDOWN This is Pat Narduzzi's fourth year as Pitt's head football coach. He's posted a 22-17 record, going 8- 5 in 2015 and '16 before taking a step back last year with a 5-7 finish. James Franklin is now in his fiCh year at Penn State, where he has gone 37-17. In 2016, Penn State finished 11-3 and won a Big Ten championship, and last year the Lions went 11-2 with a victory over Washington in the Fiesta Bowl. // EDGE Penn State COACHING STAFF S E P T E M B E R 5 , 2 0 1 8 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 5 50 yards and two TDs. WR Taysir Mack was next with three receptions for 44 yards, while Davis, Aston and WR Tre Tipton combined to make six catches for 41 yards. Penn State had a lot of problems stopping Appalachian State's pass- ing game, as Zac Thomas completed 25 of 38 passes for 270 yards and two TDs. The Nittany Lions had only two sacks, none by defensive linemen. But the secondary did make a big play when Penn State needed it most, as CB Amani Oruwariye intercepted Thomas in the end zone to clinch a 45-38 victory. // KEY MATCHUP Pitt LT Stefano Millin will try to keep Miller out of the backfield. Miller was Penn State's top pass rusher last season with five sacks, and the Lions were second in the Big Ten with 42 sacks as a team. Elsewhere, Araujo-Lopes will take on Oruwariye, who last week made what will likely go down as one of the bigger plays of Penn State's season. // EDGE Penn State