Blue White Illustrated

KEY MATCHUPS P E N N   S T A T E   V S .   M I C H I G A N   S T A T E | B Y M A T T H E R B & T I M O W E N W H E N P E N N S T A T E H A S T H E B A L L PENN STATE RUNNING GAME 163.1 YPG, 4.7 YPC // MICHIGAN STATE RUN DEFENSE89.8 YPG, 2.8 YPC THE LOWDOWNThe Nittany Lions have what many people believe to be the nation's best running back, yet they've slipped to seventh in the Big Ten and 65th in the Football Bowl Subdivision in rushing yards per game. At Ohio State last weekend, the Lions gained only 91 yards on the ground, and Heisman Trophy hopeful Saquon Barkley wasn't even their leading rusher; that designation went to QB Trace McSorley, who had 49 yards to Barkley's 44. The problem in that game was that the offensive line couldn't keep the Buckeyes out of the backfield. They had 13 tackles for loss, and their success at trapping Barkley at the line of scrimmage or behind it prevented Penn State from using the ground game to run out the clock as it clung to a precarious lead in the fourth quarter. It's unknown whether LT Ryan Bates will be able to play this week aBer he was injured late in the game against the Buckeyes. He's listed atop the depth chart, but that hardly counts as confirmation. If he's out, the challenge will be that much bigger. Led by MLB Joe Bachie (71 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss), OLB Andrew Dowell (55 tackles) and DE Kenny Willekes (44 tack- les, 8.5 TFL), the Spartans are ranked fourth in the country in rushing defense. // KEY MATCHUP A possibly short- handed Penn State offensive front will have to find a way to keep Willekes and Bachie from making plays in the backfield the way Ohio State did. With 45 tackles for loss as a team, the Spartans (ninth in the Big Ten, 73rd nation- ally) haven't been as disruptive as the Buckeyes this season. Few teams have been. // EDGE Michigan State PENN STATE PASSING GAME 277.6 YPG, 12.7 YPC // MICHIGAN STATE PASS DEFENSE 193.6 YPG, 11.0 YPC THE LOWDOWN If Penn State isn't able to get its running game on track – and let's be honest, it's struggled against lesser opponents than Michigan State this year – Penn State will need to rely disproportionately on the passing game to keep its offense on schedule. In addition to calling his own number from time to time, McSorley will need to spread the ball around. He did just that against the Spartans last season, throwing for 376 yards and four touch- downs in the Nittany Lions' 45-12 romp at Beaver Stadium. He also had some fine moments against Ohio State last week, deBly navigating a collapsing pocket to find receivers downfield. Against Michigan State, he'll have to watch out for Willekes, who has four sacks, and OLB Chris Frey, who has three. However, the Spartans have only 19 sacks as a team to rank seventh in the Big Ten. Michigan State's secondary is young, with two sophomores in the starting lineup (CB Justin Layne and FS David Dowell) and one freshman (CB Josiah Scott). Nevertheless, the Spartans rank fiBh in the Big Ten in pass-efficiency defense. // KEY MATCHUP Everything starts up front. If the Lions can give McSorley a clean pocket, DaeSean Hamilton, Juwan Johnson, DeAndre Thompkins, Mike Gesicki and company know how to get open. // EDGE Penn State PENN STATE PASSING GAME VS. MICHIGAN STATE PASS DEFENSE MICHIGAN STATE RUNNING GAME 167.1 YPG, 4.0 YPC // PENN STATE RUN DEFENSE126.0 YPG, 3.3 YPC THE LOWDOWN The Spartans' offense is based on a pro-style rushing attack disguised by motions and shiBs. Through eight games, however, it has produced mixed results. They piled on the yards against Bowling Green, Western Michigan and Minnesota and had average days against their toughest opponents (Notre Dame and Michi- gan). Three times, though, Michigan State has been held below 100 yards (against Iowa, Indiana and Northwestern) and two of those disappointing performances took place in East Lansing. A similar review can be given to Penn State's run defense, which ranks middle of the road in the Big Ten. If there's an advantage here, it's that Penn State has faced similar styles of offense (Pittsburgh, Iowa and Michigan) and held those teams to an average of 113.3 rush- ing yards per game. // KEY MATCHUP L.J. Scott is considered Michigan State's feature back, and at 6-foot-1, 229 pounds, he's a load to bring down. But he hasn't entirely lived up to preseason expectations, as he's only surpassed 100 yards once. QB Brian Lewerke is the team's second-leading rusher and he evens this matchup out, as he averages about nine carries and 43 yards per game. LB Jason Cabinda leads Penn State in tackles, and he will need the defen- sive line to disrupt all-league center Brian Allen in order to keep blockers out of the second level. // EDGE Even MICHIGAN STATE RUNNING GAME VS. PENN STATE RUN DEFENSE MICHIGAN STATE PASSING GAME VS. PENN STATE PASS DEFENSE W H E N M I C H I G A N S T A T E H A S T H E B A L L PENN STATE RUNNING GAME VS. MICHIGAN STATE RUN DEFENSE N O V E M B E R 1 , 2 0 1 7 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 4 MICHIGAN STATE PASSING GAME 226.5 YPG, 11.3 YPC // PENN STATE PASS DEFENSE187.6 YPG, 9.6 YPC THE LOWDOWNLewerke, a sophomore and a former four-star recruit from Arizona who had offers from every major conference, secured the starting QB spot this preseason and has thrown all but six of Michigan State's passes. With a completion rate greater than 61 percent and a 14-4 touchdown-interception ratio, he's shown that he's careful with the football. He has two favorite targets in Felton Davis III and Darrell Stewart Jr., both of whom average four or more catches per game. Freshman WR Cody White has caught 15 passes for 264 yards in the past two games, so he, too, is

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