P E N N S T A T E F O O T B A L L >>
2016
RECORD
6-7, 4-5 Big Ten
COACH Tom Allen (0-1 as interim head
coach; career record: same)
SERIES RECORD Penn State leads the
all-time series, 19-1.
MOST RECENT MEETING The score was
tied at hal@ime, but Penn State prevailed
at Memorial Stadium, 45-31, last No-
vember behind 332 passing yards from
Trace McSorley and ense.
With Devine Redding having le@ early
for the NFL, the running back rotation
will be made up of players who saw min-
imal carries last year. Those RBs will be
relied upon to balance out an o>ense that
will be looking to throw far and o@en.
SCHEDULE Indiana opens against Ohio
State, but then has three winnable non-
conference games against Virginia, FIU
and Georgia Southern that could give it a
boost before entering the heart of its
conference slate.
GAME OF THE YEAR The Hoosiers anx-
iously await the Buckeyes at home on a
Thursday night to begin the season. For-
mer head coach Kevin Wilson is now the
o>ensive coordinator at Ohio State.
OUTLOOK A@er back-to-back 6-7 ort
could help it get there. –TIM OWEN
INDIANA HOOSIERS
TOP RETURNEES
PASSING
Richard
Lagow
253
of 438 | 3,362 yds. | 19 TD | 17 int.
RUSHING
Tyler
Natee
61
att. | 237 yds. | 2 TD
RECEIVING
Nick
Westbrook
54
rec. | 995 yds. | 6 TD
TACKLING
Tegray Scales 93 solo | 33 asst. | 126 total
INTERCEPTIONS
Rashard Fant, Jonathan Crawford 3 int.
W E E K 5 | S E P T E M B E R 3 0 | B E A V E R S T A D I U M
2016 RECORD 7-6, 5-4 Big Ten
COACH Pat Fitzgerald (77-68 in 11 sea-
sons; career record: same)
SERIES RECORD Penn State leads the
all-time series, 13-5.
MOST RECENT MEETING Northwestern
has won the past two contests, the most
recent on Nov. 7, 2015 – a 23-21 victory
in Evanston.
EXPECTED STRENGTHS Northwestern
relied heavily on Clayton Thorson last
year, as only one other Big Ten quarter-
back threw more passes. Thorson will
be the centerpiece of this offense, play-
ing behind a line that returns all but
one starter. Also returning is running
back Justin Jackson, who led the con-
ference with 1,524 rushing yards in
2016. This offense is not one to be un-
derestimated.
POTENTIAL CONCERNS The pass de-
fense was the worst in the conference
last year, and it wasn't even close;
Northwestern surrendered nearly 35
more yards per game than the next-
worst team. The entire secondary re-
turns, so the Wildcats hope the trial by
, this is a game that
many analysts have cited as a potential
trap for PSU, and the Wildcats will be
happy to set it.
OUTLOOK Northwestern lost to West-
ern Michigan and Illinois State by a
combined three points to open last sea-
son. Had those losses not occurred, the
Wildcats would have ense and a solid front seven
on defense, they could be a dark horse
candidate to represent the Big Ten West
in Indianapolis in December. –T.O.
NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS
TOP RETURNEES
PASSING
Clayton Thorson 280 of 478 | 3,182 yds. | 22 TD | 9 int.
RUSHING
Justin Jackson 298 att. | 1,524 yds. | 15 TD
RECEIVING
Flynn Nagel 40 rec. | 447 yds. | 2 TD
TACKLING
Godwin Igwebuike 78 solo | 30 asst. | 108 total
INTERCEPTIONS
Montre Hartage 5 int., 70 yds.
W E E K 6 | O C T O B E R 7 | R Y A N F I E L D
