Blue White Illustrated

KEY MATCHUPS P E N N   S T A T E   V S .   N O R T H W E S T E R N | B Y P H I L G R O S Z W H E N P E N N S T A T E H A S T H E B A L L O T H E R M A T C H U P S PENN STATE RUNNING GAME 113.8 YPG, 3.3 YPC NORTHWESTERN RUN DEFENSE 139.7 YPG, 3.1 YPC THE LOWDOWN In the Wildcats' nonconference games against California, Northern Illinois and Western Illinois, the run defense was disappointing. They allowed 139.7 yards per game, ranking 10th in the Big Ten, although they have al- lowed a league-low two rushing touchdowns. The key members of Northwestern's front seven are MLB Chi Chi Ariguzo and strongside OLB Collin Ellis, who rank one-two in tackles. The key matchup here will pit Penn State starting RG Derek Dowrey against Ariguzo. Dowrey must get to the second level and control Ariguzo if Penn State hopes to continue running the football effectively. EDGE Even PENN STATE PASSING GAME 329.5 YPG, 13.6 YPC NORTHWESTERN PASS DEFENSE 257.3 YPG, 11.9 YPC THE LOWDOWN Penn State has one of the top 10 passing games in the country. Redshirt freshman DaeSean Hamilton leads the Big Ten in receptions with 30 for 402 yards, and redshirt sophomore Geno Lewis leads in receiving yards per game at 115.5. To put it bluntly, Northwestern's secondary appears outmatched by Penn State's receivers. The Wildcats are 11th in the Big Ten in pass defense. Cornerbacks Matthew Harris and Nick Van House will have their hands full with Hamilton and Lewis. Northwestern's top defensive back is senior Ibraheim Campbell, who will also have a tough time controlling Penn State's tight ends. EDGE Penn State PENN STATE PASSING GAME VS. NORTHWESTERN PASS DEFENSE NORTHWESTERN RUNNING GAME 115.3 YPG, 3.0 YPC PENN STATE RUN DEFENSE 49.5 YPG, 1.8 YPC THE LOWDOWN The Wildcats haven't run the ball especially well so far, and against Penn State, they may have trouble meeting their modest average of 115.3 yards per game. The biggest reason why the Wildcats' running attack has struggled is the transfer of All-Big Ten RB Venric Mark. The team's leading rusher is freshman Justin Jackson, who has gained 186 yards on 41 carries. If Northwestern hopes to have any success running the football against Penn State, its four returning starters on the offensive line must control the line of scrimmage. The most critical matchup here will pit LG Geoff Mogus against Penn State DT Anthony Zettel. EDGE Penn State NORTHWESTERN RUNNING GAME VS. PENN STATE RUN DEFENSE NORTHWESTERN PASSING GAME VS. PENN STATE PASS DEFENSE THE LOWDOWN Penn State has one solid advantage here: Senior Sam Ficken has converted 8 of 9 field goal attempts and is one of the top place-kickers in the Big Ten. In most other respects, Northwestern and Penn State have not had a lot of noteworthy moments in the kicking game. The Nittany Lions do have a rising star in Grant Haley. The true freshman defensive back is averaging 24.6 yards per kickoff return, fifth-best in the Big Ten. EDGE Penn State SPECIAL TEAMS THE LOWDOWN Northwestern's fall semester didn't begin until today, but even without any classes to attend during the first month of their season, the Wildcats weren't able to get off to their usual quick start. That's a bit of a surprise. Northwestern was expected by some to be undefeated heading into Saturday's game against the Nittany Lions. EDGE Penn State THIS 'N' THAT THE LOWDOWN It appears as though Pat Fitzgerald miscalculated when he decided to have an easy preseason practice schedule with little contact; Northwestern hasn't seemed physically ready for its September schedule. The Nittany Lions may not have played the Big Ten's best nonconference slate, but they have looked OK physically, having outscored their first four opponents by a combined margin of 57-31 in the second half. EDGE Penn State COACHING STAFF W H E N N O R T H W E S T E R N H A S T H E B A L L PENN STATE RUNNING GAME VS. NORTHWESTERN RUN DEFENSE S E P T E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 1 4 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 3 NORTHWESTERN PASSING GAME 281.6 YPG, 13.6 YPC PENN STATE PASS DEFENSE 237.3 YPG, 14.6 YPC THE LOWDOWN Senior QB Trevor Siemian has struggled this season, ranking ninth in the Big Ten in passing. He's com- pleted 59 percent of his attempts for 614 yards, with two touchdowns and three interceptions. One reason why Northwestern ranks ninth in the conference in passing is because it lost preseason All-Big Ten WR Christian Jones in August to an ACL injury. Senior TE Dan Vitale leads the Wildcats with 11 catches for 103 yards, followed by sen- ior WR Kyle Prater with 10 catches for 117 yards. Those wideouts will be going up against a strong PSU secondary. The Lions are allowing opponents to complete only 51.5 percent of their attempts. EDGE Penn State

• Cover